Stocks Up Pre-Bell as Traders Parse President Trump's Latest Comments on Iran War

08:02 AM EDT, 10/16/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The benchmark US stock measures were pointing higher before the open Friday as traders assess President Donald Trump's latest comments on the war with Iran. The S&P 500 edged up 0.1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3% in premarket activity, while the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.1%. Equity markets finished the previous trading session in the green. In an interview with Newsmax on Thursday, Trump said he isn't considering sending ground troops into Iran. Trump's comments came after CNN reported, citing sources, that the US military has developed plans that include the potential use of a so-called "mother of all bombs" to target Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites. "The mother of all bombs is not nuclear," Trump said in the Newsmax interview. "This is just an extremely large bomb." Trump said the US may have to strike Iran's Pickaxe mountain, a suspected nuclear site, but he doesn't see ground troops being deployed for such an operation, Newsmax reported. The US leader also said Iran is negotiating with Washington and expressed confidence that the war in the Middle East "will be over very soon." West Texas Intermediate crude oil decreased 0.6% to $97.39 a barrel early Friday, while Brent dipped 0.2% to $105.73. The International Energy Agency on Thursday outlined plans to release more than 20 million barrels of diesel "as soon as possible" as part of its efforts to address a global supply crunch. In March, the agency agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil in a bid to stem crude prices and address supply disruptions triggered by the Middle East conflict. Treasury yields were mixed, with the two-year rate retreating 0.5 basis points to 4.75% while the 10-year rate gained 1.3 basis points to 5.1%. Government data showed Thursday producer prices jumped at the fastest pace in more than four years in September amid a surge in energy costs, a day after a report showed consumer inflation also accelerated last month. Retail sales growth exceeded expectations in September as outlays at gas stations increased amid elevated fuel prices, the Census Bureau reported Thursday. "With core inflation running at 2.6% year-on-year and oil prices remaining elevated, which increases the risk that price pressures spread to other categories, the (Federal Reserve) likely will not be able to remain on the sidelines for much longer," TD Economics Economist Admir Kolaj said in a Thursday note. Despite the hot inflation reports, markets are currently pricing in an 85% probability that the Fed will keep its benchmark rate steady later this month, up from 72% on Thursday, according to the CME FedWatch tool. The remaining odds are in favor of a 25-basis-point hike. Friday's economic calendar has the import and export prices report for September, followed by the industrial production report for the same month and the weekly Baker Hughes oil-and-gas rig count. Travelers (TRV), Truist Financial (TFC), M&T Bank (MTB), Citizens Financial (CFG) and Regions Financial (RF) report their latest financial results before the bell. Shares of Tesla (TSLA) jumped 4.3% pre-bell after the electric vehicle manufacturer unveiled its new Roadster car capable of flight using cold-gas thrusters. Nike (NKE) added 0.9% after closing the previous session with an increase of 5.2%. J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) was down 1.3% as its third-quarter operating income as a percentage of revenue declined year over year. Spot gold inclined 0.8% to $4,203 per troy ounce, while bitcoin traded down 0.3% at $82,080.