US stock futures steadied on Friday as oil prices eased, following efforts by the US and Israel to calm market fears over the Iran conflict. US President Donald Trump said the US is not considering sending ground troops to the Middle East, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Iran’s regime could face internal collapse. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added that Israel would hold off on further strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure and that the war could end sooner than expected, noting Iran’s reduced capacity to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles. In Thursday’s regular session, the Dow dropped 0.44%, the S&P 500 slipped 0.27%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.28%. Eight of the 11 S&P sectors closed lower, led by materials, consumer discretionary, and consumer staples. The major indexes are also on track for a fourth consecutive weekly decline.
