Hopes for Middle East Peace Nudge US Equity Futures Slightly Higher Pre-Bell
US equity futures were higher pre-bell on Thursday as optimism for an end to the Middle East conflict continued to grow, with a second round of talks and a ceasefire extension on the horizon.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% higher, S&P 500 futures were up 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.2% lower.Israel's security cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss a potential ceasefire in Lebanon, which could remove a key hurdle in securing a broader peace agreement.A series of solid earnings so far this week has also allayed concerns about the economy. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) and Charles Schwab (SCHW) posted higher Q1 earnings and net revenue. Netflix (NFLX) is due to report after market close.Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.7% at $95.60 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude flat at $91.28 per barrel.Initial jobless claims are projected to have dropped to 213,000 in the week ended April 11 from 219,000 the prior week, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.The March industrial production report, due at 9:15 am ET, is forecast to show a 0.1% increase following a 0.2% gain in the prior month.
