US Futures Slightly Higher as Investors Await Inflation Data

U.S. stock index futures gained moderately on Monday as investors assessed the prospects for possible diplomatic agreements amid tensions in the Middle East and awaited significant inflation data scheduled for this week.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.4%, whereas Dow Jones futures remained virtually unchanged.

Market sentiment was also affected by weak employment data released on Friday. In July, the U.S. economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs, while the figures for the previous two months were significantly revised downward. As a result, investors anticipate that the Federal Reserve may refrain from raising interest rates in September.

Attention has now shifted to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to be released on Wednesday. According to forecasts, annual inflation should decline from 3.5% to 3.4%, while core inflation should decrease from 2.6% to 2.5%.