Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 24, 2026 in New York City, USA.
Gina Moon | Reuters
U.S. stock futures rose early Friday after President Donald Trump extended a deadline to attack Iran’s energy infrastructure as negotiations with the Islamic Republic continued.
Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures It increased by 159 points (approximately 0.34%). S&P500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures Each rose by about 0.4%.
These moves came after President Trump announced he would extend a moratorium on attacks on Iranian energy facilities until April 6, a little more than a week after the original deadline was set to end on Friday.
“As requested by the Iranian government, I ask that this statement serve as a statement that I am suspending the destruction of energy plants for a period of time,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Negotiations are ongoing and despite false statements to the contrary by fake news media and others, they are progressing very well. Thank you for your attention to this issue!”
The announcement is the latest sign that the Trump administration is seeking to end the US-Iran war. The war has led to soaring oil prices, which is already hurting voters and could cost Republicans seats in the midterm elections.
A resolution to the conflict would be a boon for the stock market, which has fallen since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran’s energy infrastructure on February 28.
But uncertainty remains for investors, with Iran’s foreign minister reportedly telling state media this week that Iran has no intention of holding talks with the United States, even if Iranian leaders are considering American proposals to end the war.
Those concerns weighed on the stock market on Thursday. The S&P 500 fell 1.74% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.38%, closing in correction territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 460 points, or 1.01%.
“I think we’re headed for a decline in the medium term until we get more certainty,” Adam Parker, founder of Trivariato Research, said Thursday on CNBC’s “Closing Bell.” “We need to be cautious here and not take too many risks in the short term.”
Stocks had a mixed week. As of Thursday’s close, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were on pace to decline, down 0.5% and 1.1%, respectively. The 30-stock Dow index rose 0.8%, making it the only index to end the week in positive territory.
