PKI:CC - Futures Rise to Start Q2

Stock futures rose slightly on Monday as Wall Street kicked off the second quarter following a strong start to the year, and traders weighed fresh U.S. inflation data.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials added 38 points, or 0.1%, to 40,212.

Futures for the S&P 500 captured 6.5 points, or 0.1%, to 5,315.

Futures for the NASDAQ Composite jumped 30.75 points, or 0.2%, to 18,505.75.

The major averages are coming off a winning first quarter. The S&P 500 jumped 10.2% for its best first-quarter performance since 2019, while the Dow added 5.6%. The NASDAQ popped 9.1%.

Markets also wrapped up a winning March and their fifth consecutive positive month, with the S&P rising 3.1%, and Dow up 2.1%. The NASDAQ edged up 1.8% for the month.

The personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy, released Friday during the market closure for Good Friday, showed inflation rose 2.8% in February, which is in line with expectations. The inflation gauge closely watched by the Federal Reserve also rose 0.3% from a month ago, the Commerce Department said.

Wall Street is readying for a busy week of economic data that kicks off Monday, with construction spending for February and ISM manufacturing data for March due Monday. The keynote March jobs report is on deck for Friday.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 advanced 1.4% Monday, while in Hong Kong, markets were closed for holiday.

Oil prices dipped 39 cents to $82.78 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices hiked $27.10 to $2,265.50 U.S. an ounce.