Investing.com - U.S. stock futures pointed to a lower open on Monday, as global equities broadly weakened amid hightened tensions in Ukraine and after the release of disappointing manufacturing data out of China.
Ahead of the open, the Dow 30 futures pointed to a 0.36% loss, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.37% drop, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.40% decline.
Markets were jittery after clashes broke out in at six cities in eastern Ukraine over the weekend while pro-Russian forces overran a police station in Odessa, freeing close to 70 activists held there.
The events came after the death of 46 people on Friday, marking the bloodiest day since the ousting of Viktor Yanukovich from the Ukrainian presidency in February.
Elsewhere, data showed that China’s HSBC manufacturing purchasing managers’ index came in at 48.1, down from a preliminary estimate of 48.3 and missing forecasts for an uptick to 48.4.
The financial sector was expected to be active, after Citigroup (NYSE:C) won a contract to deliver custody and securities-lending services to Norway’s $866 billion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s biggest, displacing previous provider JP Morgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM).
Separately, Warren Buffett, who invested $5 billion in Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), said he is confident the lender will overcome an accounting mistake that forced the firm to suspend an increased payout to shareholders.
Nike (NYSE:NKE) was also set to remain in focus after Chief Executive Mark Parker said last week that the footwear and athletic apparel company was considering shifting its production within China following a major strike at a supplier's factory.
The company was also said to be scaling back wearable hardware, such as its FuelBand bracelet lauched two years ago, and angling to make its activity-tracking software the go-to app for gadgets made by other companies.
Other stocks likely to be in focus included Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), Sysco (NYSE:SYY) and American International Group (NYSE:AIG), scheduled to report quarterly results later in the day.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were sharply lower. The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 tumbled 1.14%, France’s CAC 40 retreated 1.10%, Germany's DAX plummeted 1.39%, while Britain's FTSE 100 remained closed for a national holiday.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.28%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 remained closed for a national holiday.
Later in the day, the Institute of Supply Management was to publish a report on U.S. service sector activity.