The U.S. Dollar Index is trading at 97.64  up with +0.25% percent or +0.26 point.The Dow Futures is trading at 28,291.00 up with +0.34% percent or +95.00 point. The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 3,236.88 up with +0.40% percent or +12.88 point.The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 9,038.75  up with +0.46% percent or +41.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

China’s yuan steadied on Friday while the Australian and New Zealand dollars weakened again as World Health Organization confidence in China’s response to the new coronavirus was offset by concerns about the economic impact of the disease.

The WHO said late on Thursday that the coronavirus outbreak was a global emergency, but opposed travel restrictions and said China’s actions so far would “reverse the tide” of its spread.

The WHO’s assured tone was enough to pause a rush to safety that has for two weeks pounded stocks and hammered currencies and commodities exposed to China.

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

For the day the Dow is trading at 28,256.03 with a loss of –2.09% percent or –603.41   point. The S&P 500 is trading at 3,225.52  with a loss of –1.77% percent or –58.14 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 9,150.94 with a loss of –1.59% percent or –148.00 point.

WORLD MARKETS

Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,614.06 with a loss of -2.07%  percent or -34.16 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 979.84  with a loss of –2.31% percent or -23.19 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 2,007.22  with a loss of -0.062% percent or -40.70 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,446.71 with a loss of –1.67% percent or -24.53 point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,888.03 with a loss of –1.78% percent or -34.22 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,784.03  with a loss of –1.76% or -31.97 point.