US pre-open: Futures higher as Trump claims 'great progress' made in Iran talks

30th Mar 2026 10:58

(Sharecast News) - Wall Street futures had major indices opening opening slightly higher on Monday after registering heavy losses in the previous session.

As of 1300 BST, Dow Jones futures were up 0.64%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures had the indices opening 0.63% and 0.59% firmer, respectively.

The Dow closed 793.47 points lower on Friday, joing the Nasdaq in correction territory.

Futures traded higher early on Monday after Donald Trump told the Financial Times over the weekend that he could "take the oil in Iran" and seize the country's export hub on Kharg Island, as regional tensions continued to escalate. Trump also claimed that Tehran had accepted most of his 15-point plan to end the war and that it had agreed to allow a further 20 oil ships cross the Strait.

He later said the White House was now "in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran". However, while Trump added that "great progress has been made", he also said that if they could not reach a deal "shortly" and that the Strait of Hormuz does note "immediately" reopen, the US would "conclude" its "lovely 'stay' in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)".

Separately, Yemen's Houthi movement said it had fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at what it described as sensitive Israeli military sites, marking its first direct involvement in the US‑ and Israeli‑led conflict against Iran. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said the strikes were carried out in support of Iran and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

The developments added to concerns over a widening conflict, which was now entering its fifth week and began with US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets on 28 February. Oil prices were higher in pre-market action, with West Texas Intermediate up 1.67% at $101.30 a barrel and Brent crude 2.27% higher at $115.13 a barrel.

On the macro front, the Dallas Federal Reserve's March manufacturing business index was scheduled for 1530 BST, as was a speech by Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell.

No major corporate earnings were slated for release on Monday.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com