United States stock futures were trading slightly higher on Wednesday night (Thursday AEST) following a mixed session on Wall Street that saw both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite close at fresh all-time highs.
By 10:10 am AEST (12:10 am GMT), Dow futures and S&P 500 futures added 0.1% apiece, while Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.2%.
The subdued futures action follows a mixed performance during the regular trading session.
The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% to a new record close, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 1.6%, marking its 11th consecutive day of gains.
In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, underperforming the broader market.
Recent gains in equities have been supported by optimism that a diplomatic resolution to the U.S.-Iran conflict may be within reach.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Fox Business interview that aired Wednesday that the Iran war is “very close to over”, adding that Tehran is keen to “make a deal very badly”.
A White House official also indicated that discussions around a second round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran are ongoing, although no formal timetable has been established.
Earlier in the week, the S&P 500 fully erased its losses incurred since the onset of the Iran war.
Looking ahead, market participants are preparing for a busy session driven by both earnings and macroeconomic data. Companies including PepsiCo, Travelers, U.S. Bancorp, Abbott Laboratories and Charles Schwab are scheduled to report results before Thursday’s opening bell.
On the economic front, investors will closely monitor weekly jobless claims, along with March data on capacity utilisation and industrial production, for further insights into the strength of the U.S. economy.
