S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow futures climb after gauges close April on record highs

US stock futures ticked higher late Thursday, building on a powerful rally that pushed major indexes to fresh records and capped a standout April for equities.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) and S&P 500 (ES=F) edged up 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively. Nasdaq 100 futures (NQ=F) wavered below the baseline.

During Thursday’s regular session, stocks surged across the board. The Dow (^DJI) rallied more than 790 points, or 1.6%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) climbed just over 1% to close above 7,200 for the first time on record. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) added nearly 0.9%, with both indexes securing new all-time closing highs.

In after-hours trading, Apple (AAPL) jumped roughly 3% after delivering better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results. However, softer-than-forecast iPhone sales marked the company’s second miss in three quarters, tempering some of the enthusiasm.

Investor sentiment has been buoyed by a resilient first-quarter earnings season and easing geopolitical concerns in the Middle East. Despite volatility tied to the US conflict with Iran, all three major indexes have rebounded sharply and now sit comfortably above their levels at the start of 2026.

Looking ahead, markets will turn to a fresh batch of earnings before Friday’s open, including results from Exxon Mobil, (XOM) Chevron (CVX), and Moderna (MRNA).