U.S. stock futures gained on Monday as market participants looked ahead to the July jobs report and the start of an active earnings period. The opening of August trading coincides with renewed diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and volatile energy markets.
At 4:36 p.m. (Bangkok Time), contracts tracking the Dow Jones Industrial Average pointed to an increase of 328 points, or 0.62%. Futures linked to the S&P 500 rose by 0.48%, while those tied to the Nasdaq-100 moved up 0.51%.
The latest shift toward negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, following President Donald Trump’s announcement of canceled military action and scheduled peace discussions for Monday, contributed to the upbeat tone. Separately, Iranian officials noted progress in their ongoing talks with Oman concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices, which surged in July after renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran and Red Sea shipping concerns, saw a reversal on Monday. Brent crude dropped 4.81% to $83.70 per barrel, and West Texas Intermediate fell 5.80% to $79.76 per barrel.
President Trump stated over the weekend that a preliminary agreement had been reached to allow shipping to resume through the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, OPEC+ members confirmed a planned supply increase of approximately 188,000 barrels per day in September, a continuation of the unwinding of earlier output reductions.
On Friday, U.S. equities finished broadly higher. The Dow Jones gained 276.97 points, or roughly 0.53%. The S&P 500 closed 0.7% higher. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 1%. These gains positioned the major indexes near historical peaks as July drew to a close.
Investors are now watching to see if the factors supporting these advances can maintain their momentum in August. A series of upcoming corporate results are expected to provide insights into economic trends, with earnings due from McDonald’s, Kraft Heinz, Costco Wholesale, and Walt Disney. Technology sector reports, including those from Palantir and Advanced Micro Devices, are also anticipated.
Additionally, labor market data will remain in focus throughout the week, culminating in Friday’s July employment report. Job openings and private payroll figures released earlier in the week will help gauge U.S. employment conditions.
