Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq set to rise following a mixed session after tensions heightened between U.S. and Iran

Market snapshot

U.S. stock-index futures were pointing higher on Thursday, July 9, after a mixed prior session as investors weighed renewed tensions between the United States and Iran.

MarketWatch’s live coverage said Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were set to rise in early trading. AP reported that futures were mixed earlier in the day, with S&P 500 futures up 0.1%, Nasdaq futures up 0.5% and Dow futures down 0.1%.

Why traders are watching oil

The latest market move is being driven less by earnings and more by geopolitics. AP reported that the U.S. launched more airstrikes on Iran and that Iran responded with attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar after President Donald Trump said a temporary ceasefire was over.

Brent crude rose to $78.66 a barrel and U.S. crude climbed to $74.06 a barrel, according to AP. Gasoline was averaging $3.85 a gallon, adding to concern that higher fuel costs could feed back into inflation expectations and Treasury yields.

How the market got here

The previous session closed with a mixed tone. WSJ reported on July 8 that the Dow fell 576.76 points and the S&P 500 slipped 0.28%, while the Nasdaq rose 0.2% after Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was over.

WSJ also reported that oil prices rose 4.4% to $73.52 a barrel as the renewed conflict near the Strait of Hormuz increased concern about global energy flows. That shipping lane matters because it is a key route for oil moving out of the Gulf.

What could move the open

Investors are now watching whether the futures gains hold into the opening bell, whether oil extends higher and whether any new U.S. or Iranian statements change the tone.

The main market knock-on effects to monitor are energy stocks, transport shares, gasoline prices and Treasury yields. A deeper escalation could pressure consumer-facing companies and broader risk appetite, while a pause in the fighting could ease some of that pressure.

For now, markets appear to be treating the confrontation as an oil and risk-premium story rather than a full-scale selloff.