07:14 AM EDT, 03/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Wall Street futures pointed modestly lower pre-bell Thursday, as traders assessed equity values after recent sell-offs but also mulled reports of attacks on Middle East oil and gas infrastructure.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil traded up 0.8% to $96.27 a barrel, joining the international trend toward higher fossil-fuel prices.

Gold prices buckled, striking $4,683 an ounce, possibly on concerns about higher interest rates after "hawkish" comments issued Wednesday by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

In the futures, the S&P 500 fell 0.2%, the Nasdaq declined 0.3% and the Dow Jones was off 0.1%.

Asian exchanges traded solidly lower overnight on the Persian Gulf outlook, while European bourses tracked south midday on the continent.

Micron Technology (MU) traded down 6.2% pre-bell after the semiconductor-maker late Wednesday reported fiscal Q2 earnings and revenue above Street views, and issued upbeat guidance, but also forecast heavy capital expenditures going forward.

Darden Restaurants (DRI) plans to report earnings pre-bell, among others.

FedEx (FDX), considered an economic bellwether, posts earnings after-bell.

On the economic calendar is the weekly jobless claims bulletin, and the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index for March, at 8:30 am ET.

The new home sales report for January, and the business and wholesale inventories bulletins for January, post at 10 am.

In pre-market action, bitcoin traded at $70,462, and 10-year US Treasuries offered 4.27%.