U. S. stock futures edged higher late Thursday night, providing a glimmer of optimism after a day of market turbulence. As of 12:30 a. m. EDT on March 20, 2026, futures on the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.06%, 0.12%, and 0.19%, respectively. This uptick follows comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that eased some worries regarding the U. S.-Iran war.
Netanyahu stated that Israel is assisting the U. S. in maintaining the Strait of Hormuz's accessibility and suggested that Iran's military capabilities have been weakened. He also expressed hope that the conflict might end sooner than anticipated, which contributed to a drop in WTI futures and a subsequent recovery in the stock market. At the time of writing, Brent crude was down 1.6% to $106.91 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude was down 2.06% at $94.16 a barrel.
Earlier in the day, major stock indices had closed lower, trimming steeper losses as oil prices retreated from intraday highs. The Dow slipped 0.4%, while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 each fell 0.3%. Investors also remained concerned about inflation, particularly after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that rising energy costs could put pressure on inflation expectations, leading to increased expectations of no rate cuts for the remainder of 2026.
The market's reaction to Netanyahu's comments and the dip in oil prices suggests a sensitive environment where geopolitical developments and commodity price fluctuations can quickly influence investor sentiment. The Federal Reserve's stance on interest rates, influenced by inflationary pressures, further complicates the market outlook, leaving investors to carefully assess the interplay of these factors.
