08:12 AM EDT, 10/02/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were cautiously lower premarket Wednesday as traders stayed on the sidelines amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures declined 0.3%, S&P 500 futures slipped 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures were down 0.1%.

Investors are on edge for a potential retaliation from Tel Aviv after Iran launched ballistic missiles against Israel on Tuesday.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 2.7% at $75.53 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 3% higher at $71.94 per barrel.

Private payrolls based on ADP Institute's employment report, scheduled for release at 8:15 am ET, are seen rising by 124,000 in September following a 99,000 increase in August, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.