Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Dip As US-Iran Ceasefire Doubts Resurface: Why APLD, BRK.B, PLTR, COST Stocks Are Trending After-Hours

• Iranian officials said parts of the ceasefire framework had already been violated.
• Israeli strikes on Hezbollah sites in Lebanon and tensions around Gulf shipping routes kept geopolitical risks elevated.
• U.S. equities had surged on Wednesday after Washington paused strikes on Iran for two weeks, with the Dow posting its best session since April 2025.

U.S. stock futures edged lower late Wednesday as uncertainty returned to the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement ahead of direct talks between officials from both countries this weekend.

As of 9 p.m. ET, Nasdaq 100 futures were down 0.2%, while S&P 500 and Dow futures were down 0.1%.

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, while sentiment toward the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) was ‘bearish’ amid ‘low’ message volume.

US Market Drivers

Investor caution returned after Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said that parts of the newly announced ceasefire agreement with Washington had already been violated, raising doubts about the deal's sustainability ahead of direct weekend talks between the two sides.

Tensions remained elevated across the Middle East. Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah sites in Lebanon drew criticism from Tehran, while Iran’s foreign minister said Washington would need to choose between maintaining the ceasefire or allowing the conflict to continue indirectly through regional allies.

Shipping risks also stayed in focus after Iranian media reported that tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz had slowed following renewed hostilities. However, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said there were signs that transit could begin to normalize.

Adding to policy uncertainty, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that countries supplying military equipment to Iran would face 50% tariffs on exports to the U.S. The White House said Vance will lead a U.S. delegation to Islamabad this weekend for direct talks with Iranian officials.

U.S. equities rallied on Wednesday after Washington announced a two-week pause in strikes on Iran, with the Dow posting its best session since April 2025:

Oil prices recovered after posting their biggest decline since 2020, with West Texas Intermediate crude rising 2.7% to $97 per barrel, while Brent crude traded around $94.

According to a post by The Kobeissi Letter on X, net daily call-option purchases by individual investors have fallen to 2 million contracts, the lowest since early 2024. “We expect to see a rebound in retail's risk appetite soon,” they said.

Meanwhile, minutes from the Federal Reserve’s March meeting showed that policymakers are weighing risks to both inflation and the labor market stemming from a prolonged conflict.

Trending Stocks To Watch On NYSE, Nasdaq

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B): Shares drew attention after PacifiCorp, its utility unit, won an Oregon appeals court ruling that overturned the class-action structure of a major wildfire liability case that could invalidate over $1 billion in previously awarded damages.

Applied Digital (APLD): Shares fell 5% after-hours despite reporting quarterly revenue that more than doubled from the previous year and exceeded expectations, as investors reacted to elevated operating costs and $2.7 billion in long-term debt tied to data-center expansion projects.

Aehr Test Systems (AEHR): Shares slipped 4% in extended trading after the company entered an equity distribution agreement allowing sales of up to $60 million in stock under an at-the-market offering program, following its strongest session in nearly two months.

Palantir Technologies (PLTR): Shares logged their worst session in nearly two months after ace investor Michael Burry said that Anthropic’s rapid enterprise adoption and revenue growth are outpacing Palantir’s expansion in the AI market.

Costco Wholesale (COST): Shares edged lower in extended trading after the retailer reported March net sales growth of 11%, despite one fewer shopping day due to the Easter holiday.

How Global Markets Are Performing Today

In broader markets, the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield stood near 4.29% after a prior decline of about 7 basis points. Gold traded around $4,715 an ounce.

Asian equities rose on Thursday, with gains in Japan and Australia. MSCI’s index tracking Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained about 5%.

Among the catalysts for Thursday are U.S. personal income and spending data, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge in the PCE price index and core PCE readings, the second estimate of fourth-quarter GDP growth, weekly initial jobless claims and wholesale inventories data.

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