U.S. stock index futures declined Thursday amid escalating Middle East tensions and uncertainty over recent U.S.-China trade developments. Dow E-minis dropped 269 points (0.63%), S&P 500 E-minis fell 25.5 points (0.42%), and Nasdaq 100 E-minis slid 74 points (0.34%).
Investors showed caution after an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in Ahmedabad, India, with over 200 passengers on board. Boeing shares (NYSE:BA) plunged 7.6% in premarket trading. The incident added to broader risk-off sentiment already pressured by geopolitical risks.
President Donald Trump announced the repositioning of U.S. personnel in the Middle East, calling it a “dangerous place,” and warned Iran against pursuing nuclear weapons. An Iranian official responded by threatening U.S. bases if nuclear talks fail. The developments come ahead of a sixth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations.
In trade news, China confirmed a consensus on a trade agreement with the U.S., urging both sides to honor the deal. Markets await further details from this week’s two-day talks in London, as investor focus remains on tariff impacts and global economic stability.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) fell 1.7% and Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) lost 1.1%, tracking broader tech weakness. In contrast, Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) jumped 7.7% after raising its revenue forecast on surging AI-related demand.
Gold prices rose, boosting U.S.-listed gold miners. Newmont climbed 1.5%, Harmony Gold gained 3.5%, and AngloGold Ashanti advanced 4.2%. Oklo shares slid 5.8% after launching a $400 million stock offering.
Markets also await May’s Producer Price Index and initial jobless claims, due later today. Citigroup (NYSE:C) analysts noted tariff effects may intensify in late summer, while current inflation appears muted.
The S&P 500 is now 2% below its February peak, while the Nasdaq is 2.7% off its December high.
