Indexes fell Thursday on rising risks to oil supplies amid escalating Middle East tensions and as traders braced for Friday's labor market update.

Global stocks rose on Friday while oil prices were headed for their biggest weekly gain in two years, as escalating tensions in the Middle East kept markets on edge. With the all-important monthly U.S.

Indexes edged lower Thursday as investors took in an uptick in jobless claims and simmering tensions in the Middle East. A key jobs report is due Friday.

Wall Street was poised to open slightly lower on Thursday after a moderate rise in jobless claims sparked worries about the health of the labor market, while cautious investors kept an eye on the Middle East for any escalation in hostilities.

Intensifying tensions between Iran and Israel that threatens oil inventory in Iran; Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea that could limit oil supply and deliveries; Since markets a

Crude prices jumped on worries about worsening tensions in the Middle East, while U.S. stocks pulled back further from their records

Oil prices rose further on Friday and were on track for strong weekly gains as investors weighed the prospect of a wider Middle East conflict disrupting crude flows against a well-supplied global market.

Markets in the U.S. kept sliding from their record highs, closing down Thursday on continued worries that escalating tensions in the Middle East could impact the global energy supply. Europe, too, was down for the same reasons,

Oil prices surged and major stock markets mostly retreated Thursday as investors reacted to fears of widening conflict in the Middle East.