1. An important week kicks off

Wall Street is preparing for what is expected to be a very big week.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to hike interest rates, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet President Trump and The Netherlands is holding a closely-watched election. Plus, the U.K. could formally trigger Brexit negotiations.

U.S. stock futures were holding steady ahead of the open.

European markets were mostly nudging up in early trading, supported by a rally in mining stocks. In London, shares in Anglo American (AAUKF) and Rio Tinto (RIO) surged by about 3% to 4%.

In Asia, most stock markets were higher.

The Dow Jones industrial average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all turned in lackluster performance last week, with each posting declines of 0.2% to 0.5%. However, they're still not far from all-time highs set in early March.

2. Dollar falls to 2-week lows

The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was down about 0.2% at 101.17 in New York morning trade.

It fell to a 2-week low of 100.86 earlier after the latest U.S. employment report showed that jobs growth beat expectations, but wage growth remained slow.

The benchmark U.S. 10-Year yield was slightly lower at 2.564%, well below Friday's peak of 2.624%, which was its highest since December.

Losses were limited amid heightened expectations that the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates at the outcome of its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday.

Market expectations for a rate increase at the conclusion of Wednesday's meeting stood at 93%.

3. Oil prices slip continues

Keep an eye on oil prices. Crude oil futures are slipping to trade just below $48.50 per barrel. The price is down 10% since the start of the year.

Crude prices had strengthened after OPEC and other major producers agreed in November to slash production. But there are concerns about whether this new status quo will hold for long, especially as U.S. shale oil producers ramp up their production levels.

OPEC and the International Energy Agency will publish reports this week with data on production levels.

4. GBP higher as Brexit looms

The British pound pushed higher against the dollar and the euro on Monday, as markets braced for Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger Article 50, which kicks off the process of exiting the European Union.

Britain's Article 50 Brexit bill returns to the House of Commons on Monday for lawmakers to debate and vote on conditions attached to it by members of the House of Lords.

If the Brexit bill is passed Monday, it could allow Theresa May to announce the triggering of Article 50 as early as Tuesday, when she is due to brief parliament on last week's EU summit.