Futures Rise as Iran Diplomacy Hopes Offset $4 Gasoline

U.S. stock futures pointed higher Monday morning, with S&P 500 futures up about 0.3% and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.6%, as investors weighed the latest military exchanges between the U.S. and Iran against fresh hopes for a diplomatic settlement. Sentiment improved after an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman signaled openness to negotiations, even as the U.S. completed a ninth consecutive day of strikes overnight.

The conflict is still being felt at the pump: average U.S. gasoline prices climbed back above $4 a gallon on Monday as renewed Gulf hostilities kept crude elevated. That backdrop cuts both ways for the portfolio — supportive for energy names like Chevron and BP, while adding fuel-cost pressure on Delta, American Airlines and UPS heading into their earnings reports.

Chipmakers also traded higher in the premarket, helping the Nasdaq recover some of last week's AI-spending-driven losses. No major earnings or economic data are scheduled for Monday, leaving headlines out of the Gulf as the session's likely driver.