Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during the first trading day of the year in New York City, January 2, 2026.
Spencer Pratt | Getty Images
Stock futures were firm on Sunday night as global markets reacted to the US attack on Venezuela and the detention of leader Nicolas Maduro.
Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures It traded 7 points higher. S&P500 futures 0.1% increase; Nasdaq 100 futures It advanced by 0.3%.
After the attack, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were sent to New York and charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy and other crimes. According to the indictment, drug trafficking “enriched and entrenched Venezuela’s political and military elite.”
Maduro’s ouster comes more than a decade after he took power in April 2013, replacing longtime dictator Hugo Chávez. It also raises questions about the future of the country, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
President Donald Trump said at a press conference on Saturday that the United States would “manage” Venezuela “until there is a safe, appropriate and prudent transition of power.” But Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to backtrack on those comments on Sunday, noting that the United States would use its influence to achieve its policy goals. He also did not say that the United States would directly rule Venezuela.
Indeed, some on Wall Street believe that U.S. intervention will have limited impact on the market. Despite Venezuela’s vast reserves, the country produces less than 1 million barrels per day. This is less than 1% of world production.
Marco Papic, chief strategist at BCA Research, also noted that the Venezuelan government is “stabilized” by the country’s military.
“President Trump’s claims that the US ‘runs the country’ and is not afraid of ‘ground forces’ should go as a signal. The US is likely to negotiate with the military and rebel groups during the transition phase,” Papik wrote to clients.
Oil prices fell in early futures trading on Sunday.
Wall Street is emerging from a mixed session. On Friday, the first trading day of the year, the S&P 500 and Dow closed higher, while the Nasdaq ended just below flat.
This week, traders are keeping an eye on the December jobs report, which will be released on Friday. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect the economy to grow by 54,000 jobs last month.
