The U.S. Dollar Index is trading at 97.65 with a loss of -0.09% percent or -0.08 point. The Dow Futures is trading at 27,276.50 up with +0.15% percent or +39.50 point. The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 3,019.62 with a loss of -0.05% percent or -1.38point. The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 8,009.38 with a loss of -0.34% percent or -27.62 point.
TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS
The euro sank to a new two-month low against the dollar on Thursday as investors waited for the European Central Bank to signal another round of monetary easing, including a possible rate cut and the resumption of bond purchases.
The slide was exacerbated by a bigger-than-expected fall in the German Ifo index of current business conditions to 99.4 in July from 100.8 in June. A Reuters poll of economists had expected a decline to 100.4.
“I doubt that anything the ECB does or says provides much comfort” for the beleaguered euro, said Kit Juckes, macro strategist at Societe Generale.
PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY
For the day the Dow is trading at 27,269.97 with a loss of -0.29% percent or -79.22 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 3,019.56 up with +0.47% percent or +14.09 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 8,321.50 up with +0.85% percent or +70.10 point.
WORLD MARKETS
Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,580.42 up with +1.64% percent or +25.46 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 962.84 up with +1.68% percent or +15.92 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 1,983.80 up with +1.41% percent or +27.60 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,334.49 up with +0.45% percent or +6.00 point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,776.43 up with +0.61% percent or +10.81 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,673.93 up with +0.54% or +8.99 point.