US Stock Futures Point To Higher Open Ahead Of Manufacturing PMI Data From ISM; Strong EU Data

U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Monday ahead of the publication of the U.S. manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, or PMI, from the Institute for Supply Management, or ISM, and as investors are expected to take heart from signs of an easing in the euro zone's slowdown, suggested by the latest batch of economic data.

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.34 percent, futures on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index were up 0.27 percent and those on the Nasdaq 100 Index were up 0.76 percent.

Investors are expected to focus on the ISM’s manufacturing data index for the month of June to be released at 10 a.m. EDT. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the manufacturing PMI, which measures the relative level of business conditions, including employment, production, new orders, prices, supplier deliveries and inventories -- to expand to 50.5 in June from 49.0 in May. A level above 50 represents an expansion in the industry.

Investors also await the manufacturing PMI from Markit, which measures the activity level of purchasing managers in the manufacturing sector in the U.S., due to be released at 8.00 a.m. EDT. Analysts expect the gauge to show a reading of 52.40 in June, up from 52.20 in May.

Earlier on Monday, a benchmark survey of factory output for the euro zone in June showed signs of respite from a prolonged contraction, as the rate of contraction in manufacturing activity and new orders eased in all euro zone economies except Germany.

The euro zone’s manufacturing PMI, published by Markit, rose to a 16-month high of 48.8 in June from May’s 48.3 -- better than the earlier flash reading of 48.7. However, it remains in negative territory, having extended its slowdown streak to 23 months.

“Eurozone manufacturing is showing welcome signs of stabilizing. Both output and new orders barely fell during June, and on this trajectory a return to growth for the sector is on the cards for the third quarter,” Chris Williamson, Markit's chief economist said.

Among the EU nations covered by the survey -- France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Austria and Netherlands, beat expectations and signaled a weaker rate of contraction in June, while Germany’s PMI failed to rise in June.

France Manufacturing PMI rose to 48.4 -- a 16-month high; Italy’s PMI stood at 49.1 -- a 23-month high; Greece PMI showed a reading of 45.4 -- a 24-month high, and Austria’s PMI reading showed 48.3 -- a four-month high. Spain’s PMI stopped contracting in June, while Ireland expanded to a 4-month high of 50.3.

Germany's PMI reading for its manufacturing sector stood at 48.6 -- a 2-month low but it also showed actual production rose for the second month in Germany.

European stocks were trading up in early trading on Monday. London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.52 percent, Germany's DAX-30 rose 0.13 percent while France's CAC-40 traded up 0.45 percent.

Asian stock markets ended mixed on Monday as two separate manufacturing data points out of China sent disappointing signals about the country’s economic well being. On the other hand, a weaker yen and the Bank of Japan’s quarterly tankan survey, which showed a sharp improvement in sentiment at large Japanese businesses, helped the Nikkei to end up 1.28 percent.

China's Shanghai Composite index rose 0.81 percent while South Korea’s KOSPI Composite index declined 0.41 percent. India’s BSE Sensex closed up 0.94 percent and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 ended the day down 1.92 percent.