S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Up on Ceasefire Buzz

Axios reported the U.S. and Iran are working toward a ceasefire

Emma Duncan

Managing Editor

Apr 6, 2026 at 9:04 AM

Wall Street is attempting to eke out a mostly upbeat open, with futures on the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) modestly higher, as hopes an end to the U.S.-Iran war is within reach. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are inching lower, however, as threats from President Donald Trump remain on the table. Oil prices are pulling back to start the week, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) last seen down 1.1%.

Last night, Trump issued a warning on Truth Social that he will strike Iran's bridges and energy plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not opened by Tuesday. However, reports out of Axios and Reuters suggest ceasefire talks remain on the table. Friday's March jobs report is also still in focus, which saw an increase of 178,000 jobs, compared to estimates of 59,000. Unemployment also fell to 4.3% from 4.4%.

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The Cboe Options Exchange saw roughly 2.1 million call contracts and 1.3 million put contracts traded Thursday. The single-session equity put/call ratio fell to 0.59, while the 21-day moving average stayed at 0.60.
Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) stock is up 1.6% before the bell, after receiving an upgrade from Goldman Sachs to "buy" from "neutral." The brokerage also hiked its price target to $120 from $100, citing an upbeat risk/reward profile. Should these gains hold, NFLX will be testing the overhead $100 level, an area that thwarted several breakout attempts in early March. NFLX is up 5% year to date.
Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) stock is up 1.4% ahead of the open, after the chipmaker landed a price-target hike to $70 from $65 at KeyBanc. The analyst noted a strong demand for central processing units (CPUs). INTC has been an outperformer on the charts, up 36% so far in 2026.
Crypto stock Strategy Inc (NASDAQ:MSTR) is surging 4.3% in pre-market trading, enjoying the broader cryptocurrency boost as Bitcoin (BTC) tests $70,000. MSTR will be looking to shave down some of its 21% year-to-date deficit.
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OV Buzz April 6

European Markets Move Mixed

Asian markets in Hong Kong and China were closed for a holiday. Japan’s Nikkei added 0.6%, while South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.4%, brushing off small-cap weakness and President Trump’s threats toward Iran.

Over in Europe, bourses are a mixed bag. London’s FTSE 100 is up 0.7%, while the German DAX and French CAC 40 are 0.6% and 0.2% lower, respectively.

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