Stock Markets May 6, 2026 07:54 AM

U.S. Futures Rise as Hopes of Iran Deal Lift Sentiment; Energy Stocks Slip, Chip Names Rally

S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow futures climb on reports of progress toward ending the Iran conflict while earnings and guidance move individual premarket movers

By Nina Shah AMD CVX

U.S. equity futures strengthened Wednesday amid renewed optimism that the United States and Iran may be approaching an agreement to end hostilities in the Middle East. Gains in major contracts contrasted with weakness in energy names and a mixed set of corporate results and forecasts that drove notable premarket swings across sectors.

U.S. Futures Rise as Hopes of Iran Deal Lift Sentiment; Energy Stocks Slip, Chip Names Rally
AMD CVX

Key Points

  • Major U.S. futures rose as reports suggested the U.S. and Iran may be making progress toward a deal to end the Middle East conflict, lifting risk appetite.
  • Energy names such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips fell on the optimism of a diplomatic resolution, while semiconductor firms, led by AMD and U.S.-listed TSMC shares, advanced.
  • Individual corporate results and guidance — including beats from Disney, CVS and Uber and mixed guidance from Arista and Lucky Strike — produced a wide dispersion of premarket stock moves, affecting sectors from healthcare to consumer goods and technology.

U.S. stock-index futures extended gains early Wednesday as markets parsed reports suggesting the U.S. and Iran could be edging toward a deal to end the Middle East conflict. Traders pushed major futures contracts higher as hopes for reduced geopolitical risk took hold.

By 05:27 ET (09:27 GMT), S&P 500 futures were up 45 points, or 0.6%. Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 327 points, or 1.2%, while Dow Jones futures increased by 296 points, or 0.6%.

Below are the most notable premarket movers and the drivers behind their early moves:

  • Energy sector pressure: Stocks tied to the U.S. energy complex moved lower as diplomatic momentum toward a potential peace deal weighed on the oil-sensitive group. Exxon Mobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips were all reported as declining in the premarket session.
  • Semiconductor strength: Advanced Micro Devices surged after its data-center business provided enough upside to lift quarterly profit and revenue above analysts' expectations. Other chip-related names also benefited, with U.S.-listed shares of TSMC among the gainers.
  • Super Micro Computer: The server and infrastructure equipment maker jumped after projecting fiscal fourth-quarter revenue that topped Wall Street's consensus, prompting a reassessment of near-term demand for its products.
  • Arista Networks: Shares fell following a fiscal second-quarter outlook that fell short of already elevated expectations, triggering a negative reaction from investors.
  • Uber: The ride-hailing company saw its stock rise after reporting fiscal second-quarter bookings that exceeded analysts' forecasts.
  • Walt Disney: The entertainment conglomerate recorded a sharp gain after its fiscal second-quarter revenue beat estimates; this was the firm's first earnings release under new CEO Josh D'Amaro.
  • CVS Health Corp: The healthcare company moved higher after raising its full-year adjusted profit guidance, attributing the change to strong execution "across our enterprise."
  • Kraft Heinz: The packaged-foods company advanced after first-quarter results topped estimates, a development framed as a positive indicator for the turnaround effort led by new CEO Steve Cahillane.
  • The New York Times Company: The media company climbed more than 4% after reporting digital subscriber additions that exceeded expectations amid heavy reader demand to follow developments in the Iran conflict.
  • Lucky Strike Entertainment Co.: The group's shares fell more than 7% after third-quarter revenue rose but still missed analyst expectations.
  • Apollo Global Management: Shares were higher after the alternative asset manager reported assets under management surpassing $1 trillion.
  • Lumen Technologies: The communications firm declined following a quarterly loss that was wider than expected.
  • MannKind Corp: Shares ticked up after the company announced a partnership with United Therapeutics on a treatment for a rare lung disease.
  • Oscar Health Inc: The insurer's stock rose after steady medical costs helped the company double its net income.
  • Deckers Outdoor Corp.: The shoe retailer gained after analysts at Bernstein upgraded the stock.

Separately, a promotional note referenced an AI-driven model that evaluates Chevron (CVX) and other names, saying the tool examines a broad set of financial metrics to identify potential ideas. The note mentioned prior winners but did not present new company-specific financial data beyond the earlier items detailed above.


These early moves illustrate how swings in geopolitical risk and corporate earnings-related news continue to drive premarket action across sectors, from energy and semiconductors to media, healthcare and financials.

Risks

  • Geopolitical developments remain a source of market volatility; while reports suggested progress toward a deal, the situation could change and impact energy and broader equity sectors.
  • Company-specific guidance and earnings updates created divergent reactions across stocks, introducing uncertainty for sectors tied to corporate results such as semiconductors, communications, and consumer discretionary.
  • Quarterly losses and missed revenue targets at some firms, including Lumen and Lucky Strike, underscore execution and profitability risks within communications and entertainment segments.

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