Stock market futures fell on Sunday night as traders faced new doubts about a shipping deal. Hopes for a smooth fix in the Middle East faded quickly. Investors are also waiting for key economic numbers on inflation due out later this week. Futures linked to the broad index fell by 0.2 percent. Tech contracts rose 0.1 percent, showing small gains. Industrial futures dropped 99 points, or 0.2 percent. Over in Asia, major stock markets showed positive moves. Main indexes in Japan and South Korea gained ground during morning trading. Australian shares also posted small steps higher. Market sentiment took a hit over the weekend due to fresh news from the Middle East. Hopes for an easy deal to open the Strait of Hormuz faded. Iran denied that it was talking directly with American leaders to free up the water route. This news caused energy costs to tick up. Main crude oil contracts rose 1 percent to sell just above 79 dollars a barrel. Earlier statements had suggested that a fast agreement was very close. However, recent statements from high leaders showed a different path. American officials stated that the nation was only in soft talks with Iran. Leaders noted that they want Iran to feel continued money pressure. These changes come right after a strong week for major financial markets. All three main market tracking tools just enjoyed their best weekly stretch since April. The broad market index even hit a new all-time high score on Friday. A weak labor report gave stocks a boost late last week. The July jobs numbers showed a sudden drop in total employment. While job losses are bad for workers, traders often see them as a sign that price growth will slow down. Many investors now think central bank leaders will hold off on raising interest rates soon. Current market tracking tools show that less than half of traders expect a rate hike in September. That probability is down sharply from where it stood just one week ago. Money experts point out that a soft labor market brings both good news and risk. Lower interest rates can help stocks move higher in the short term. Yet, a weaker job market can also mean slower growth for the whole country over time. Traders are now focused on upcoming price reports. Important consumer and producer price reports are scheduled for release later in the week. These numbers will show how much items cost for average people and businesses. No big economic reports are planned for Monday. This gives investors extra time to think about the latest shipping news and job data. Investors will also watch earnings reports from well-known brands this week. Fast-food chains and shoe makers will post their latest financial results. Key technology companies will also share update reports on their profits. These updates will give clear clues about customer spending. If everyday people keep spending money, the market could find solid footing. But high energy prices and ongoing global conflicts remain a top worry for traders worldwide. For now, investors are taking a careful approach. They want to see how middle east talks move forward. They also want to see if coming price reports show that inflation is truly cooling down. Until those answers arrive, trading moves may stay quiet and cautious.