US Markets

Housing market in focus on Wall Street

U.S. stock -index futures were little changed on Monday, ahead of housing-market data.

Pending home sales figures for last month will be published at 10 a.m. ET. These will follow the Chicago purchasing managers' index (PMI) of manufacturing activity for June at 9:45 a.m.

Analysts at Barclays Research forecast a modest rise in existing home sales in May.

"This would be the second consecutive monthly increase and would be in line with our view of a rebound in housing activity in the second quarter," they wrote in a research note on Monday.

Investors are also awaiting June's non-farm payrolls report on Thursday ahead of Friday's July 4 holiday. Economists forecast 213,000 jobs were created this month, while the jobless rate is seen steady at 6.3 percent.

Why is the US still struggling with unemployment?
VIDEO3:5103:51
Why is the US still struggling with unemployment?

The week will be a quiet one for earnings, with next week the start of second quarter earnings season. No major companies are slated to report this Monday.

AbbVie shares will be in focus this week, as executives fly to London for meetings with Shire shareholders ahead of possible renewed takeover bid.

Geopolitical risks

Tensions in Iraq remain in focus after government forces attempted to dislodge militant insurgents from the northern city of Tikrit on Sunday. The group known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has proclaimed its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghadi as the head of Iraq.

Brent crude oil traded down 0.6 percent to start the week and futures have now retraced around one-third of the June price spike.