U.S. markets enter Friday, April 3, 2026, with the backdrop set by the Thursday, April 2, close. Stocks slipped after a volatile session. Oil surged. The dollar firmed. Gold fell. Yields stayed high.
The S&P 500 closed at 6,565.73.
The Dow closed at 46,440.45.
The Nasdaq closed at 21,806.45.
The Russell 2000 closed at 2,520.18.
Markets are closed today for Good Friday. But the March jobs report still comes out this morning.
Equity Markets
The last session was slightly negative.
The S&P 500 fell 0.15%.
The Dow fell 0.27%.
The Nasdaq fell 0.16%.
Small caps moved the other way. The Russell 2000 rose 0.35%. This created a split session. Large stocks pulled the market down. Smaller stocks held up better. That means selling was not broad. It was more focused on big names.
Energy stocks were one of the few areas that finished higher. Airline stocks dropped as fuel costs jumped.
Fixed Income
Yields stayed firm. The 10-year Treasury yield closed near 4.30%. It moved higher earlier in the day, then eased slightly. The 2-year yield stayed near 3.85%. There is no real change here.
Borrowing costs remain high. This keeps pressure on housing, loans, and business spending.
Currency Markets
The dollar moved higher. The U.S. Dollar Index closed at 100.00, up about 0.35% on the day. This shows steady demand for safety and yield. The dollar is still supported by higher U.S. rates.
Commodities
This was the biggest move of the day. WTI crude closed at $111.17, up over 11%. Brent crude closed at $107.82, up about 6.6%. Oil also traded higher earlier in the session before settling. This is a sharp move. It raises cost pressure across the economy.
Gold moved lower. Gold closed at $4,679.40, down about 2.8%. This was not a typical defensive move. Oil and the dollar rose. Gold fell.
Macro Backdrop
Weekly jobless claims came in lower. Initial claims were 202,000, down from 211,000 the week before. Continuing claims rose to 1.84 million. The labor market still looks steady based on claims data. The main number today is the March jobs report. It is released at 8:30 a.m. ET. Markets are closed, so the full reaction will show on Monday.
Entering Today's Open
Key reference levels:
S&P 500: 6,565.73
Dow Jones: 46,440.45
Nasdaq: 21,806.45
Russell 2000: 2,520.18
10-Year Yield: 4.30%
2-Year Yield: 3.85%
U.S. Dollar Index: 100.00
WTI Crude: $111.17
Brent Crude: $107.82
Gold: $4,679.40
Initial Jobless Claims: 202,000
Continuing Claims: 1.84M
Jobs Report: 8:30 a.m. ET
Markets open Friday without a trading session, but the setup is clear. Oil made the biggest move. Yields stayed high.
Stocks slipped, but not sharply. The key number today is jobs. The full market reaction comes next week.
