US Futures Edge Higher as Markets Await Iran Peace Talks and Key Economic Data

U.S. equity futures pointed toward a positive start for Wall Street on Tuesday, rebounding from a mixed performance on Monday. As of 7:25 am ET, Dow futures were gaining 313.00 points, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures added 30.00 and 126.25 points, respectively. The positive sentiment is closely tied to geopolitical developments in the Middle East. U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are traveling to Pakistan for talks aimed at resolving the U.S.-Iran conflict. President Trump has indicated that the current truce may not be extended if an agreement is not reached by Wednesday evening, Washington time. Commodity markets reacted to the diplomatic anticipation with a decline in safe-haven assets. Spot gold dipped 0.8 percent to $4,783.87 an ounce, while Brent crude futures slipped below $94 a barrel. This movement suggests a cautious optimism that a resolution to the conflict is possible. Investors are now shifting focus to a dense calendar of economic data. March Retail Sales are expected to show a 1.4 percent increase, while February Business Inventories are forecasted to rise by 0.2 percent. Additionally, the market is monitoring the Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing for Kevin Warsh and a speech by Fed Governor Christopher Waller on reserve bank operations. In global markets, Asian indices ended mostly higher. The Kospi surged 2.72 percent to a new record high, and the Nikkei climbed 0.89 percent, driven by strong performance in AI-related technology stocks including SoftBank Group and Tokyo Electron.