1. U.S. stock index futures were lower on Monday as investors awaited consumer spending data for August amid uncertainty around the timing of an interest rate hike.
Several Federal Reserve officials are scheduled to speak this week, including New York Fed President William Dudley on Wednesday. The focus will firmly be on U.S. monetary policy after strong second-quarter U.S. GDP data released on Friday sharpened the case for a 2015 hike. Fed Chair Janet Yellen has said she expects rates to be raised this year.
2. U.S. consumer spending grew briskly in August and a key measure of inflation firmed a bit, signs of strength in America's domestic economy that could lead the Federal Reserve to tighten interest rates despite weakness abroad.
The Commerce Department said on Monday consumer spending increased 0.4 percent after an upwardly revised 0.4 percent rise in July. The data suggests the strong consumer spending that bolstered the economy in the second quarter carried over into the third.
3. Upscale food market operator Whole Foods Market Inc (NASDAQ:WFM) said it would cut about 1,500 jobs, or about 1.6 percent of its workforce, over the next eight weeks.
The cuts are aimed at reducing costs as the company invests in technology upgrades, Whole Foods said in a filing. The affected positions were mainly in stores, but "back of house" positions that were not customer facing, the company said in an email to Reuters.
4. Oil prices eased on Monday, paring some of last week's 2 percent rally, despite evidence of slowing U.S. production and a fourth weekly increase in U.S. investor holdings of crude futures.
High oversupply and concern about demand growth in emerging markets and elsewhere have stripped 50 percent off the value of a barrel of oil over the last year and kept the price below $50 for most of the past nine weeks.
5. The dollar held steady against the other major currencies on Monday, as expectations for an upcoming U.S. rate hike continued to support the greenback and as investors eyed comments by several Federal Reserve officials scheduled later in the day.
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