Things happening March, 18th, 2026: Futures Rise

Things happening today: Futures Rise

U.S. 🇺🇸 and European 🇪🇺 equity futures are trading higher, despite ongoing regional tensions showing no signs of easing.
The positive momentum in global markets continues this morning. Asian equities are up approximately 1.4%, led by memory chip stocks such as Samsung Electronics, which are perceived as less exposed to the impact of the conflict.

Oil prices are declining by about 2.3% to around $101 per barrel, following an agreement between Iraq 🇮🇶 and Turkey 🇹🇷 to resume exports via a route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.

In headlines from The Wall Street Journal this morning:

“Israel 🇮🇱 is conducting a manhunt for Iranian regime operatives in their hiding places”
“Gulf states are calling on the United States to bring down the Iranian regime before the war
ends”

How can the market gains be explained? According to Bloomberg, expectations for continued earnings growth among S&P 500 companies in 2026 remain intact.

At Deutsche Bank, analysts highlight that oil prices have been a key driver of S&P 500 performance since the outbreak of the conflict, with a notable correlation between S&P 500 futures and oil prices.

Stocks in Focus

The “Magnificent Seven” rose by approximately 0.5% yesterday. On X, it was noted that in 2020, the market value of Nvidia was significantly lower than that of Apple  highlighting the scale of its growth in recent years.

Eli Lilly (LLY) fell about 5.9% after HSBC downgraded the stock to “Sell,” citing expected pricing pressures and increasing competition.

Uber (UBER) gained approximately 4.2% following the expansion of its partnership with Nvidia in autonomous vehicle development. The company plans to launch a fleet of driverless taxis by 2028, based on Nvidia’s DRIVE platform.

After-Hours Trading

DocuSign (DOCU) rose about 1.6% after reporting better-than-expected results.

Lululemon Athletica (LULU) declined by approximately 1.7% following a disappointing outlook.

Natural Gas slides on weak Momentum

Natural Gas prices declined by ~3.4%, reflecting continued downside pressure in the market.

Don’t miss the opportunity to react.
https://trader.iforex.com/webpl4/Account/Redirect/NewDeal?instrumentId=27951

 

Nikkei 225 Gains on Positive Momentum

Japan 225 rose by ~1.5%, supported by continued strength in Asian markets.

Don’t miss the opportunity to react.

https://trader.iforex.com/webpl4/Account/Redirect/NewDeal?instrumentId=34839

Source: Bloomberg
Charts: Trading Central