Dow Jones and S&P 500 futures edged higher on Thursday, gaining roughly 0.4% and 0.3% respectively, as traders shrugged off President Donald Trump’s recent threats toward Iran and continued to monitor earnings from Oracle, cloud‑computing firm CoreWeave and payments giant Visa.
The rally came amid stalled diplomatic talks aimed at de‑escalating tensions in the Middle East, where officials say progress on a nuclear agreement remains elusive. Despite the president’s statements warning of “serious consequences” for Iran if it pursues hostile actions, analysts said the market’s short‑term reaction was muted because the rhetoric did not translate into immediate policy changes.
“The market is pricing in the likelihood that Washington will continue to rely on diplomatic channels rather than a sudden military escalation,” said a senior analyst at a major brokerage firm, speaking on condition of anonymity. “For now, investors are more focused on corporate earnings and the broader macro backdrop than on geopolitical noise.”
Oracle (ORCL) posted stronger‑than‑expected quarterly results, highlighting growth in its cloud services segment, while CoreWeave, a lesser‑known player in AI‑focused infrastructure, announced a new partnership to expand its high‑performance computing capacity. Visa (V) reported solid transaction volumes, reinforcing confidence in consumer spending trends.
Economists note that the modest rise in futures mirrors a broader pattern of resilience in U.S. equities, even as geopolitical risks linger. However, they caution that any escalation in the Middle East could quickly reverse gains, particularly in energy‑sensitive sectors.
Looking ahead, market participants will watch for further statements from the White House and any movement in the stalled Iran talks, while the upcoming earnings season for technology and financial firms is expected to provide additional direction for the indices.