US Stock Futures Rise as Oil Prices Fall and Trade Talks Progress

US stock futures edged higher in trade on Monday, September 21, as a sustained decline in crude oil prices offered relief to investors. Equities also drew support from comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who described his recent talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York as very successful. S&P 500 futures rose 0.7%, while futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq 100 gained 0.8% and 1.1% respectively. These gains follow a volatile week on Wall Street driven by rising tensions in West Asia, which caused the Dow Jones Industrial Average to slide 1.7%, marking its worst performance since March. During their Sunday meeting, Bessent and He Lifeng discussed trade and artificial intelligence, with both nations also looking at reciprocal tariff reductions on $30 billion worth of goods from each side. Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry confirmed that President Xi Jinping will make a state visit to the US from September 23 to 25 to discuss trade, tariffs, and AI safety, alongside regional security issues. Markets are also monitoring global central bank moves after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time since 2023, and the Bank of Japan lifted borrowing costs. In energy markets, crude oil prices fell for a fourth straight day as vessel traffic and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz picked up. Brent crude dropped about $3.50 to $100.20 per barrel, while US crude fell 2.63% to around $97 per barrel. Media reports also indicated that Saudi Arabia could restore part of its key pipeline capacity within days following recent disruptions. Adding to hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough, US President Donald Trump stated he would probably be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.