US stock futures inched lower on Tuesday as investors monitored a further escalation in the Middle East conflict. President Donald Trump said the US would do “whatever it takes” when asked how long the war with Iran might last, while Israel launched new airstrikes on Monday. A senior US official reportedly indicated that Washington was preparing a significant escalation in strikes on Iran within the next 24 hours, targeting the country’s missile production facilities, drone programs, and naval assets.
In Monday’s regular session, the Dow slipped 0.15%, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite edged up 0.04% and 0.36%, respectively. Defense and energy stocks, including Northrop Grumman (up 6%), Palantir Technologies (up 5.8%), and Exxon Mobil (up 1.1%), advanced. Investors also rotated back into cash-rich technology leaders such as Nvidia and Microsoft, which gained 2.9% and 1.5%, respectively, amid expectations they would remain resilient despite the heightened tensions in the Middle East.
