Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures were higher early Monday as chip stocks rebounded from Friday’s rout and President Donald Trump tried to maintain a fragile ceasefire despite Iran and Israel trading strikes. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.8% and 1.6%, respectively. Futures tied to the Dow rose 135 points, or 0.3%. Shares of Micron Technology, the memory chipmaker that’s led the latest leg of the bull market, were up more than 5% in premarket trading after falling 13% on Friday. Shares of Nvidia and Broadcom were also higher. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 4.2% on Friday, its worst drop since April 2025, as investors took profits on chip stocks on concern the shares had gone too far given the uncertain economic backdrop. The iShares Semiconductor ETF was 4% higher in early trading Monday after plunging 10% on Friday, its worst day in more than six years. Asia-Pacific markets tanked Monday in response to the Nasdaq drop Friday, with South Korea’s benchmark Kospi leading declines, falling more than 8% to end at 7,484.41. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 3.85% to 64,024.6. Strikes by Iran on Sunday raised fresh concerns about the stability of the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. The reported missile attack followed a post on X by Iranian Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf, who argued that the U.S. naval blockade and alleged breaches of agreements related to Lebanon constitute violations of the ceasefire. Oil prices gained as Israel carried out a “large-scale strike on strategic defense systems” on Monday, according to the IDF X account, in response to Iranian attacks. But Trump said Israel and Iran “are looking to do an immediate ceasefire” and that negotiations were proceeding despite the attacks. Trump earlier ordered that Iran and Israel “must immediately stop” attacking. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later told CNBC Monday that the country’s military has ended military operations against Israel. However, Iran warned it would restart hostilities if Israel continues attacking Lebanon. “The stock market may be becoming a victim of its own success,” said Callie Cox, chief market strategist at Ritholtz Wealth Management. “The job market has turned around, yet the threat of persistently high inflation seems to be the risk looming on everyone’s minds.” “Growth and momentum have outpaced almost everything since the March lows,” she added. “That’s not what you’d expect in a high-rate, high-inflation environment, and these strategies may be vulnerable to disappointment if cost pressures stay elevated.” In the week ahead, investors will be focused on inflation data and the public debut of Elon Musk’s SpaceX on Friday. The offering is expected to be one of the largest in Wall Street history and could be the market’s biggest test yet of the AI valuation narrative. “Blockbuster offerings have marked the peak of excess in past market cycles, so there seems to be an awkward silence around what this could signal for sentiment,” Cox said. “Many investors seem restrained and skeptical, but can that temperament exist when the biggest IPO of all time is on deck?” Treasury yields were relatively unchanged on Monday, as investors weighed the impact from Middle East tensions and the diminishing likelihood that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates anytime soon. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note—the key benchmark for mortgages, auto loans, and credit card debt—was flat at 4.536%. The 2-year Treasury note yield, which is more sensitive to short-term Federal Reserve interest rate decisions, fell more than 1 basis point to 4.149%. The longer-dated 30-year Treasury bond yield, which typically reacts to geopolitical risks, was less than 1 basis point higher at 5.005%. Asia-Pacific markets ended the day lower on Monday, with South Korea’s benchmark Kospi leading declines, falling more than 8% to end the trading day at 7,484.41. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slid 1.37%, while mainland China’s CSI 300 fell more than 2% to close at 4,713.64. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 3.85% to 64,024.6. Oil prices pulled back from session highs Monday as the dust settled after Iran and Israel traded a barrage of military strikes. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, rose 1.39% to $94.38 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures added 1.17% to $91.60. Gold prices hit a more than two-month low on Monday after last week’s strong U.S. jobs data boosted expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike, and as Israel and Iran traded strikes, pushing oil prices higher and fueling inflation concerns. Spot gold was down 0.4% at $4,313.99 per ounce after hitting its lowest level since March 23 earlier in the session. Prices fell by more than 3% on Friday. U.S. gold futures for August delivery were down 0.6% at $4,340.90. “Spot gold has been sent to a two-month low as markets now expect a Fed rate hike this year following yet another blockbuster U.S. jobs report,” said Han Tan, chief market analyst at Bybit.
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