United States stock futures traded in a mixed fashion on Thursday night (Friday AEST), as investors monitored geopolitical developments in the Middle East alongside a fresh batch of corporate earnings.
Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged 0.1% lower by 9:25 am AEST (11:25 pm GMT), while S&P 500 futures were little changed. Nasdaq 100 futures outperformed, rising 0.4%.
Sentiment was supported after President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks, offering a degree of relief to markets rattled by ongoing regional tensions.
Trump said the agreement followed discussions at the White House with senior U.S. officials. “The Meeting went very well!” the president wrote in a Truth Social post.
“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” he added, referencing the Iran-backed militia group.
Despite the ceasefire extension, investors remained cautious as broader tensions in the region persist.
The conflict has increasingly shifted towards a naval standoff centred on the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route, with both sides reportedly seizing commercial vessels.
In a separate post earlier in the day, Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” laying mines in the Strait.
In after-hours trading, Intel shares surged 19.2% after the chipmaker delivered first-quarter results that exceeded expectations.
The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.29, well above forecasts of $0.02, on revenue of $13.58 billion compared with expectations of $12.42 billion.
By contrast, shares of Boyd Gaming fell 5.3% after the company missed estimates, reporting adjusted EPS of $1.60 versus $1.71 expected, while revenue came in at $997.36 million, below the anticipated $1 billion.
Newmont shares rose 0.8% after the miner posted stronger-than-expected first-quarter results, with adjusted EPS of $2.90 versus $2.18 expected and revenue of $7.31 billion, beating forecasts of $6.55 billion.
However, the company warned that second-quarter performance could be impacted by higher oil prices and increased royalties in Ghana.
Nike shares edged 0.5% higher after the sportswear giant announced plans to cut 1,400 jobs in its second round of layoffs this year, as part of ongoing cost-cutting measures.
During Thursday’s regular trading session, major indices had briefly reached record intraday highs before reversing course. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 fell 0.4% apiece, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.9%.
Looking ahead, market participants will be closely watching earnings reports from Procter & Gamble, Norfolk Southern, Charter Communications and SLB, all scheduled before Friday’s opening bell.
In addition, investors will monitor the final April reading of the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index, which could provide further insight into the resilience of U.S. consumers amid rising geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
