United States equity futures traded within a narrow range on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEDT), following a strong rally across Wall Street as investors grew increasingly optimistic that the Iran conflict may be nearing an end.
By 10 am AEDT (11 pm GMT), Dow Jones futures slipped 0.1%, S&P 500 futures were little changed, and Nasdaq 100 futures edged 0.1% higher.
The subdued overnight moves followed a powerful rebound during Tuesday’s regular session, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 2.5%, the S&P 500 advanced 2.9%, and the Nasdaq Composite surged 3.8%.
All three benchmarks recorded their best daily performance since May, supported by easing geopolitical concerns.
Sentiment improved after comments from Donald Trump, who said the United States could withdraw military forces from Iran within “two or three weeks”. The remarks added to earlier reports suggesting Tehran may be open to ending the conflict under certain conditions.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Trump had indicated a willingness to end hostilities even if the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed in the near term.
In extended trading, Nike fell 8.9% despite delivering better-than-expected quarterly results. The company reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of 35 cents per share on revenue of $11.28 billion, surpassing forecasts of 29 cents per share and $11.23 billion.
However, North America revenue of $5.03 billion came in slightly below expectations, weighing on investor sentiment.
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment rose approximately 3.2% after management projected growth in same-store sales, revenue and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation through 2026.
The company also reported a fourth-quarter adjusted loss of 35 cents per share on revenue of $529.6 million, missing market expectations.
PVH, which owns brands including Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, gained 1.8% after posting stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results. Adjusted earnings came in at $3.82 per share on revenue of $2.51 billion, exceeding forecasts of $3.31 per share and $2.43 billion.
By contrast, RH plunged 17.3% after issuing weaker-than-expected guidance. The company forecast full-year revenue growth of between 4% and 8%, below market expectations of 8.8%. Fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.53 per share and revenue of $843 million also missed consensus estimates.
Despite the recent rebound, Wall Street closed out both a weaker month and quarter. March saw the S&P 500 fall 5.1%, marking its worst monthly performance since 2022. The Dow declined 5.4%, ending a 10-month winning streak, while the Nasdaq dropped 4.8%.
Looking ahead, investors are turning their attention to upcoming economic data and corporate earnings as the second quarter begins. Key releases include February retail sales, March ADP private sector employment figures, and the ISM manufacturing index.
On the earnings front, companies such as Conagra, Lamb Weston and Cal-Maine Foods are scheduled to report ahead of Wednesday’s opening bell.
