US Equity Futures Ease in Quiet Holiday Trade

US stock futures fell slightly on Friday after a mixed Wall Street session, as investors stayed cautious going into the Good Friday break amid persistent Middle East tensions. President Trump warned the conflict with Iran could last weeks and vowed to strike Tehran “extremely hard,” remarks that lifted oil prices and stoked inflation concerns. On the trade front, Trump signed an executive order paving the way for tariffs of up to 100% on certain patented drugs if companies fail to reach agreements with his administration, while reaffirming plans for 50% duties on imported steel, aluminum, and copper. In corporate news, Tesla reported that first-quarter deliveries and production rose year-on-year but fell from the prior quarter, sending shares down more than 5%. Meantime, Globalstar jumped 13% on reports that Amazon may consider an acquisition. The S&P 500 secured its first weekly gain since the war with Tehran began, while the Dow and Nasdaq also posted advances.

US. .stock futures were mixed on Friday after a volatile Wall Street session, where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq eked out modest gains while the Dow slipped. Sentiment stayed fragile as oil prices spiked following President Trump’s warning that the Iran conflict could drag on for weeks, despite saying the U.S. was “getting very close” to ending the war. Travel stocks, including airlines and cruise operators, fell under pressure as rising fuel costs squeezed margins. Tech names were uneven: Tesla slid 5.5% on weaker-than-expected deliveries, while Globalstar jumped 13% after a report said Amazon may pursue an acquisition. The S&P 500 posted its first weekly gain since the conflict began, while the Dow and Nasdaq also advanced. Thursday marked the week’s final trading day ahead of the Good Friday holiday, though investors remain focused on the March jobs report due Friday.

US stocks closed mostly higher on a volatile Thursday as markets continuously gauged how the surge in energy prices may impact corporate returns. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 inched higher by 0.3%, while the Dow closed flat. Global crude oil prices surged after President Trump delivered formal warnings of escalated attacks on Iran over the next weeks, prompting a retaliatory response by Tehran, with dated Brent prices notching their highest since 2008. Still, equities recovered from session lows on reports that Iran and Oman are coordinating a toll for tankers leaving the Persian Gulf, alleviating the magnitude of the current energy shock. Tech giants inched higher in tandem with Treasuries, with Nvidia, Microsoft, and AMD gaining between 3% and 1%. Meanwhile, Tesla sank 5.4% after it posted one of its worst sales quarter in recent years. Blue Owl lost 1.6% as it faced redemption requests of 41% in private credit funds, forcing it to cap liquidation on added turmoil in the sector.