U.S. stock futures moved higher on Wednesday after Donald Trump extended the U.S. ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, calming fears of an immediate escalation in tensions, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.
Lingering Uncertainty Despite Temporary Relief
Markets had been under pressure amid rising doubts over whether Washington and Tehran could reach a durable agreement before the ceasefire deadline. While the extension offers short-term relief, uncertainty persists.
Plans for renewed negotiations have stalled, with Trump pointing to challenges in engaging with what he described as a “seriously fractured” Iranian government. Iranian officials, on the other hand, cited concerns over U.S. commitment to prior agreements, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions
Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz remains largely halted, as both sides maintain warnings against vessel movement. Oil prices, however, eased slightly after reports suggested Iran may have received signals that the U.S. could consider relaxing the blockade, as mentioned in the above-said Yahoo Finance article.
ETF Impact
United States Brent Oil Fund LP BNO rose 5.5% on April 21, 2026, but slipped 0.4% in pre-market trading. However, with uncertainties still in place, oil prices are not expected to decline materially.
iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF MTUM lost 1% on April 21, 2026. However, supported by short-term relief on Wall Street, MTUM may see an uptrend over the medium term.
Invesco S&P 500 High Beta ETF SPHB comprises 100 stocks from the S&P 500 Index with the highest sensitivity to market movements, or beta, over the past 12 months. High-beta ETFs tend to deliver larger gains than the broader market in bullish conditions. The fund has gained 12.4% over the past month and is up 3.9% over the past week.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 Invesco QQQ QQQ lost about 0.6% on April 21, 2026, but advanced about 1% pre-market trading. Ongoing AI-driven optimism is likely to support the fund in the near term.
The State Street SPDR S&P Transportation ETF XTN is currently exhibiting strong momentum. The sector is often viewed as a barometer of economic activity. With the war situation easing, the sector may see smoother trading in the near term. The fund has surged 30.2% over the past month and about 10% over the past week, while gaining 0.6% in pre-market trading.
Boost Your Portfolio with Our Top ETF Insights
Zacks' exclusive Fund Newsletter delivers actionable information, top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, straight to your inbox every week.
Don’t miss out on this valuable resource. It’s free!
Get it now >>Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports
United States Brent Oil ETF (BNO): ETF Research Reports
iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (MTUM): ETF Research Reports
State Street SPDR S&P Transportation ETF (XTN): ETF Research Reports
Invesco S&P 500 High Beta ETF (SPHB): ETF Research Reports
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
