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US stock futures were little changed on Thursday after a strong session that pushed the S&P 500 over 7,000 for the first time amid growing optimism for an extension to the Middle East ceasefire.
Futures on the S&P 500 (ES=F) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) wavered along the flat line. Contracts on the Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) climbed 0.4%.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) surged on Wednesday to notch fresh all-time closing highs as gains for tech stocks outpaced the broader market. The week’s rally rolled on after President Trump suggested the Iran war could soon end.
The US and Iran are now reportedly in indirect discussions to prolong the two-week ceasefire set to expire on April 22, with both sides said to be in favor of an extension. The US is still “very much engaged in these negotiations,” Karoline Levitt, the White House press secretary, said on Wednesday.
On deck is a fresh batch of corporate earnings, with highlights Netflix (NFLX), PepsiCo (PEP), and Charles Schwab (SCHW) scheduled to report Thursday.
On the economic data front, a weekly reading on jobless claims is due, alongside an update on industrial production for March.
LIVE 4 updates
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Japan’s Nikkei closes at record high, wiping out Iran war losses
Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average (^N225) ended Thursday’s session at a new record high, erasing its losses from the Iran war amid optimism that new peace talks could speed an end to the conflict.
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Oil holds as potential peace talks provide stability
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