US stock futures edged slightly higher on Thursday, extending gains after a strong session that pushed the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite to fresh record closes.
Futures linked to the Nasdaq 100 rose up to 0.3%, while S&P 500 futures added 0.1%. Contracts tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were largely flat, with marginal gains. At 17:30 IST, the futures of all three indices were up 0.1%.
In the previous session, the S&P 500 gained 0.8%, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.59%, marking its 11th straight day of gains. The Dow, however, declined 0.15%, highlighting a continued tilt towards tech stocks.
The recent momentum comes amid easing concerns around the Iran conflict.
Donald Trump said the war is “very close to over” and indicated that Tehran is willing to negotiate. He also announced talks between Israel and Lebanon, a key condition linked to broader Iran-related discussions.
Separately, the US and Iran are engaged in indirect talks to extend the current ceasefire beyond April 22, although a formal second round of negotiations has not been scheduled yet.
Markets have responded positively to these developments. The S&P 500 has now recovered losses incurred since the start of the conflict, with sentiment returning to levels seen earlier this year.
However, some caution remains. Market participants note that the rally has been largely driven by a narrow set of stocks. For the uptrend to sustain, broader participation across sectors will be important.
In the near term, investors will also track corporate earnings and key economic data, including jobless claims and industrial production, for further direction.
