Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gained 136 points, or 0.3%, on Friday morning as Wall Street fought to snap a bruising selloff across all three major US benchmarks. S&P 500 futures rose 0.3%. Nasdaq-100 contracts inched up 0.1%.
The pause offered brief relief.
Equities took a heavy beating on Thursday, dragged down by a sudden rout in the semiconductor sector. Nvidia stock tumbled 4.3% in the prior session following reports that founder and chief executive Jensen Huang stepped down. The departure landed amid explosive allegations of extramarital affairs, including a reported relationship with a woman whom US intelligence officials believe to be a Chinese spy.
Nvidia moved quickly to plug the executive void. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress took over as interim chief executive on Thursday.
Kress has spent over a decade guiding the chipmaker's balance sheet through multiple hardware cycles. Nvidia's board has opened a formal search for a permanent successor, examining both internal division heads and external industry candidates.
| Contract / Asset | Change / Current Level | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones Futures | +136 pts (+0.3%) | Pre-market index recovery |
| S&P 500 Futures | +0.3% | Rebound attempt post-Thursday slump |
| Nasdaq-100 Futures | +0.1% | Tech stabilization |
| Nvidia (NVDA) | -4.3% (Thursday close) | Jensen Huang departure; spy allegations |
| WTI Crude Oil | Above $88 / barrel | US-Iran conflict supply fears |
| Brent Crude Oil | Above $96 / barrel | Trump remarks ruling out Iran deal |
Energy markets applied relentless counter-pressure to risk assets throughout Thursday trade. The flashpoint came directly from Washington.
US President Donald Trump dismissed diplomatic off-ramps with Tehran in a direct post on Truth Social:
We don’t need a deal with Iran.
The statement rattled trading desks. It fueled instant market anxiety that the ongoing US-Iran war could drag on far longer than anticipated, threatening global shipping lanes and supply access.
Crude prices consolidated near elevated levels on Friday morning. West Texas Intermediate futures held above $88 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude futures hovered north of $96 per barrel.
Market Context: The Friday futures bounce marks an attempt to establish a floor under equity valuations, but elevated oil and structural uncertainty at Wall Street's primary semiconductor bellwether leave desks braced for ongoing volatility as Nvidia begins its executive search.