U.S. Stock Futures Rise 0.2%–0.61% on July 9 as Middle East Tensions Push WTI Crude Nearly 1% Higher

According to BlockBeats, U.S. stock index futures edged higher on July 9 amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and rising oil prices. S&P 500 futures rose 0.2%, Nasdaq-100 futures climbed 0.61%, and WTI crude oil futures gained nearly 1% following a reported U.S. strike on Iran in response to attacks near the Strait of Hormuz. Concerns over supply disruptions in the strategic chokepoint are likely to support a higher energy price premium amid global low inventory levels.

Asian markets extended gains, with Japan's Nikkei 225 up 1.4%, South Korea's KOSPI (benchmark equity index) up 0.62%, and China's CSI 300 up 2.5%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index declined slightly.