U.S. stock futures edged lower on Thursday as investors remained cautious amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding efforts to resolve the Iran conflict. While the White House signaled that diplomatic channels remain active, reports of a proposed framework delivered via intermediaries did little to reassure markets, as Tehran appeared reluctant to engage and instead pushed back with its own conditions, including control over key energy routes.
Despite the softer tone in futures, equities ended the previous session higher, supported by a pullback in oil prices that briefly eased inflation concerns. Still, geopolitical risks continue to cloud the outlook, keeping investors defensive. Focus now shifts to weekly jobless claims data, which may offer fresh insight into the resilience of the U.S. labor market at a time when global tensions and macro uncertainty remain elevated.