TLDR
- Dow futures rose about 0.7% to 0.8%, while S&P 500 futures gained around 0.7%.
- Nasdaq-100 futures climbed about 1% to 1.1%, leading gains before the open.
- Oil prices fell, with WTI below $100 and Brent near $102, helping ease inflation concerns.
- Investors are looking ahead to the Trump-Xi summit later this week, with trade and AI expected to feature.
- Treasury yields also moved lower as oil prices declined and markets reassessed the Fed’s recent rate hike.
U.S. stock futures moved higher Monday as falling oil prices and improving U.S.-China sentiment supported markets before the opening bell.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose about 0.7% to 0.8%.
S&P 500 futures gained around 0.7%, while Nasdaq-100 futures climbed about 1% to 1.1%.
The stronger start came after a mixed week for U.S. stocks, with the Dow posting its third straight weekly decline.
Nasdaq Leads as Oil Prices Fall
Technology stocks were set to lead the market higher after gains across Asian semiconductor shares.
The Nasdaq-100 showed the strongest futures move of the three major U.S. indexes.
Investors also received some relief from lower oil prices.
West Texas Intermediate crude fell below $100 a barrel, while Brent crude moved toward $102.
The decline followed growing hopes that the U.S. and Iran could resume diplomatic discussions.
President Donald Trump has said he would be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the United Nations General Assembly.
Lower oil prices also helped push Treasury yields down.
The two-year Treasury yield moved toward 4.74%, while the 10-year yield fell back below 5%.
Energy prices remain important for inflation expectations and the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate outlook.
Trump-Xi Summit Moves Into Focus
Investors are also preparing for the meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week.
🇺🇸🇨🇳JUST IN: Trump is bringing America's most powerful AI executives to his state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24.
China accepted the invitation and immediately asked for MORE than half the roughly 100 seats at the table, per NPR.
Here's who is… pic.twitter.com/6qfEUhH86h
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) September 18, 2026
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng described recent talks as productive ahead of the summit.
Markets will be watching for progress on tariffs, trade restrictions and technology policy.
Artificial intelligence is also expected to feature prominently.
U.S. and Chinese officials have discussed creating a mechanism for communication around AI safety and major incidents.
Several technology leaders are also expected to attend a dinner connected with Xi’s visit, including executives from Nvidia, OpenAI, Microsoft, Qualcomm and Apple.
The meeting comes as investors continue to assess tensions around AI development and competition between the U.S. and China.
Fed and Bond Yields Stay in Focus
The Federal Reserve’s recent rate hike remains another key factor for markets.
Traders are currently pricing in the possibility of another quarter-point increase before the end of the year.
Higher oil prices and bond yields had recently raised concerns that inflation could remain elevated.
Monday’s decline in crude prices eased some of those worries.
The 10-year Treasury yield remains close to 5%, however, keeping borrowing costs high across the economy.
With a lighter earnings and economic calendar this week, attention is likely to stay on oil, Treasury yields, U.S.-China developments and technology stocks.
The early market setup remains positive, with Nasdaq futures leading gains ahead of Monday’s opening bell.
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