US pre-open: Futures lower as crude surges, Walmart weighs on sentiment
By Iain Gilbert
Date: Thursday 20 Aug 2026
(Sharecast News) - Wall Street futures were in the red ahead of the bell on Thursday as oil prices pushed higher amid renewed tensions between the US and Iran.
As of 1240 BST, Dow Jones futures were down 0.19%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures were 0.05% and 0.06% lower, respectively.
The Dow closed 119.65 points higher on Wednesday, reversing losses recorded in the previous session, as long‑dated Treasury yields retreated after the US Treasury said it would significantly expand buybacks of longer‑term government debt.
Oil prices were in higher prior to the open on Thursday, with West Texas Intermediate futures up 2.99% at $88.40 a barrel and Brent crude futures 2.7% higher $94.09 a barrel, after Donald Trump warned the US would launch "the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country" against Iran, describing it as "economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale".
Walmart also weighed on sentiment, with shares falling more than 6% in pre-market action despite the retailer delivering another quarter of solid top‑line growth and lifting its full‑year outlook. Revenues rose 5.9% in Q2 as global e‑commerce sales jumped 23%, while US comparable sales increased 2.6% - short of the 3.5% expected - as price caps on certain drugs hit its health and wellness division. For Q3, Walmart said it expects net sales to rise 3% to 3.75%, with adjusted earnings per share seen between $0.62 and $0.64.
Elsewhere in the corporate space, trade bellwether John Deere was higher in pre‑market trading after the agricultural equipment maker posted a stronger‑than‑expected set of fiscal third‑quarter numbers. John Deere delivered earnings of $5.10 per share, comfortably ahead of the $4.69 pencilled in by analysts, while revenues grew 5% year‑on‑year to $12.61bn, well above the $10.81bn expected. The Illinois-based firm said the performance reflected disciplined execution and resilience across its core agricultural markets.
On the macro front, weekly jobless claims figures will be released at 1330 BST, as will the Philadelphia Federal Reserve's August manufacturing survey.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com
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