Markets Pause Ahead of US Jobs Report and Iran Deal Developments Global markets traded cautiously as investors awaited Friday's U.S. nonfarm payrolls report and monitored progress in U.S.-Iran negotiations. S&P 500 futures edged slightly higher while Nasdaq 100 futures declined, weighed down by weakness in technology stocks. AI-related shares also remained under pressure as investors reassessed the sector following Alphabet's bond sale announcement and disappointing earnings from memory chip makers Sandisk and Western Digital. Oil prices held near $80 a barrel after Iran announced an agreement with Oman on a proposed shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, although uncertainty over a broader U.S.-Iran deal kept investors cautious. Meanwhile, Treasury yields rose, gold gained on safe-haven demand, and markets remained focused on Friday's jobs report, which is expected to influence expectations for the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision.