U.S. Stock Index Futures Rise on June 30 as S&P 500 Gains 14% in Q2, Nasdaq Up 19.6%

Major U.S. stock index futures rose modestly on June 30, the final trading day of the second quarter and first half of 2026, as markets approached close with strong performance. De-escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, the ongoing artificial intelligence investment wave, and the approaching earnings season supported investor confidence, with technology stocks driving the rally. The Dow Jones Index gained around 95 points in pre-market trading, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced in tandem.

For H1 2026, the Dow Jones Index rose 8.6%, on track for its best first-half performance since 2021; the S&P 500 gained over 8%, while the Nasdaq Index surged 11.1%, leading the three major indexes. Q2 performance was more robust: the S&P 500 climbed nearly 14%, marking its strongest quarter since Q2 2020; the Nasdaq jumped 19.6%, its best quarter since Q2 2020; the Dow advanced 12.6%, potentially its strongest quarter since Q4 2022.