US stock futures edged higher in Monday’s trade on September 21, as a sustained decline in crude oil prices offered some relief to investors. Equities also drew support from comments by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who described his talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York on Sunday as a “very successful engagement”.
S&P 500 futures rose 0.7% after the underlying index edged higher on Friday. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq 100 were up 0.8% and 1.1%, respectively.
The gains come after Wall Street fluctuated widely last week amid rising tensions in West Asia, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average sliding 1.7% for the week, its worst performance since March. The S&P 500 declined about 0.1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq was the only major index to post a gain, rising 0.7%.
On Sunday, US and Chinese officials met in New York, with discussions led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Bessent said the talks covered trade and artificial intelligence.
The two countries have also been discussing reciprocal tariff reductions covering $30 billion worth of goods from each side, adding to expectations that trade and tariffs will remain key issues during the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting.
Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday confirmed that President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the US from 23 to 25 September. Trade, tariffs and AI safety are expected to feature in the discussions, while the war in Iran, developments in the Middle East and China’s ties with Iran could also come up, according to AP.
What could shape US markets this week?
With little major economic data due in the next few days, attention is likely to remain focused on the Trump-Xi summit.
The meeting comes after a week in which the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time since 2023, while the Bank of Japan also lifted borrowing costs in a split decision.
The meeting between the two global superpowers also comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, concerns over heavy spending on artificial intelligence and elevated global bond yields.
Crude prices remain lower for the fourth day
Crude oil prices remained lower in trade as vessel traffic and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz have reportedly picked up, although the strait remained largely closed and uncertainty persisted over US-Iran tensions.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell by around $ 3.50 to $100.20 per barrel, extending losses for a fourth straight day. US crude futures were also down 2.63% at the day’s low of around $97 per barrel.
Meanwhile, tensions involving Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis, along with disruptions to Saudi Arabia’s key East-West oil pipeline, have continued to weigh on global oil supplies.
However, markets appear to be less concerned about the impact of the pipeline disruption than initially feared, with media reports suggesting Saudi Arabia could restore part of its capacity within days.
Adding to hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough, US President Donald Trump said he would “probably” be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.
The prospect of talks with Persian Gulf leaders has also added to expectations of a possible easing in tensions, helping support the recent decline in oil prices.
(With inputs from Bloomberg and AP)
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