Following the Easter weekend, Wall Street is all set to enter its second week of April today, with the majority of U.S. stock index futures tiptoeing as investors continue to navigate the oil price hike and the resultant uncertainties amid the ongoing disruption in the Middle East.

Crude prices ticked a higher note starting this week, with West Texas Intermediate futures rising 1.9% to $113.53 per barrel, while Brent crude climbed 1.3% on April 6, 2026.

Against this backdrop, the appeal of high-beta growth stocks may be fading, prompting investors to turn toward steady dividend-growth stocks.

These companies have a proven track record of increasing payouts, reflecting the balance sheet resilience and cash flow durability…