Equity Futures Largely Steady Pre-Bell; Oil Falls Amid Growing Optimism for Middle East Resolution

08:00 AM EDT, 09/22/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were mostly unchanged before the open Tuesday, while oil prices moved lower amid optimism around a potential diplomatic solution to the Middle East conflict. The SP 500 and the Nasdaq were largely steady in premarket activity, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3%. The indexes finished the previous trading session higher, with the Nasdaq recording a new closing high. West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 2.7% at $93.20 a barrel, while Brent decreased 2% to $98.33. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to lead a local delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, news outlets reported. Pezeshkian is anticipated to address the assembly and present Iran's positions on "international developments," CNBC reported, citing Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency. US President Donald Trump recently said he would be open to meeting Pezeshkian during the assembly, according to media reports. Iran has offered to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US eases its military pressure, Japan's Kyodo News agency reported, citing a senior Iranian government official. Saudi Arabia has restarted operations at its East-West Pipeline at a low rate following recent drone attacks, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing sources. The pipeline could resume exports from the Yanbu port later Tuesday. "The moves highlight how much geopolitical risk premium remains embedded in energy prices and how sensitive the market has become to any prospect of a breakthrough," Saxo Bank said in a note. "The question now is whether Washington sees Iran's proposal as an opportunity or concludes that time is increasingly on its side." US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC recently that all Iranian airlines will be shut down from Wednesday, as part of the Trump administration's economic pressure campaign against Tehran. Treasury yields were down Tuesday, with the two-year rate retreating 3.4 basis points to 4.72% and the 10-year rate off 3.2 basis points to 4.93%. Tuesday's thin economic calendar has the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond's manufacturing index for September at 10 am ET. Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin is scheduled to speak at 1 pm, while New York Fed President John Williams and Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson speak earlier in the day. On Holding's (ONON) US-listed shares were up 5.9% pre-bell after the Swiss sportswear company outlined its mid-term financial targets and growth strategy and reiterated its outlook for 2026. AutoZone (AZO), Thor Industries (THO) and MillerKnoll (MLKN) post their latest financial results before the bell, while KB Home (KBH) and Worthington Enterprises (WOR) are scheduled to report after the markets close. Gold was down 0.4% at $4,367 per troy ounce, while bitcoin slipped 0.7% to $85,850.