Updated 1 min read
US stock futures edged lower Thursday evening as investors weighed escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran and braced for the release of the April jobs report.
Futures linked to the S&P 500 (ES=F) and Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) dipped 0.2%, while Dow futures (YM=F) slipped about 0.1%.
Crude prices moved sharply higher in after-hours trading after military clashes erupted near the Strait of Hormuz. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) crude jumped roughly 2% after both the US and Iran accused one another of initiating attacks in the region.
President Trump posted on Truth Social that US destroyers were unharmed and described the military action against Iranian forces as limited, adding that the ceasefire agreement remains intact.
Markets are now turning attention to Friday’s labor market data, including April nonfarm payrolls and the unemployment rate. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg estimate a median growth of 65,000 while unemployment is projected to remain at 4.3%.
Investors will also be watching another round of earnings Friday morning, with reports expected from Toyota Motor (TM), Sony (SONY), and Brookfield Asset Management (BAM).
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Stock market coverage for Friday, May 8, 2026.
