Dow Futures on Wall Street indicate an upward trajectory as traders gear up for the concluding trading session of both the first half and the second quarter. A U.S. envoy is reportedly travelling to Qatar, where President Donald Trump indicated that talks with Iran would take place, although Tehran has yet to confirm the timing of these discussions. A key measure of job openings will highlight the economic calendar, while Nike’s earnings will front the earnings slate.

Dow futures exhibited an upward trajectory on Tuesday, as investors remained vigilant regarding forthcoming economic indicators and the evolving situation in the Middle East. By 03:10, the Dow futures contract had gained 39 points, or 0.1%, S&P 500 futures had risen by 7 points, or 0.1%, and Nasdaq 100 futures had ticked up by 67 points, or 0.2%. The primary indices on Wall Street experienced an uptick on Monday, buoyed by a widespread recovery in technology stocks following concerns regarding the viability of substantial investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure that had impacted the sector in the previous week. A tracker of semiconductor stocks experienced an increase of approximately 3.8%, rebounding after its most challenging week since last April, a period marked by significant volatility in equities due to the announcement of extensive U.S. tariffs. Against this backdrop, the S&P 500 in particular ended a five-session losing streak. With one day remaining in the second quarter, the benchmark index is poised to achieve its most impressive quarterly performance since the recovery from a downturn associated with the pandemic six years prior. In other developments, market participants expressed optimism following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to continue in her role as she challenges the Trump administration’s efforts to remove her amid accusations of mortgage fraud. The ruling contributed to alleviating concerns regarding the Fed’s autonomy from political pressures, though it did not completely eliminate such apprehensions.

Attention now shifts to Qatar, where President Donald Trump has indicated that U.S. officials will engage in discussions with their Iranian counterparts today. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff is en route to the Gulf country, according to a source, although the news outlet noted that Iran has stated that no negotiations are scheduled to take place in the coming days. Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, are scheduled to engage in discussions with Qatari leaders and other officials, according to reports. Technical teams from the U.S. and Iran are set to engage in separate discussions with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan, according to sources. An expert Iranian delegation is scheduled to travel to the Qatari capital of Doha later this week, sources reported. The news emerges following reports that Washington and Tehran have reached an agreement to cease hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz. Fighting in the crucial waterway intensified last week, posing a risk to the delicate memorandum of understanding established by the U.S. and Iran earlier in June. Brent crude futures have reverted to approximately pre-war levels following the interim peace agreement, with the latest trading price hovering around $73.38 a barrel.

A packed economic calendar this week will attract attention as well. On Tuesday, a survey measuring job openings and labour turnover in the U.S. for May is set to dominate the agenda. The JOLTS report is anticipated to indicate that there were 7.280 million open roles last month, a decrease from 7.618 million in April. A separate measure of American consumer confidence from the Conference Board is also scheduled for release today. Together, the figures will act as a precursor to the crucial U.S. nonfarm payrolls data on Friday, which may influence how an inflation-conscious Federal Reserve adjusts interest rates for the rest of 2026.

Results from Nike will also be a highlight amid a limited array of earnings, with the company’s forward guidance expected to attract significant scrutiny. Scheduled for release following the closure of U.S. markets on Tuesday, analysts anticipate that the figures from the beleaguered sports apparel giant will be scrutinised for indications of advancement in CEO Elliott Hill’s continuing turnaround initiative. In March, Nike indicated that sales for the current quarter are expected to decline by 2% to 4%, a trend that is partly attributed to diminishing demand in key markets including China, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Earlier this month, Nike appointed David Denton as its new Chief Financial Officer, with Hill highlighting the former Pfizer executive as a “proven public-company CFO who knows how to help great consumer brands operate with discipline and invest to win.”

Chinese manufacturing activity experienced a modest increase in June, surpassing expectations, as business operations benefited from heightened export demand and significant investment in artificial intelligence. However, activity remained just above the threshold of expansion, as sluggish domestic demand and weak consumer spending continued to exert pressure. China’s official manufacturing purchasing managers index increased to 50.3 in June, marginally surpassing expectations of 50.2 and showing an acceleration from the previous month’s figure of 50.0, according to government data released on Tuesday. Activity was primarily driven by robust export demand, as international purchasers accelerated orders amid increasing uncertainty regarding the Middle East conflict and fluctuations in oil prices. However, with the U.S. and Iran reaching a peace agreement, alongside oil prices returning to pre-conflict levels, this trend may experience a slowdown in the forthcoming months.