08:58 AM EDT, 07/02/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures fell Tuesday premarket as traders looked ahead to a speech from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for insights into the country's economy and inflation.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 0.3%, S&P 500 futures declined 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures were down 0.5%.

Powell is scheduled to speak before the European Central Bank Forum on Central Banking 2024 at 9:30 am ET.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.9% at $87.39 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude up 1.1% at $84.31 per barrel, buoyed by positive economic data from China. The Caixin Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index came at 51.8 in June, up 0.1 points from May, according to Caixin Global.

Job openings based on the Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey are seen at 7.96 million in May versus April's 8.059 million, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.1% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.3% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.08% higher. Meanwhile, UK's FTSE 100 declined 0.4%, and Germany's DAX index fell 1.1% lower in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, shares of Paramount Global ( PARAA ) were 4% higher pre-bell following a Reuters report that IAC/InterActiveCorp (IAC) is considering an offer to take control of the media and entertainment company.

On the losing side, Cartesian Therapeutics ( RNAC ) shares retreated 18% after the company said it secured a $130 million private placement equity financing.