U.S. stock futures pointed to a firmer open on Monday as traders increased bets that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates later this year. The shift in expectations helped support risk appetite at the start of the trading week.

Investors have been weighing signs of cooling economic momentum against the possibility that easier monetary policy could cushion markets. That outlook has kept sentiment constructive in equities even as uncertainty remains over the pace of growth and inflation.

Oil prices moved lower, reflecting concern that global demand may soften if economic activity slows. The pullback in crude added to the broader market focus on how central bank policy, growth trends and energy demand will interact in the months ahead.