08:27 AM EDT, 03/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were lower pre-bell Thursday as crude prices rose amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, stoking fresh inflation concerns.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.4% lower, S&P 500 futures were down 0.5%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.6% lower.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 6.3% at $114.20 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 1.5% higher at $96.91 per barrel.

The weekly jobless claims bulletin, scheduled for release at 8:30 am ET, is expected to show new unemployment claims of 215,000 in the week ended March 14, up from 213,000 in preceding week. The March Philadelphia Fed business outlook bulletin is forecast at 8.0, down from 16.3 previously, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

The January new home sales index, due at 10 am ET, is seen coming in at a 722,000 annual rate versus 745,000 previously. The January wholesale inventories bulletin is expected to show a 0.2% increase to match the previous month's gain.