NEW YORK, September 3, 2026, 09:14 EDT — Russell 2000 futures were in the lead as oil prices slipped from $93, setting the tone for early trading.
- Russell 2000 futures rose 0.73%, outpacing S&P 500 futures, which added 0.32%, and Nasdaq-100 futures, which were up 0.20%.
- WTI crude slipped to $91.74 at 08:56 EDT from $93.01 at 08:00, yet stayed 0.80% higher than Wednesday’s reference close.
- The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.74% at 09:08 EDT following the release of claims, trade and productivity data.
By 09:00 EDT, Russell 2000 futures climbed 0.73%, rebounding from modest declines. The contract surpassed S&P 500 futures by 0.40 percentage point.
The shift is significant as smaller firms are more sensitive to changes in rates. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped four basis points to 4.74% at 09:08 EDT TradingView.
S&P 500 futures were at 7,701.25, rising 0.32% from the previous close on Wednesday. Nasdaq-100 futures moved to 29,244.50, up 0.20%. Russell futures were last at 2,980.30.
Small-cap futures lead the 09:00 turn
Change from Wednesday’s reference close. The cards separate the 04:00–09:00 session from the preceding hour.
As of . Source: Google Finance one-minute charts for ES, NQ and RTY. Futures quotes are delayed.
Each of the three contracts moved higher in the past hour. Trading in the four key index futures reached at least 178,503 contracts from 04:00. After 08:00, around 77,947 contracts were exchanged.
Oil shifted in the opposite direction. WTI dropped $1.27 after 08:00, reducing its advance to 0.80%. The Associated Press attributed the previous increase to fresh clashes between the U.S. and Iran.
WTI gives back half its early surge
Dollars per barrel across the extended premarket window.
Latest available quote at . Source: Google Finance CL one-minute chart. Quote is delayed.
Data released at 08:30 gave a mixed outlook for growth. Initial jobless claims increased by 2,000 to reach 206,000 Labor Department. The trade deficit for July expanded by 24.4% to $88.6 billion BEA.
The 08:30 macro batch
Labor conditions stayed firm while the trade gap widened.
Released . Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Economic Analysis and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly rates are seasonally adjusted annual rates.
Premarket indicators for sectors also displayed a cyclical tilt. Energy and materials ETFs were at the forefront of listed moves. Technology underperformed. Advance-decline breadth figures for the cash market were not released ahead of the 09:30 opening bell.
Sector proxies and earnings movers split
Available premarket changes versus Wednesday’s close.
Sector ETFs
Large earnings moves
Captured at . Source: TradingView market scanner. U.S. premarket prints were delayed 15 minutes and may be thin.
Snowflake Inc. NYSE:SNOW jumped 23.69% in after-hours premarket activity. NetApp Inc. NASDAQ:NTAP dropped 11.50%. Broadcom Inc. NASDAQ:AVGO was down 3.21%.
Snowflake posted $1.49 billion in product revenue, an increase of 37%. CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy said, “Snowflake delivered another strong quarter” SEC filing. NetApp reported revenue up 30%, while free cash flow dropped 35% company release.
The August jobs report, due Friday, will serve as the next major gauge. It could indicate if reduced yields will hold even as oil prices stay high.
Risks: Futures and premarket ETF prices may swing significantly ahead of the 09:30 open. New oil headlines could offset rate-driven gains and end the small-cap outperformance.
Related articles: Commodities
