<div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> By Dow Jones Newswires Staff <pre></pre> U.S. stock futures pointed lower after oil prices nudged higher and investors' lukewarm reaction to Nvidia's earnings took steam out of the previous session's stock-market rally. Brent crude oil rebounded above $106 a barrel after falling sharply in the prior session on positive signals from the U.S. and Iran on the progress of peace negotiations. The dollar strengthened and Treasury yields edged higher after minutes from the Federal Reserve's rate-setting body bolstered market expectations that the central bank would raise interest rates later this year. Semiconductor stocks powered Korean and Japanese indexes higher, though investors met Nvidia's first-quarter earnings beat with a shrug. Investors will parse U.S. and European PMI data for insight into the health of the real economy. <pre></pre> --Oil prices rebounded after settling more than 5.5% lower in the previous session, as traders closely watch developments in U.S.-Iran negotiations. In early European trading, Brent was up 1.4% to $106.49 a barrel, while WTI futures were up 1.5% to $99.80 a barrel. President Trump said the U.S. was in the final stages of negotiations with Tehran, but also that Tehran might get &#34;another big hit&#34; if a deal wasn't reached. Meanwhile, the latest EIA data pointed to a tightening U.S. market on the back of stronger oil exports. &#34;Markets continue to swing on conflicting headlines,&#34; Soojin Kim from MUFG said. &#34;Declining U.S. crude inventories and continued uncertainty over Iran's response to the latest U.S. proposal are keeping oil markets volatile.&#34; <pre></pre> --U.S. stock futures fell as investors pulled back from Wednesday's market rally. Futures for the S&amp;P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average both fell 0.15%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq was 0.2% lower. Nvidia shares swung between gains and losses in volatile premarket trade, recovering from after-hours losses. The chip maker's record first-quarter sales weren't enough to enthuse investors. The stock was last 0.2% higher. <pre></pre> --Semiconductor stocks led gains in Asian markets, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rising 3.3% while South Korea's Kospi surged 8.4%. Samsung Electronics jumped 8.5% after the group's management reached a tentative 11th hour agreement with union leaders. However, Chinese gauges fell, with the Shanghai Composite finishing 2% lower. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1%. Singapore's FTSE Straits Times Index edges down 0.1%, weighed by telecommunications operator Singtel after its underlying earnings for the year ended March missed market expectations. <pre></pre> --European stocks largely edged lower in opening trade, missing out on a broader rally for global equities. In Paris, the CAC 40 was flat as gains for carmakers counter losses for aerospace group Airbus, down 2.1%. The cross-listed stock also dragged on the German DAX, which fell 0.2%. Commerzbank also weighed, falling 3.2%. Software and consumer-facing companies dragged on London's FTSE 100. The index was down 0.45%, with Sage down 3.6% while hotel company Whitbread slid 3.2%. Spain's IBEX 35 slipped 0.25% as basic-materials stocks fell, while the Italian FTSE MIB nudged up 0.1%. The semiconductor-heavy AEX falls 0.4% in Amsterdam. ASML--Europe's most valuable company--slipped 1% after markets gave a lukewarm response to Nvidia earnings overnight. <pre></pre> --The dollar rose, supported by expectations that the Fed could raise interest rates. The minutes of the Fed's latest meeting, released Wednesday, showed most policymakers would support raising rates if inflation stayed persistently above the 2% target. The market prices a 70% chance of a 25 basis-point rate rise by December and fully prices a move by March 2027, LSEG data showed. The DXY dollar index rose 0.1% to 99.182 The euro extended its losses after a key measure of French manufacturing and services activity fell sharply in May. The euro fell to an intraday low of $1.1593 after the data from $1.1617 beforehand. <pre></pre> --Treasury yields edged higher but stayed below highs reached earlier this week. The Fed's minutes pointed to a continued wait-and-see stance, albeit with support for rate hikes if inflation proves persistent. &#34;But the question is how long patience will last when inflation stubbornly stays above the target,&#34; SEB's Marcus Widen said in a note. The two-year Treasury yield rose 3 basis points to 4.067%, the 10-year yield was up 2.3 basis points to 4.593%, and the 30-year yield rose 1.4 basis points to 5.128%. Japanese sovereign debt strengthened, with yields on the country's 10-year government bond falling 2 basis points to 2.765%. <pre></pre> --Bitcoin fell 0.2% to $77,556, LSEG data show. <pre></pre> --Gold prices fell as markets grew increasingly confident the Fed will raise rates this year. Futures in New York were down 0.4% to $4,517.20 a troy ounce. Market watchers said gold would likely need to have a significant easing in oil-driven inflation pressures or new evidence that slowing growth risks are beginning to outweigh inflation concerns to regain upward momentum. <pre></pre> Write to Barcelona Editors at barcelonaeditors@dowjones.com <pre></pre> (END) Dow Jones Newswires May 21, 2026 04:47 ET (08:47 GMT)Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones &amp; Company, Inc.</div></div>

U.S. stock futures declined as oil prices rose and investor enthusiasm waned following Nvidia's earnings report. Brent crude oil increased to $106.49 a barrel, while the dollar strengthened amid expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Asian markets saw semiconductor stocks rise, but European stocks opened lower. The Fed's minutes indicated support for rate increases if inflation remains high, with a 70% chance of a rate hike by December. Bitcoin and gold prices also fell as market confidence in rate hikes grew.

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U.S. Stock Futures Fall as Equities Rally Loses Steam