US Futures Pause as Traders Weigh Iran’s Hormuz Offer

U.S. stock futures were little changed early Tuesday, September 22, as investors weighed possible U.S.-Iran talks and an offer from Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Dow futures edged down 0.04%, S&P 500 futures held near 7,830, and Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.07%, according to FXStreet.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters the country could reopen the key shipping route within seven days if Washington eased military pressure and lifted its blockade on Iranian ports. The proposal came as President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian were due in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

The offer mattered to investors because the strait is a major route for oil shipments. Hopes for more Gulf supply helped push oil prices to a two-week low, while Saudi Arabia also planned to resume exports from its Red Sea port of Yanbu, Reuters reported.

Monday’s rally left major indexes close to record territory. The S&P 500 rose 1.5% to 7,764.70, the Dow gained 0.7% to 52,048.83, and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.3% to a record 27,122.09, according to the Associated Press.

Technology shares led that advance as lower oil prices and Treasury yields eased pressure on inflation-sensitive stocks. Meta climbed more than 11% after investor optimism about its new Muse AI agent; Intel gained 12%, and Advanced Micro Devices rose nearly 10%, Schwab reported.

Tuesday’s pause showed how much the next move depended on diplomacy. Trump was scheduled to address the U.N. and meet Gulf leaders, while investors also looked ahead to a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later in the week.

The offer did not guarantee a reopening: Iran’s proposal was conditional on U.S. concessions, and the conflict remained unresolved. Traders were watching for signs the sides would engage, since a setback could revive supply fears, lift oil prices, and weigh on the stocks that powered Monday’s rebound.