Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Whipsaw After Trump’s ‘Power Plant Day’ Warning To Iran: Why ASTS, VELO, MRVL, LUNR, FCEL Are In Focus

• Trump threatened fresh strikes on Iran’s energy and civilian locations if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday.
• Oil prices jumped, with WTI rising 0.5% to $112.11 per barrel and Brent climbing 1.4% to $110.51 per barrel.
• The U.S. added 178,000 jobs in March, according to data issued on Friday, well above market estimates of 59,000.

U.S. stock futures swung wildly overnight in volatile trading while oil prices climbed heading into Monday after President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Iran, threatening to hit its energy and civilian infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by Tuesday.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday. In the expletive-laden post, he repeated an earlier threat to unleash "hell," but later told U.S. media that negotiations were underway with Iran and a deal could be reached before Tuesday's deadline. 

“Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” he said on Truth Social following his threats to Iran, likely implying the new deadline for the Middle Eastern nation. Trump said he will hold a press conference “with the Military” at the Oval Office at 1 pm on Monday.

At 10:40 pm ET, Dow futures were flat, while S&P 500 futures rose 0.18% and Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.40%. All three were in the red earlier in the night.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment toward the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was ‘extremely bearish’ amid ‘high’ message volume. The sentiment for SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) was ‘bearish.’

The market is coming off a strong performance last week. The S&P 500 snapped a five-week losing streak to gain 3.4%, its best performance since the last week of November.

US Market Drivers

Trump’s latest comments show an increasingly aggressive U.S. stance, signaling that escalating tensions could reach a flashpoint. As in previous instances, oil prices moved higher in response.

West Texas Intermediate futures gained 0.5% to $112.11 per barrel. Brent crude climbed 1.4% to $110.51 per barrel. With energy prices continuing to inch up, the Federal Reserve may delay rate cuts and potentially raise borrowing costs this year if inflation persists.

Iran has effectively kept the Strait of Hormuz closed since the war began in late February. About 20% of the global oil supply passes through the narrow sea route.

“Oil prices are now crossing above $115/barrel in the US. As a result, our models indicate that if current levels are sustained another ~7 weeks, US CPI inflation will rise to ~3.7%,” The Kobeissi Letter said in an X post. “This would put US inflation at its highest level since September 2023.”

Investors Parse Jobless Claims Data 

Investors were also reacting to the March jobless claims report, which was issued on Friday, when markets were closed for Good Friday. The U.S. economy added 178,000 jobs, well above the Dow Jones consensus of 59,000. The unemployment rate also fell to 4.3% from 4.4%. A stronger-than-expected jobs report often pressures stocks in the near term, as it underscores economic resilience and reinforces expectations that the central bank will keep interest rates higher for longer.

Investors will now turn to the latest Federal Open Market Committee minutes, due on Wednesday, for further signals on the central bank’s policy path.

How Global Markets Are Performing Today

Japan and South Korean stocks rose early Monday, while most Asian markets were closed for holidays. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 0.6%, while South Korea’s blue-chip Kospi advanced 1.8%. Markets in Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong were closed for Easter, and in mainland China and Taiwan for the Qingming Festival.

Trending Stocks To Watch On NYSE, Nasdaq

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS): After a nearly 18% surge on Thursday, ASTS continued to see interest from investors upbeat about the space sector after NASA’s Artemis II lunar mission launch.

Velo3D (VELO): Interest continued to build after the company won a five-year $9.8 million contract from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), coming after a series of recent defense wins.

Marvell Technology (MRVL): The chip designer’s shares were widely watched after the company secured a partnership with, and a $2 billion investment from, Nvidia last week.

Intuitive Machines (LUNR): Among the space stocks getting interest after the Artemis II launch, LUNR was among the top, with traders discussing the stock's potential for a breakout.

Fuelcell Energy (FCEL): The stock was capturing attention as Stocktwits traders weighed its high-risk, high-reward potential against the company’s ongoing execution challenges and lack of recent large-scale contract announcements.

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