07:55 AM EDT, 03/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity markets were pointing lower before the opening bell Thursday while Brent exceeded $110 a barrel as the Middle East conflict escalated after a series of attacks targeting key energy facilities in the region.

The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down 0.1% each in premarket activity, while the Nasdaq declined 0.2%. The indexes finished Wednesday trading down, snapping a two-day advance.

Brent crude jumped 6.2% to $114.14 a barrel before the open, while West Texas Intermediate crude nudged 0.1% higher to $96.42.

Iran attacked energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after Israel struck its South Pars gas field.

In a social media post, Trump said the US will "massively blow up the entirety" of the South Pars gas field facility in Iran if it continues to target Qatar's energy facilities. Trump said Israel will not attack the South Pars gas field again unless Iran "decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar."

The South Pars field is part of the world's largest natural gas reserve and one of the most important sources of Iran's domestic energy supply, CNN reported.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps warned people in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar to stay away from certain energy facilities, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported Wednesday, citing a statement released by the group.

On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady as widely expected, and upgraded inflation estimates amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. In his prepared post-meeting remarks, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said short-term inflation expectations have risen in recent weeks, likely due to elevated oil prices.

"In the near term, higher energy prices will push up overall inflation, but it is too soon to know the scope and duration of the potential effects on the economy," Powell said.

Ahead of the Fed decision, official data on Wednesday showed US producer prices rose at the fastest pace in seven months in February amid notable spikes in wholesale costs of food and energy.

Treasury yields were up in premarket action, with the two-year rate climbing 7.3 basis points to 3.82% and the 10-year rate adding 2.8 basis points to 4.29%.

Thursday's economic calendar has the weekly jobless claims bulletin at 8:30 am ET, along with the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index for March. The delayed new home sales report for January is out at 10 am.

Shares of Micron Technology ( MU ) fell 5.6% pre-bell as the semiconductor manufacturer flagged higher spending plans amid memory supply constraints, even though it reported stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results and issued an upbeat outlook for the ongoing three-month period.

Five Below ( FIVE ) spiked nearly 7% after the discount retailer's fiscal fourth-quarter results exceeded market estimates and it issued a strong full-year earnings guidance.

Alibaba ( BABA ) , Accenture ( ACN ) , Darden Restaurants ( DRI ) and Signet Jewelers ( SIG ) report their latest financial results before the bell, among others. Parcel delivery giant FedEx ( FDX ) is scheduled to release its earnings after the markets close.

Gold dropped 4.5% to $4,677 per troy ounce, while bitcoin decreased 1.4% to $70,185.