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Potential Strait of Hormuz Deal Buoys US Equity Futures Pre-Bell

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US equity futures were edging higher pre-bell Wednesday on optimism for a potential deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.4% higher, S&P 500 futures were up 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.2% higher.

President Donald Trump said that the US had "very good discussions" with Iran, with the agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz potentially happening soon. An Axios report citing two regional sources said that the US, Iran, and Oman were nearing an interim agreement regarding the waterway.

Meanwhile, US Central Command said in a post on X that the strait "remains free and open for all commercial vessels seeking to transit."

Traders digested the latest round of earnings, with SpaceX (SPCX) reporting a narrower loss and higher revenue for Q2.

Sandisk (SNDK) is expected to report its fiscal Q4 earnings after the market closes. Analysts polled by FactSet expect earnings of $34.96 per share on revenue of $8.48 billion.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up nearly 1% at $80.10 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.3% higher at $76.03 per barrel.

The ADP employment report for July, expected at 8:15 am ET, is seen showing an increase of 65,000 from 98,000 in the prior month, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

The S&P Global purchasing managers' index composite final report for July is due at 9:45 am ET, followed by ISM's services data at 10:00 am ET.

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly are slated to speak on Wednesday.

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US Equity Markets End Higher as Tech Stocks Rise, Crude Oil Falls on Hormuz Reopening Talks

US equity indexes ended higher Tuesday amid gains in technology stocks following recent earnings reports and as crude oil prices dropped further after Iran confirmed talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.* Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran and Oman are continuing talks aimed at ensuring the safe flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. Qatar said a proposal had been drafted and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sounded hopeful on a US-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait, Bloomberg reported.* US job openings fell to 7.359 million in June according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, below the 7.454 million openings expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg* New orders for US factory goods fell by 0.3% in June, versus expectations for a 0.2% increase in a Bloomberg-compiled survey and a revised 1.1% decrease in May.* September West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell $4.51 to settle at $75.83 per barrel, while September Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $4.38 at $79.39.* Palantir Technologies (PLTR) stock was up nearly 30%, the top gainer on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, after higher Q2 results surpassed analysts' estimates and the company raised its full-year 2026 revenue outlook.* Aptiv (APTV) shares were down nearly 17%, the worst performer on the S&P 500, after Q2 sales missed consensus and the company also cut its full-year 2026 outlook.

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Update: US Equity Indexes Surge as Technology Leads Amid Strong Earnings While Iran Deal Optimism Pushes Crude Oil Lower

(Updates with index/price moves and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes jumped as earnings helped propel technology to the top of sector charts, while a slide in crude oil and government bond yields reflected optimism that the Strait of Hormuz could soon reopen.The Nasdaq Composite surged 2.8% to 26,641.2, with the S&P 500 up 2% to 7,750.3 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher by 1.9% to 54,208.5 ahead of Tuesday's close. The S&P 500 and the Dow touched their respective 52-week highs earlier in the session. Technology was the standout gainer, followed by materials and industrials. Energy led decliners.Palantir Technologies (PLTR) surged 29%, the top gainer on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, after Q2 sales and adjusted earnings surpassed analysts' estimates and the company, one of the most prominent names in the artificial intelligence industry, boosted its full-year 2026 revenue outlook.VanEck Semiconductor Exchange-Traded Fund (SMH), with net assets of $77.2 billion, jumped 5.8%.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran and Oman are continuing talks aimed at ensuring the safe flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, with discussions focused on designating safe inbound and outbound lanes, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported. Iran's goal in its talks with Oman "is to set temporary arrangements" - lasting up to three months - where Tehran can control a route through the strait, an official told CNN.Iran is considering allowing European nations to remove mines from the strait, a potential climbdown that could form part of a deal to normalize shipping in the waterway and ease peace negotiations with the US, Bloomberg reported. US Treasury Secretary Bessent said a deal to open the Strait could come as early as "today or tomorrow," allowing "freedom of movement" for commercial vessels, the news report said.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 5.7% to $75.76 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent slid 5.2% to $79.37 a barrel.US Treasury yields dropped, with the 10-year down 5.7 basis points to 4.63%. The two-year yield slid 5.4 basis points to 4.20%.

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Update: US Equity Indexes Jump as Earnings Help Technology Top Sector Charts, Iran Deal Optimism Grows

US equity indexes rose as earnings helped boost technology while a slide in crude oil and government bond yields added to confidence that Iran is nearing a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.The Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.1% to 26,458.2, with the S&P 500 up 1.5% to 7,711.4 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher by 1.7% to 54,078.7. The S&P 500 and the Dow touched their respective 52-week highs intraday. Technology was the standout gainer, followed by materials and industrials. Utilities and real estate led decliners.Palantir Technologies (PLTR) surged 26%, the top gainer on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, after Q2 sales and adjusted earnings surpassed analysts' estimates and the company, one of the most prominent names in the artificial intelligence industry, boosted its full-year 2026 revenue outlook.VanEck Semiconductor Exchange Traded Fund (SMH), with net assets of $77.2 billion, jumped 4.2%.The prospect of a US-Iran deal appeared to be gaining traction on Tuesday, after Qatar said a proposal had been drafted and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sounded hopeful on an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported.US Treasury Secretary Bessent said a deal to open the Strait could come as early as "today or tomorrow," allowing "freedom of movement" for commercial vessels, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 4.5% to $76.74 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent slid 4% to $80.42 a barrel.US Treasury yields dropped, with the 10-year down 4.3 basis points to 4.64%. The two-year yield slid 5.2 basis points to 4.2%.

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