Stock futures rose Monday as the second half of 2024 began. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 43 points, or 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.2%. Nasdaq-100 futures traded marginally higher. Wall Street is coming off a losing session for the major averages, of a strong finish to the first half of the trading year. Continued excitement surrounding artificial intelligence and stocks such as Nvidia led the S&P 500 to a 14.5% gain, while the Nasdaq Composite rallied 18.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average underperformed due to a pullback in the second quarter, adding 3.8%. For the quarter, the S&P and Nasdaq added 3.9% and 8.3%, respectively, while the Dow lost 1.7%. The Nasdaq notched its third positive quarter in a row for the first time since a five-quarter streak ending in 2021. Some expect this technology-driven momentum to persist at least through the summer, despite some fears that multiples have hit heightened levels. “We don’t see a lot of evidence of tech slowing,” King Lip, chief strategist at BakerAvenue Wealth Management, told CNBC’s “Closing Bell” on Friday. “If anything, you could argue that it’s accelerating.” He expects the sector to hit some resistance during a period of seasonal weakness and profit-taking in September and October, and around the election, but views valuations as warranted. “The reality is that these companies have been so well managed through thick and thin, that during times like this when the economy is growing, they’re able to grow their earnings quite significantly,” he said. “These companies have have delivered.” Monday kicks off a holiday-shortened trading week, with the market closed Thursday for Fourth of July. Investors will get a big clue into the state of the labor market Friday with the June jobs report. S&P PMI manufacturing and ISM manufacturing data for June are due out Monday, along with may construction spending. U.S. Treasury yields were higher on Monday as investors awaited key economic data due this week and digested the latest inflation insights. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was up by nearly 10 basis points at 4.441%. The 2-year Treasury yield was last more than 6 basis points higher at 4.781%. Asia-Pacific markets started the second half of the year on a positive note as investors assessed June business activity data from China as well as Japan’s business confidence readings. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.12%, closing at 39,631.06 while the the broad-based Topix climbed 0.52% to 2,824.28, reaching a new 34-year high. The Nikkei earlier hit a three-month high during the session, before paring gains. South Korea’s Kospi was up 0.23% and ended at 2,804.31, near its 31-month high of 2,807.63, but the small-cap Kosdaq advanced 0.8% to 847.15. The country saw its factory activity expand at its fastest pace since February 2022, with its June manufacturing PMI up to 52.0 from 51.6. Mainland China’s CSI 300 climbed 0.48% to 3,478.18, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.22% to 7,750.7, the only major index in negative territory. Hong Kong markets were closed Monday for a public holiday. U.S. crude oil futures on Monday rose ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, after booking a 6% gain last month on the back of fears of a wider Middle East war and expectations of rising summer fuel demand. Though oil prices have been steadily rising, the average price for a gallon of gasoline stands at $3.49 nationwide, down about fives cent from last month. West Texas Intermediate August contract: $82.04 per barrel, up 50 cents, or 0.61%. Year to date, U.S. oil has gained 14.5%. Brent September contract: $85.58 per barrel, up 58 cents, or 0.68%. Year to date, the global benchmark is ahead 11.1%. Gold prices were little changed on Monday as U.S. Treasury yields held firm, while investors turned cautious ahead of key economic data that could shed light on the Federal Reserve’s potential rate cut trajectory. Spot gold was nearly unchanged at $2,327.50 per ounce. Prices registered a more than 4% gain in the second quarter. U.S. gold futures eased 0.1% to $2,337.80. Benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield hit a near three-week high, making non-yielding bullion less attractive for investors.