S&P 500 futures are little changed as traders look to recover from oil-driven sell-off: Live updates - CNBC

What the report says

CNBC reported that U.S. stock futures were little changed as traders tried to steady markets after an oil-driven sell-off tied to escalating Middle East tensions. In Friday’s regular session, the S&P 500 finished almost unchanged, rising 0.05% to 7,411.98, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.64% to 24,975.82. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 235.60 points, or 0.46%, to 51,947.25, helped by a 3.5% advance in Apple.

The market’s focus remained on the conflict involving Iran and potential effects on energy supplies. CNBC cited a Reuters report that Pakistan was weighing a route toward new U.S.-Iran peace talks, with China initiating the push, though barriers remained significant. CNBC also noted reporting from Axios and The New York Times that President Donald Trump was considering whether to expand U.S. attacks on Iran. Oil prices eased from recent highs, with Brent settling at $96.78 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate at $89.31.

Chip stocks weighed on the broader market despite stronger-than-expected results from Intel, whose shares dropped nearly 8%. Broadcom, Advanced Micro Devices, Micron and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF also declined, underscoring pressure on the technology trade. CNBC quoted market participants as saying geopolitical risks could affect inflation expectations, bond yields and Federal Reserve policy because of uncertainty around energy flows.

For the week, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted consecutive weekly declines, with the Nasdaq leading losses. The Dow also slipped for the week, marking its third straight weekly drop.