Natural Gas 24 September 2025

March 12, 2026, 5:02 AM EDT. U.S. stock futures dropped on Thursday, with Dow futures down 0.5% and S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures off 0.4%, as escalating conflict in the Middle East spurred oil prices above $100 a barrel. The crisis, involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, has disrupted tanker traffic following attacks near Iraqi ports, leading to closures. Despite the International Energy Agency's move to release 400 million barrels from reserves, crude prices surged. Investors digested mixed signals from inflation data; February's Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% month-over-month, aligning with forecasts. Market participants await the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index Friday, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure. Earnings from Adobe and Dollar General loom post-market. The heightened oil volatility and geopolitical tensions have also pressured Bitcoin, as investors seek safer assets.