U.S. equity futures climbed ahead of the opening bell on Monday, pointing to a positive start as traders brace for a high-stakes calendar featuring major corporate scorecards, the U.S. midterm election, and elevated energy costs.
At 4:32 p.m. (Bangkok Time), contracts tied to the S&P 500 advanced 0.46%, while Nasdaq-100 futures logged a 0.86% gain, outperforming other benchmarks as technology names sought to claw back ground following the previous week’s AI-driven selloff. Meanwhile, futures associated with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 227 points, representing a 0.44% increase.
These early gains arrive on the heels of a negative weekly performance for the three primary Wall Street indices. Downward momentum had been concentrated in the tech sector, driven by ongoing skepticism regarding the monetization and capital expenditure demands of the artificial intelligence buildout. During the prior week, the S&P 500 and the Dow each retreated roughly 1%, whereas the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite dropped about 2%.
Examining broader monthly trends, both the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 suffered negative closes for October amid mounting worries over AI-related outlays, with the Nasdaq registering its steepest monthly pullback since March 2025. Conversely, the Dow managed a gain of nearly 2% over the same period as institutional funds reallocated capital toward defensive sectors such as healthcare.
In commodity markets, crude contracts retreated sharply at the start of the week. West Texas Intermediate oil dropped 4.24% to $99.71 per barrel following a Friday settlement above $104—its highest closing mark since mid-September. Brent crude similarly moved lower, sliding 4.11% to $108.77 per barrel.
Energy prices remain heavily influenced by geopolitical developments, as the Strait of Hormuz continues to be severely restricted amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, now in its ninth month. This supply constraint persists despite OPEC+ opting to leave its December production quotas unchanged during Sunday meetings.
On the domestic political front, voters head to the polls on Tuesday for the midterm elections. Market forecasts anticipate that Democratic candidates are positioned to secure majority control of the House of Representatives, whereas the outcome for the Senate remains closely contested and uncertain.
Beyond political and geopolitical catalysts, market participants are awaiting the October nonfarm payrolls report, scheduled for release on Friday. Surveyed economists anticipate the monthly update will demonstrate net job creation of 55,000 positions.
Corporate earnings take center stage as the week progresses. “Magnificent Seven” heavyweight Apple is slated to deliver its financial performance figures after the market close on Monday, drawing intense scrutiny regarding iPhone 18 sales performance.
Additional corporate updates scheduled for Monday include Palantir, while prominent blue-chip names such as McDonald’s and Qualcomm are slated to report later in the week.
