Financial markets started the week with a mix of movements on Monday. While U.S. stock futures showed an increase, the dollar was uncertain. The week ahead promises to be influenced by data releases, Chinese corporate earnings, and the looming threat of significant U.S. tariff hikes.

During the early Asia trading hours, S&P 500 futures saw a rise of approximately 0.6%, with Nasdaq 100 futures increasing by 0.8%. The Nikkei in Japan and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong also climbed about 0.2%.

The euro, after a slight decline last week, saw a 0.2% increase to $1.0835 in the early trading session. In the emerging markets, Turkey's lira remained unstable following the detention of President Tayyip Erdogan's main political opponent, causing anxiety among investors.

James Hardie, an Australian fiber-cement company, experienced a 12% drop in its shares after the announcement of its acquisition of U.S.-based outdoor building products maker, AZEK Company, for $8.8 billion in a combination of cash and stock.

This week is packed with important events such as global purchasing managers index releases, the U.S. Federal Reserve's preferred inflation index, inflation data from Australia and Japan, a budget report from Britain, and significant corporate earnings reports from China.

However, market movements are expected to be highly influenced by updates on President Donald Trump's plans for imposing reciprocal tariffs globally starting April 2. Due to recent volatility in stocks, bonds, and currencies, analysts suggest that predicting market trends is challenging at present.

Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone, emphasized the importance of understanding consumer behavior and economic conditions that could potentially lead to a recession or stagflation. Trump's proposed tariffs have been a major source of uncertainty, with their details yet to be fully disclosed.

Despite a slight gain on Friday due to Trump hinting at flexibility with tariffs, investors remain cautious given the uncertainties created by the recent tariff actions on various countries. U.S. Treasury yields have decreased significantly in recent weeks, attracting investors to international markets as Wall Street experiences fluctuations.