July 9 (Reuters) – U.S. stock index futures edged higher on Thursday as global markets and oil prices steadied after fresh U.S. strikes on Iran reignited geopolitical anxiety and threatened to stall efforts to end the four-month conflict.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it had launched new strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping. Iran responded with attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, deepening a confrontation that risks derailing already fragile ceasefire efforts.
The escalation came hours after President Donald Trump said he believed an interim ceasefire with Iran was “over.”
Oil futures fell about 1% on Thursday, easing from two-week highs hit after Trump’s remarks.
“We have held the view that the path toward a lasting peace deal is likely to be bumpy, with periodic flare-ups in tensions potentially triggering bouts of market volatility. But we also believe that both sides remain incentivized to keep the Strait of Hormuz open,” said Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management.
At 5:27 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 14 points, or 0.03%, and S&P 500 E-minis were up 14 points, or 0.19%. Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 186 points, or 0.63%.
The renewed tensions forced stock investors to reassess recent optimism that an eventual resolution could support risk assets. The S&P 500 and Dow ended Wednesday’s session lower, while the Nasdaq eked out a marginal gain.
While lower crude prices on the day helped steady sentiment, investors remained alert to the inflationary risk from any prolonged disruption to Middle East energy routes.
Under new Chair Kevin Warsh, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged in its June meeting, but minutes released on Wednesday showed a few policymakers saw a case for raising borrowing costs before ultimately agreeing to hold steady.
“While policymakers are likely to maintain their hawkish stance for a while longer, the rhetoric should start to soften once they are more confident that second-round inflation effects are limited,” Haefele said.
Traders are pricing in at least one rate hike by the end of the year, according to LSEG data.
Investors will watch the weekly jobless claims report at 8:30 a.m. ET for further clues on the health of the economy, while New York Fed President John Williams is scheduled to speak later in the day.
In premarket trading, Levi Strauss slipped 6% even after the denim maker raised its annual sales forecast.
(Reporting by Ragini Mathur in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das)
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