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U.S. stock futures continued to decline on Thursday, as rising tensions in the Middle East and the upcoming release of the official jobs report weighed on market sentiment. By 06:00 ET (10:00 GMT), Dow Futures had dropped by 125 points, or 0.3%, S&P 500 Futures were down 18 points, or 0.3%, and Nasdaq 100 Futures slipped by 78 points, or 0.4%.
Middle East Conflict Hits Market Sentiment
Investors remain cautious amid the volatile situation in the Middle East. The market has been rattled by the escalation of hostilities, following Iran’s missile attacks on Israel earlier in the week. With Israel now contemplating its response, risk assets have taken a hit.
Analysts from ING noted in a report, “Escalation in the Middle East has led markets to price in a greater risk of a fully-fledged conflict in the region, which could potentially involve the U.S.” The growing possibility of a broader conflict has added uncertainty, contributing to the risk-off sentiment.
Focus Shifts to Key Jobs Report
While geopolitical concerns weigh heavily, traders are also focused on upcoming U.S. labor market data, particularly the nonfarm payrolls report due on Friday. This report is expected to guide the market’s expectations ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next interest rate decision.
So far, employment data has pointed to a relatively strong labor market, with job openings and the ADP private payrolls report exceeding expectations. These figures have reduced the likelihood of another significant rate hike from the Fed following last month’s 50 basis-point increase.
Ahead of the nonfarm payrolls release, markets will also monitor fresh weekly jobless claims and services activity data due later on Thursday, which could further clarify the economic outlook.
Corporate Sector Struggles
In corporate news, Levi Strauss (NYSE: LEVI) saw its stock slump in premarket trading after the company announced it was reviewing the potential sale of its Dockers brand. Additionally, the iconic jeans maker lowered its full-year revenue forecast, further weighing on investor sentiment.
Meanwhile, Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) continued to struggle, with shares falling premarket after a 3% drop in the previous session. The electric vehicle manufacturer has faced disappointment over its third-quarter deliveries and new challenges after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall of 27,185 Cybertruck vehicles. The recall was due to a delayed rear-view image, which affected visibility behind the vehicle.
Crude Oil Prices Rise Amid Middle East Unrest
Oil prices held firm on Thursday as escalating violence in the Middle East stoked concerns about potential disruptions to crude oil supplies from the region. By 06:00 ET, Brent crude futures had climbed 1.8% to $75.22 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 2% to $71.50 per barrel.
Traders are closely watching Israel’s expected retaliation to Iran’s missile strikes, with some fearing potential threats to Iranian oil infrastructure, which could disrupt the global oil supply.
Additionally, U.S. crude inventories unexpectedly rose by 3.9 million barrels to 417 million barrels in the week ending Sept. 27, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), compared with market expectations for a 1.3 million-barrel decline. This increase in supply is tempering some of the upward pressure on oil prices, though concerns over potential geopolitical risks remain elevated.
