Nathan Hager

We also got some fresh economic data ahead of the open.

Orders for business equipment rose more than expected, up six-tenths of one percent if you leave out aircraft and defense.

New home construction also hit a five-month high that month as builders took advantage of lower borrowing costs.

Two-track diplomatic talks for the U.S.

in Geneva may be heading down diverging tracks.

A second day of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine only lasted 90 minutes.

And as Bloomberg's Tony Halpin reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is accusing Russia of dragging things along.

Bloomberg's Tony Halpin following the talks from Dubai.

As for the other discussions in Geneva, Iran and the U.S., they're reporting progress after their latest round of nuclear talks.

Bloomberg's Patrick Sykes is following that from Istanbul.

Now, Vice President J.D.

Vance told Fox News that President Trump had set red lines that the Iranians have yet to work through.

Crude oil prices are jumping off the back of that.

West Texas Intermediate and Brent Crude are up just about 3%.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly been holding secret talks with the grandson of de facto Cuban dictator Raul Castro.

Axios is reporting the discussions with 41-year-old Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro are bypassing official government channels in Cuba.

It suggests the Trump administration sees the 94-year-old Castro as Cuba's true decision maker and his grandson as representing a younger, more business-minded generation in Cuba.

In Washington, attention is turning back to the Jeffrey Epstein files.

L Brand's founder, Les Wexner, set to give closed-door testimony about the late sex offender who was also his longtime money manager.

Bloomberg's Lauren Dozenski has more from Washington.