U.S. stock futures were mixed early Friday after President Donald Trump said the Iran war “should be ending pretty soon.”
Speaking at an event in Las Vegas on Thursday, Trump described the conflict as “going along swimmingly.” His comments came shortly after he announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire.
Futures tied to the S&P 500 hovered around flat, while Nasdaq 100 futures slipped about 0.1%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 61 points, or 0.13%.
During Thursday’s regular session, all three major indexes closed higher. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite gained 0.26% and 0.36%, respectively, both reaching new intraday and closing highs. The Dow added 115 points, or 0.24%.
The S&P 500 has now erased its losses from the start of the Iran conflict and extended gains after Trump said Israeli and Lebanese leaders agreed to a ceasefire following talks in Washington. The truce is set to begin at 5 p.m. ET, with further in-person negotiations potentially taking place next weekend.
These developments follow Trump’s earlier remarks this week suggesting the war is “very close to over” and that Iran is eager to strike a deal. Optimism around a possible resolution has lifted equities, putting all three major indexes on track for weekly gains. The Dow is up 1.4%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have climbed 3.3% and 5.2%, respectively.
However, Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab, warned that the rally’s narrow breadth raises questions about its sustainability. She advised investors to stay disciplined with diversification, avoid large bets, and use volatility as an opportunity to rebalance portfolios rather than react emotionally.
In corporate news, Netflix shares dropped more than 9% after issuing a weaker-than-expected outlook and announcing that co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings will step down from the board in June.
More earnings reports are due before Friday’s open, including from State Street, Truist Financial, Regions Financial, Fifth Third, and Ally Financial.
Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific markets opened lower on Friday, diverging from Wall Street’s rally as investors continued to assess easing tensions in the Middle East. Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 0.95% after hitting a record high a day earlier, while the Topix fell 1.10%. Investors are also evaluating comments from Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, who noted that low real interest rates must be considered when setting monetary policy.
