08:51 AM EDT, 04/15/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures rose ahead of Monday's opening bell as traders monitored developments in the Middle East after Iran launched retaliatory attacks against Israel on Saturday.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures increased 0.6%, S&P 500 futures rose 0.5%, and Nasdaq futures were up 0.6%.

Oil prices were lower, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 0.7% and US West Texas Intermediate crude down 0.6%.

Retail sales, released at 8:30 am ET, rose 0.7% in March following a 0.9% revised increase in the preceding month, ahead of estimates compiled by Bloomberg for a 0.4% gain. The Empire State manufacturing index came in at minus 14.3 in April following March's minus 20.9 level, compared with estimates for minus 5.2.

Business inventories, due at 10 am ET, are expected to rise 0.4% in February following no change in January. Analysts expect the housing market index to hold steady at 51 in April.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.7% lower, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.7% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 1.3% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 declined 0.06%, and Germany's DAX index rose 1% in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, shares of Encore Wire ( WIRE ) were 9% higher after the company agreed to be purchased by Prysmian for $290 per share. Snap One Holdings ( SNPO ) shares rose 30% after the company agreed to a $1.4 billion takeover by Resideo Technologies ( REZI ) . Piedmont Lithium ( PLL ) shares were up 21% after the company secured a mining permit for a lithium project in North Carolina.

On the losing side, Salesforce ( CRM ) shares were down 3% following reports that the company is in discussions to acquire Informatica. Neumora Therapeutics ( NMRA ) shares fell 11% after the company said its phase 1 NMRA-266 study has been placed on clinical hold by the US Food and Drug Administration.