<div id="readability-page-1">07:09 AM EDT, 05/21/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Wall Street futures pointed moderately lower pre-bell Thursday as traders again weighed the odds of a Persian Gulf peace deal and pondered rich tech-sector valuations.After Wednesday's rallies, S&amp;P 500 futures fell 0.4%, Nasdaq futures declined 0.6%, and Dow Jones futures were off 0.3%.Nvidia (NVDA) shares hardly budged in morning action after the chip colossus reported strong earnings and upbeat guidance overnight, along with boosted dividends and a stock buyback plan.West Texas Intermediate crude oil traded up 2.7% at $100.95 barrel in morning action.Asian exchanges traded mostly higher overnight, including an 8.4% rise by Seoul's KOSPI index, on lower oil prices during trading hours and tech-sector optimism.European bourses tracked lower at midday on the continent.Intuit (INTU) traded down 14.3% pre-bell after the software enterprise reported earnings late Wednesday and disclosed plans for a large reduction in payrolls. AI advancements are forcing changes in Intuit's business model.Retail titan Walmart (WMT) is slated to report earnings pre-bell.On the economic calendar is the housing starts and permits bulletin for April, the weekly jobless claims report, and the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index for May, at 8:30 am ET.The flash S&amp;P Global US purchasing managers index (PMI) for May logs at 9:45 am.The weekly EIA natural gas report posts at 10:30 am, followed by the Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Index for May at 11 am.Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin speaks on Thursday.In pre-market action, Bitcoin traded at $77,297, and 10-year US Treasuries offered 4.62%. Spot gold commanded $4,514 an ounce. MT Newswires does not provide investment advice. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.</div>

GOLD

Wall Street futures are down pre-bell as traders assess the likelihood of a Persian Gulf peace deal and tech valuations. S&P 500 futures fell 0.4%, while Nvidia shares remained stable post-earnings. Asian markets rose, led by Seoul's KOSPI, while European markets declined. Intuit shares dropped 14.3% after announcing significant layoffs. Key economic reports are due, including housing starts and jobless claims. Bitcoin is at $77,297, and gold is priced at $4,514 an ounce.

Uncertain Persian Gulf Outlook Damps Wall Street Pre-Bell; Asia Up, Europe Off