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US Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell Thursday as Traders Await Inflation Data Amid Higher Oil Prices

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US equity futures were mixed pre-bell Thursday as traders awaited the first of two key inflation reports this week and observed oil prices continuing to ascend, with Brent crude futures exceeding $103 per barrel.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.2% higher, S&P 500 futures were down 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.6% lower.

President Donald Trump said that he expects the war with Iran to end after the November US midterm elections, according to media reports. He told reporters Wednesday that Iran was trying to influence the elections.

Traders digested the latest round of earnings, with Macy's (M) posting higher fiscal Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue.

Oracle (ORCL) is expected to report its fiscal Q1 earnings after the market closes. Analysts polled by FactSet expect earnings of $1.74 per share on revenue of $19.14 billion.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 2.7% at $103.95 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 3.1% higher at $99.17 per barrel.

The August Producer Price Index, a measure of wholesale inflation, is scheduled for release at 8:30 am ET. The consumer price index follows on Friday.

The weekly jobless claims bulletin is expected at 8:30 am ET, while the existing home sales report is slated for 10 am ET.

What else is happening in Japan?

Japan

US Equity Markets End Lower as Crude Oil, Government Bond Yields Rise

US equity indexes ended lower Wednesday after crude oil climbed and government bond yields rose despite the US Treasury Department's move to triple government debt buybacks to as much as $6 billion.* Iran is prepared for a more intense phase of the war and will increase counterstrikes if the US attacks on its territory and infrastructure continue, Bloomberg reported, citing a senior official from the Islamic Republic.* Redbook US same-store sales last week surged 8.3% from a year earlier after a 9.6% increase in the previous week.* October West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $3.45 to settle at $96.48 per barrel, while November Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $3.39 at $101.31.* Casey's General Stores (CASY) shares fell 14%, the steepest drop on the S&P 500, after fiscal Q1 same-store sales growth slowed and missed Wall Street estimates, even though earnings and revenue topped expectations.* Meta Platforms (META) shares rose 6.6%, the second-biggest gain on the S&P, after the company launched a new personal AI agent called Muse AI, which can send emails, book travel plans, and continue working after users close the app.

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Japan

Update: US Equity Indexes Drop as Crude Oil Tops $100 Mark, Treasury Yields Surge

(Updates with index/price moves and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes fell after Brent crude oil futures surpassed $100 a barrel and government bond yields jumped after the Treasury Department unveiled plans to triple government debt buybacks to as much as $6 billion.The Nasdaq Composite declined 0.6% to 26,252.1, the S&P 500 retreated 0.4% to 7,640.2, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.6% to 52,456.9 ahead of Wednesday's close.Iran is ready for a more intense war and will escalate counterstrikes if the US continues attacking its territory and infrastructure, Bloomberg reported, citing a senior official from the Islamic Republic. Tehran has no intention of backing down in the face of an American naval blockade and attacks on its oil tankers, the official told the news outlet. Economic pain may be increasing, they said, but the country's leaders see the war with the US as posing an existential threat that leaves them little choice but to keep fighting.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil contract surged 3.6% to $96.39 per barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent soared 3.5% to $101.34 per barrel.The Treasury Department plans to buy back up to $6 billion of government debt, CNBC reported. The move triples the normal buyback operation, following an announcement on Aug. 19 from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that the department would at least double the normal amount for already issued securities.Most US Treasury yields rose, with the 10-year yield up 3.3 basis points to 4.84%, trading close to its highest since late 2023.

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Japan

US Equity Indexes Decline as Crude Oil Tops $100 Mark While Treasury Yields Jump

US equity indexes fell as Brent crude oil futures crossed $100 a barrel, while a surge in government bond yields wiped the shine off the Treasury Department's move to triple government debt buybacks to as much as $6 billion.The Nasdaq Composite declined 0.4% to 26,306.5, the S&P 500 retreated 0.3% to 7,651.3, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.6% to 52,541.7 after midday Wednesday.The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps plans to declare a restricted zone stretching from Chabahar into parts of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported. Any vessel entering this area will face sanctions, it said. The Strait of Hormuz accounted for about a fifth of global oil and gas flow daily before the Iran war.Iran said on Wednesday it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. sank five Iranian oil tankers, in the biggest declared wave of tit-for-tat attacks on shipping by both sides since the start of the six-month-old war, Reuters reported.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil contract surged 3.1% to $95.91 per barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent soared 3.2% to $101.04 per barrel.The Treasury Department on Wednesday said it will buy back up to $6 billion of government debt in an operation aimed at keeping bond markets functioning, CNBC reported. The much-anticipated announcement triples the normal buyback operation, it said.Most US Treasury yields rose, with the two-year up 3.2 basis points to 4.43%. The 10-year yield jumped 4.5 basis points to 4.85%, its highest since late 2023.

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