S&P 500 futures S&P 500 are trading higher on the morning of this Monday (20), indicating a positive opening for U.S. stock markets. At the same time, the price of oil fell to near US$ 88 per barrel, giving back part of the gains recorded after the commodity reached US$ 90 during the escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran over the weekend.
Before the start of trading, S&P 500 futures were up 0,3%, signaling optimism among investors. Dow Jones futures also posted a 0,2% gain, while the Nasdaq-100 rose about 0,7%, driven by the recovery in technology stocks after a week marked by volatility in the semiconductor sector.
The performance of the S&P 500 today is mainly supported by expectations surrounding the earnings season of the technology giants. This week, companies such as Alphabet, Intel, IBM and Tesla will release their quarterly results, which should provide new signs about the return on the billion-dollar investments in artificial intelligence.
After a sequence of rotations among different market sectors, investors are once again focusing their attention on companies linked to AI. The expectation is that the upcoming results will help measure these companies' ability to turn high investments into revenue and profit growth.
While Wall Street shows a greater appetite for risk, the energy market is moving in the opposite direction. Oil fell this Monday to near US$ 88 per barrel, after reaching US$ 90 over the weekend amid the worsening clashes between the United States and Iran.
The drop came after Iranian authorities signaled that diplomatic talks with the United States may continue through mediators. The possibility of new negotiations reduced part of the concerns related to global oil supply and lowered the risk premium built into commodity prices.
Even with the clashes still ongoing, Brent futures remain below the peaks recorded in April and May. For analysts, this movement indicates that the market is assessing alternatives to maintain the flow of oil exports, reducing fears of prolonged disruptions on the commodity's transport routes, especially in the Strait of Hormuz region.
With the S&P 500 up today and oil giving back part of its recent gains, investors are starting the week dividing their attention between the earnings reports of major technology companies and geopolitical developments in the Middle East, factors that should influence the behavior of global markets over the next few days.