A television station broadcasts a news conference with US President Donald Trump on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Monday, April 6, 2026.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Stock futures fell on Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approached, with hopes of an agreement fading.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures shed 128 points, or 0.3%. Futures tied to the S&P 500 were down 0.4%. Nasdaq 100 futures traded 0.5% lower.
Trump in a Tuesday morning post on Truth Social did not give a clear solid indication how the day may play out.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” the president said.
He then added, “However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”
Trump had reiterated his warning Monday that the U.S. will destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges if the nation does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Trump also said in a news conference on Monday that he had decided to extend the deadline to Tuesday because he “thought it was inappropriate the day after Easter.”
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports said Tuesday that the U.S. military conducted strikes on military targets on Kharg Island in Iran.
The Wall Street Journal reported that negotiators aren’t optimistic a deal between the U.S. and Iran can be reached before Trump’s deadline.
Axios reported that the U.S., Iran and other mediators were discussing terms to reach a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war, citing sources with knowledge of the talks. Even so, the 45-day ceasefire is only one of the ideas being explored. Reuters also reported that that the U.S. and Iran on Monday were reviewing a plan brokered by Pakistan that could end the conflict.
Despite the increased tensions, the major averages ended Monday’s session higher.
“Everybody was betting that it’s going to be short term and I think the market still is, and frankly, I still am too,” Barbara Doran, founder and CEO of BD8 Capital Partners, said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime” on Monday afternoon. “The market will say, ‘OK, it’s going to be over soon,’ and then we can resume where we’re going, which is starting the year very bullish. And now you have also continued fiscal stimulus from the defense spending.”
