US markets today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures hint a weak opening; key things to know before Wall Street open

US equity market indices are set to open on a weak note on Monday, October 12, as investors focused on the rebounding crude oil prices, elevated US Treasury yields, and the latest attacks in West Asia.

Dow Jones futures were trading 0.13% higher at 51,994 points ahead of the opening bell on Monday, indicating a flat or marginally positive open on October 12, as per Investing.com data.

The exchange data also showed that the S&P 500 index was trading flat at 7,867 points, while in contrast, the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 futures were down 0.08%, trading around 31,085 points on Monday ahead of the Wall Street open.

Key things to know before US market open

Asian markets today

The equity market indices in Asia ended largely lower after the trading session on Monday, October 12, as investors focused on the sharp spike in global oil prices amid the escalation in West Asia.

MarketWatch data suggests that Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended 0.25% higher, and Singapore’s FTSE closed 0.25% higher. In contrast, China’s Shanghai Composite closed 0.43% lower, India’s SENSEX closed 0.96% lower, and South Korea’s KOSPI ended 3.6% lower.

Japan’s benchmark equity index, Nikkei 225, was closed for the scheduled Sports Day holiday on October 12 in the country.

US dollar today

TradingView data showed that the US Dollar spot index was up 0.17% at 102.40 levels during the trading session on Monday, India time, in comparison to 102.23 levels at the previous currency market close.

The data also showed that the US dollar rates have risen 4.4% in the last six months, and were up 4.2% on a year-to-date (YTD) basis so far in 2026.

Oil jumps above $106/barrel

Global crude oil prices remained highly volatile, ranging between $102-106 per barrel (bbl) during the trading session on Monday, October 12, as investors reacted to the latest missile attacks at the Saudi international airport, as reports suggest US President Donald Trump is considering US strikes in Yemen.

Investing data showed that the benchmark Brent crude oil prices surged 1.3% to hit an intraday high of $106.17 per bbl during the trading session on Monday, in comparison to $104.72 per bbl at the previous commodity market close.

Saudi’s Riyadh International Airport recorded two air strikes killing at least 20 people, while injuring more than 300, including foreign nationals.

According to a CBS News report, US President Donald Trump is considering joining the attacks against the Houthis in Yemen as the region is becoming the epicentre of conflict in the West Asia region.

How did US markets end last week?

The US equity benchmark indices closed higher after their trading session on Friday, October 9, as investors focused on the brief easing in energy prices, US Treasury yields and the upcoming earnings season.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.83% higher at 51,654.95 points after the trading session on Friday, in comparison to 51,231.64 points at the previous equity market close, according to MarketWatch data.

The exchange data also showed that the S&P 500 index ended 0.59% higher at 7,811.54 points after the session on October 9, compared to 7,765.36 points at the previous market close.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index closed 0.51% higher at 30,883.15 points after Friday’s market session last week, in comparison to 30,725.81 points at the previous Wall Street close.