The US stock market's flagship indices are set to open for a positive start, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq expected to surge over 1%. Fresh hopes of a resolution to the Middle East crisis, set to enter its third month soon, moderation in crude oil prices, along with stock-specific triggers, are expected to drive the Wall Street higher.

Futures for all three indices — S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 — were trading higher by 0.43, 0.14% and 1.35%, respectively, at the time of writing this report after trading flat earlier. Both S&P and Nasdaq were near 52-week high levels.

The sentiment received a fresh fillip following a Reuters report, citing a Pakistani government source, stating that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night to resume peace talks with the US.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran, but maintained the naval blockade of Iranian ports, suggesting that the conflict was not yet over. Israel and Lebanon, meanwhile, extended their ceasefire for three weeks at a meeting brokered by Trump.