Stocks were little changed on Monday as data showing a rise in consumer spending was offset by investors' anxiousness before economic reports, including monthly payrolls, later in the week.

The jobs report on Friday, which follows data on home prices and consumer confidence on Tuesday, is forecast to show the economy shedding jobs, reinforcing views of significant weakness in the labor market.

A decline in oil prices weighed on parts of the energy sector. Shares of Exxon Mobil were down 0.9 percent at $58.58.

But consumer-related shares rose after the government said consumer spending edged higher in May after being flat in April. Shares of Coca Cola Co were up 1.8 percent at $51.18 and Wal-Mart Stores rose 1.6 percent at $49.57.

I would expect this week to be light trading, said Fred Dickson, chief market strategist at The Davidson Cos. in Lake Oswego, Oregon. There's uncertainty ahead of ... both of the employment report and ahead of earnings season.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 4.61 points, or 0.05 percent, at 10,148.42. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 0.55 point, or 0.05 percent, at 1,076.21. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 1.72 points, or 0.08 percent, at 2,225.20.

The second-quarter earnings reporting period kicks off in July.

Cigarette makers rallied as a U.S. Supreme Court ruling was seen removing uncertainty that a huge legal verdict could be reinstated against the tobacco companies. Shares of Altria Group Inc shot up 3.5 percent to $20.39.

BP U.S.-listed shares rose 1.9 percent to $27.47 after the beleaguered oil giant was forced to defend its chief executive on Monday. Russia's deputy prime minister said he expected the CEO, Tony Hayward, to resign soon.

Noble Corp , owner of the second-largest fleet of offshore drilling rigs, gained 4 percent to $30.36 after announcing it would buy Norway's privately held Frontier Drilling for $2.16 billion.

As worries over European debt problems have hung over the market in recent weeks, leaders from the Group of 20 nations summit in Toronto over the weekend agreed to take divergent paths as they seek to trim budget deficits while ensuring the global economic recovery remained intact.

The G20 leaders also softened a 2012 deadline for banks to build up higher levels of capital and liquidity.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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