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Update: US Equity Futures Drop Pre-Bell as Mid-East Conflict Expands to Potentially Include Red Sea

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(Updates with economic data, recent oil price movement, world markets' overview and corporate stock movements.)

US equity futures were lower pre-bell Thursday as traders considered the possibility of the Middle East conflict spreading to a new front in the Red Sea, lifting oil prices closer to the $100 mark.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.6% lower, S&P 500 futures were down 0.8%, and Nasdaq futures were 1.1% lower.

The US launched attacks on Iran for the 12th consecutive day, US Central Command said in a post on X. Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have claimed they attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea for allegedly violating their announced blockade, in a potential new front for the war, according to multiple media reports.

Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) Google posted higher earnings and revenue for Q2, but the company's stock dropped 5% in premarket activity as it increased its forecasted capital expenditures to as high as $205 billion.

Intel (INTC) is is expected to report its Q2 earnings after the market closes. Analysts polled by FactSet expect earnings of $0.22 per share on revenue of $14.44 billion.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 5.5% at $99.27 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 4.3% higher at $90.55 per barrel.

Initial jobless claims dropped to 187,000 in the week ended July 18 from 209,000 in the previous week, compared with expectations for an increase to 210,000 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.5% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1.3% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.3% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was down 0.5%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.8% lower in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, Tesla (TSLA) shares fell 7.6% after the company reported an unexpected year-over-year decline in its Q2 earnings and missing analysts' consensus estimates. T-Mobile US (TMUS) stock was down 5.7% after the company posted lower-than expected Q2 revenue. Texas Instruments (TXN) shares were 4.7% lower despite the company reporting higher Q2 earnings and revenue.

On the winning side, RTX (RTX) stock was up 5.9% after the company surpassed consensus estimates for Q2 adjusted earnings and net sales. Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) shares rose 5% after the company reported better-than-expected fiscal Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue. Lockheed Martin (LMT) stock was 4.9% higher after the company posted a Q2 beat for earnings and sales, as well as increased its 2026 EPS outlook.

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Update: US Equity Indexes Fall as Treasury Yields, Crude Oil Gains Reflect Concern Over Widening Disruption to Energy Supplies

(Updates with index/price moves and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes fell on Wednesday as government bond yields followed crude oil prices higher amid concern that disruption to energy supplies is likely to both extend and expand in the Middle East.The Nasdaq Composite declined 0.6% to 25,690.90, with the S&P 500 down 0.1% to 7,498.96, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average leaned slightly lower to 52,218.58. Communication services and consumer discretionary led decliners while utilities and energy topped the gainers.Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and Tesla (TSLA), both a part of the so-called Magnificent-7 group of stocks with a significant index sway, reported after the bell on Wednesday.Alphabet reported Q2 earnings of $9.11 per diluted share, up from $2.31 a year earlier. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $2.88. Revenue for the three months ended June 30 was $119.80 billion, up from $96.43 billion a year earlier. Analysts expected $117.06 billion.Tesla reported Q2 adjusted earnings of $0.33 per diluted share, versus $0.40 a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $0.53. Sales for the quarter were $28.24 billion, up from $22.50 billion a year earlier. Analysts expected $26.42 billion.In geopolitical news, the US plans to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant, including those in and around Tehran, every time it attacks ships in the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday. US Central Command has struck Iran for 11 consecutive nights to degrade the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps' ability to attack maritime traffic in the chokepoint to about a fifth of global crude oil and gas flows.Meanwhile, seven tankers have changed course in the Red Sea to avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait since the Houthis' threat on Tuesday to block Saudi oil exports, Reuters reported. The Iran-aligned Houthis have reportedly completed preparations to target vessels near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively closed due to tensions between the US and Iran."Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday. "Those who contribute to such aggression, whatever the kind of support, will also be considered as legitimate targets."The front-month US West Texas Intermediate climbed 2.5% to $86.41 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent jumped 3% to $93.75 a barrel.US Treasury yields rose, extending gains from Tuesday. The 10-year marched 3.1 basis points higher to 4.66%, its strongest level in a month. The two-year jumped 4.3 basis points to 4.3% after yields hit the highest in 52 weeks.Markets are pricing in a more hawkish path for central banks, with yields moving higher around the world as a result, a Deutsche Bank note said, referring to the recent moves in real yields.Next week, the probability of the Federal Reserve leaving its policy unchanged for July slumped to 66% from 89% a week ago, the CME FedWatch tool showed Wednesday. The likelihood of a pause continuing across September, October, and December also declined.In precious metal markets, gold futures jumped 1.5% to $4,136.1, and silver futures advanced 1.5% to $59.98.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$GOOG$GOOGL$TSLA
Asia Markets

Update: US Equity Indexes Mixed as Treasury Yields Jump With Crude Oil Amid Red Sea Chokepoint Disruption

(Updates with index/price moves and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes traded mixed as government bond yields followed crude oil prices higher amid worsening Iran geopolitics and a disruption of maritime traffic in the Red Sea chokepoint.The Nasdaq Composite slipped less than 0.1% to 25,826.1 after midday Wednesday. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 7,519.5, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.3% to 52,369.4.In geopolitical news, the US will destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant, including those in and around Tehran, every time it attacks ships in the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday.Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it hit Jordan's King Faisal and Prince Hassan bases with missiles and drones, claiming to target US military equipment in response to recent American strikes, CNN reported. The US Central Command said Tuesday it struck Iran for the 11th consecutive evening.Seven tankers have changed course in the Red Sea to avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait since the Houthis' threat on Tuesday to block Saudi oil exports, Reuters reported. The Iran-aligned Houthis have reportedly completed preparations to target vessels near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively closed due to tensions between the US and Iran.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate climbed 2.4% to $86.40 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent jumped 2.8% to $93.52 a barrel.US Treasury yields rose, extending gains from Tuesday. The 10-year marched 1.8 basis points higher to 4.65%, its strongest level in a month. The two-year jumped 3.7 basis points to 4.3% after yields hit the highest in 52 weeks.Markets are pricing in a more hawkish path for central banks, with yields moving higher around the world as a result, Jim Reid, global head of macro and thematic research at Deutsche Bank, said in a note Wednesday, referring to the recent moves in real yields. The US 30-year real yield at over 1.0 basis point reached a post-2008 high on Tuesday, he added.Next week, the probability of the Federal Reserve leaving its policy unchanged for July slumped to 66% from 89% a week ago, the CME FedWatch tool showed Wednesday. The likelihood of a pause continuing across September, October, and December also declined. The possibility of a Fed rate increase had surged earlier this month following soft consumer and producer price inflation data.Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and Tesla (TSLA) will report quarterly earnings after the bell on Wednesday.Shares of Super Micro Computer (SMCI) soared 24% after the company said it expects fiscal Q4 GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins in the range of 15% to 17%, significantly above its 8.2% to 8.4% forecast due to a favorable customer and product mix. The stock was the top gainer on the S&P 500.In precious metal markets, gold futures jumped 2% to $4,159.3, and silver futures advanced 2.6% to $60.64.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$GOOG$GOOGL$SMCI$TSLA
Asia Markets

Exchange-Traded Funds, US Equities Mixed After Midday

Broad Market IndicatorsBroad-market exchange-traded fund IWM fell and IVV rose. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) eased 0.1%.US equity indexes traded mixed ahead of quarterly earnings from Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and Tesla (TSLA) and as government bond yields followed crude oil prices higher amid worsening Iran geopolitics.EnergyIShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each added about 1.2%.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose fractionally; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) shed less than 0.1%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 0.1%.The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) rose 1%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) advanced 1%.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) shed 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) declined 0.3%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), advanced 0.3%.CommoditiesCrude oil rose 2.6%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) added 2.4%. Natural gas gained 1.9%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was up 2.1%.Gold on Comex added 1.8%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) gained 1.4%. Silver was up 2%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) climbed 2%.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) added 0.5%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) gained 0.4%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) was up 0.9%.The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) slipped 0.5%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) dipped 0.7%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) was up 0.4%.HealthcareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) shed 0.3% and iShares US Healthcare (IYH) eased 0.3%, and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) fell 0.5%. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was down 0.8%.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) added 0.4%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were higher as well.CryptocurrencyIn midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) dipped 0.7%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) fell 0.8%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was up 1%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 0.1% higher.

Dow Jones^EEM^EXI^FAS^FAZ^GLD^IBB^IGM^IGV^IPK^IVV^IWMNasdaq Composite^IYE^IYH^IYJ^IYK^IYW^PMR^QQQ^RTH^SOXXS&P 500^SPY^UNG^USO^VDC^VHT^VIS^XLE^XLF^XLI^XLK^XLP^XLV^XRT^XSD$BETH$BITO$EETH