A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., March 24, 2026.
Jeenah Moon | Reuters
U.S. stock futures rose Thursday night after President Donald Trump extended a deadline to attack Iran’s energy infrastructure, amid ongoing negotiations with the Islamic Republic.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose by 109 points, or 0.2%. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.3%, each.
Oil prices remained elevated, though off their highs of the session. International benchmark Brent crude futures was last above $107 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures was above $93.
Those moves come after Trump said he would extend a pause to attack Iran’s energy facilities to April 6, a little over a week after the original deadline that was set to end Friday.
“As per Iranian Government request, please let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The announcement is the latest signal the Trump administration is seeking an end to the U.S.-Iran war, a conflict that has resulted in surging oil prices that’s already hurting voters at the pump and could cost Republicans their seats in the midterm elections.
A resolution to the conflict would be a boon for the stock market, which has tumbled since U.S. and Israel attacked Iran’s energy infrastructure on Feb. 28.
Uncertainty remains for investors, however, after Iran’s foreign minister reportedly told state media this week that Tehran has no intention of holding talks with the U.S., even if its leaders are reviewing an American proposal to end the war.
Those fears weighed on the stock market Thursday. The S&P 500 declined 1.74%, while the Nasdaq Composite shed 2.38%, closing in correction territory. The Dow dropped more than 460 points, or 1.01%.
“I think we’re headed lower in the medium term until we get some more certainty,” Adam Parker, founder at Trivariate Research, told CNBC’s “Closing Bell” on Thursday. “You got to be cautious here and not take a ton of risk in the near term.”
Stocks were headed for a mixed week. As of Thursday’s close, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were on pace for loses, down 0.5% and 1.1%, respectively. The 30-stock Dow was the lone index set to close the week out in positive territory, up 0.8%.