US stock futures ticked higher on Thursday after a session that sent the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite to fresh record closes. Nasdaq 100 futures rose as much as 0.3%, S&P 500 futures added 0.1%, and Dow futures were largely flat; at 17:30 IST all three were up about 0.1%.
In the prior session the S&P 500 gained 0.8% and the Nasdaq advanced 1.59%, marking the Nasdaq’s 11th straight day of gains. The Dow fell 0.15%, underscoring a market tilt toward technology names.
The rally has been supported by easing concerns over the Iran conflict. Donald Trump said the war is “very close to over,” suggested Tehran is willing to negotiate, and pointed to talks between Israel and Lebanon tied to broader Iran-related discussions. Separately, the US and Iran are in indirect discussions to extend the current ceasefire beyond April 22, though a formal second round of negotiations has not been scheduled.
On the oil front, WTI crude was trading at $91.59, up 0.33%, while Brent rose 0.96% to $95.84 at 18:00 IST.
Markets have largely recovered losses incurred since the start of the conflict, with sentiment returning to levels seen earlier this year. Still, some caution persists: the recent rally has been driven by a narrow group of stocks, and broader sector participation will be needed to sustain the uptrend.
Investors will watch a fresh slate of corporate earnings — including Netflix, PepsiCo and Charles Schwab — and key economic data such as jobless claims and industrial production for further direction.
First Published: Apr 16, 2026 6:00 PM IST
