Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange on May 28, 2026.
NYSE
Stock futures inched higher Friday, while crude prices slipped, as the major averages look to close out a winning month and traders monitored the conflict in the Middle East and the fragile ceasefire between Iran and the U.S.
S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 113 points, or 0.2%.
West Texas Intermediate futures lost 1% to trade around $87 per barrel. Brent crude dropped 1% as well to around $91 a barrel. The moves come after Iran’s armed forces reportedly launched missiles late Thursday, while President Donald Trump mulled over a potential ceasefire extension.
Stocks are coming off a record-setting session after the U.S. and Iran agreed to Iranian negotiators agreed on a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire.
However, Kate Moore, chief investment officer at Citi Wealth, believes that the market’s rally to new heights may continue to be dictated more by strong earnings growth versus headlines about any Middle East tensions.
“I think a lot of the snapback we saw since the lows in March was this acceptance that there was going to be a resolution at some point, but obviously the scope of that and the timing of that is still anybody’s guess,” she said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime” on Thursday afternoon. “I really do think what’s been driving the market higher is, frankly, the power of the technology earnings … this has been happening company after company throughout the course of this earnings season.”
All three major indexes are on pace to end the week higher, with the tech-dominant Nasdaq Composite in the lead with a gain of more than 2%. The S&P 500 has risen more than 1% on the week, while the blue-chip Dow is sitting with a gain of less than 1%.
Friday marks the final trading session of May, and all three major averages are on pace for gains. The S&P 500 is up nearly 5%, while the Dow is on track for a 2% advance. The Nasdaq is outperforming, heading for an 8% advance for the month.
In extended trading, shares of Dell Technologies surged 38% after the laptop maker raised its full-year guidance and reported a first-quarter beat on both the top and bottom lines.
— CNBC’s Kevin Breuninger contributed reporting.
