Wall Street Futures Split as Oil and Iran Talks Steer Trading

U.S. stock futures were mixed before the open on Tuesday, September 22, as investors tracked oil prices and signs of possible U.S.-Iran diplomacy. Dow futures rose 0.33%, S&P 500 futures added about 0.05%, and Nasdaq futures slipped 0.02%.

The cautious start followed a strong Monday session. The Dow climbed 0.7%, the S&P 500 gained 1.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 2.3% to a record close, according to market data cited by InvestorsHub.

Oil eased as traders weighed whether diplomacy could reduce the risk of supply disruptions. Brent crude briefly fell below $98 a barrel during Tuesday’s session, but later recovered and settled at $99.25, down 1.1%, the Associated Press reported.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if Washington eased military pressure and lifted its blockade on Iranian ports. The proposal was conditional, leaving investors to weigh the prospect of restored shipping against the risk that talks could stall.

President Donald Trump’s address to the United Nations and possible contacts with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also drew attention. The two leaders were in New York for the General Assembly, but a meeting was not confirmed.

Cheaper crude can ease concern that higher energy costs will feed inflation and keep interest rates elevated. But the price remained well above the roughly $72 a barrel it fetched before the war with Iran began, AP reported, underscoring the supply risk still facing markets.

By the close, the Nasdaq had risen 0.5% to a record, while the Dow fell 0.4% and the S&P 500 was nearly flat. Traders will keep watching whether oil’s decline holds and whether diplomatic signals translate into safer passage through Hormuz.