S&P/ASX 200 futures support a another positive day ahead

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) (ASX:XJO) futures are up around 4% heading into the open as the ASX 200 looks to build on yesterday's gains of 2.30% to 5,113.30. US markets put together their third positive day and importantly finished near their highs. The S&P 500 Index (INDEX:. INX) closed at 2,630.07, +154.51 or up 6.24% and the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ: .IXIC) closed at 7,797.54, +413.24 or up 5.60%. Notably, the rally was in the face of a record data result that showed 3.2 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits in a week. This was four times higher than the previous record of 695,000 back in 1982.   This chart from Bloomberg shows the truly historic surge in weekly unemployment claims in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/bSESy35cgZ — BNO Newsroom (@BNODesk) March 26, 2020   In our local market. Cochlear Limited (ASX:COH) traded positively yesterday after raising $800 million in a share placement priced at $140, it closed up 8.43% at $182.17. Gold flat, oil down and AUD continues to regain lost ground Gold is up 0.36% overnight to US1,639 per ounce and Crude Oil WTI is down 5.4% to US$23.16 per barrel. The AUD continues to rally off its recent lows, now buying 60.45 US cents, well below where it started the month at 66 US cents but also well off its recent lows of 55 US cents.   [VIDEO] Morning Report: US sharemarkets rose for a third day on Thursday - the best 3-day gain for the Dow Jones since 1931. https://t.co/Ad3UDIbO16 #ausbiz — CommSec (@CommSec) March 26, 2020