US futures advanced early Monday as financial markets approached a shortened week due to the Easter holiday, with investors turning their attention to upcoming economic reports and heightened geopolitical risk in Iran.
At 4:18 (Bangkok Time), contracts linked to major indices moved higher, with Dow Jones Industrial Average futures up 0.47%, while futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 gained 0.52% and 0.50%, respectively. Oil benchmarks also strengthened, with Brent crude increasing 2.93% to $115.50 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate rising 1.80% to $101.44.
Investor sentiment remains cautious following Friday’s broad sell-off, which saw the Dow fall by 793.47 points to 45,166.64, entering correction territory alongside the Nasdaq Composite. The S&P 500 reached a seven-month low of 6,368.85, declining for a fifth consecutive week, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped to 20,948.36. Recent losses reflect growing concern as the conflict in Iran continues into a fifth week, eroding market hopes for a swift resolution.
In a recent interview, President Donald Trump said the United States intends to exert control over Iran’s oil sector, drawing a comparison to Venezuela’s state-led oil industry. He indicated that Iran has given the U.S. most of the concessions it requested as part of its conditions to end the conflict.
Market participants are preparing for an influx of economic data, with the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), the ADP Employment Survey, and the March jobs report scheduled for release this week. Although equities markets will be closed for Good Friday, the labor data is still set to be published on that day.
On the corporate front, first-quarter results from Nike are expected to provide insight into consumer activity, while updates from USA Rare Earth and Trilogy Metals will be closely monitored for indications about the minerals industry.
