US pre-open: Futures point to flat open with trade still in focus

US futures were pointing to a relatively muted open ahead of the bell on Tuesday as market participants waited on further updates on Washington and Beijing's trade war ceasefire.

As of 1230 GMT, Dow futures were down 0.12%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures had the indices opening 0.04% and 0.01% weaker, respectively.

The Dow closed 100.51 points higher on Monday as all of Wall Street's three main indices finished at record highs as traders continued to cheer the US and China's "phase one" trade deal.

According to President Donald Trump, Beijing had agreed to billions of dollars worth of agricultural purchases from the US - which he said had kept him from moving ahead with a new round of planned tariffs.

The deal, which had not yet been signed, was set to be confirmed in the first week of 2020, according to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

Investors were also looking across the pond as sterling took a tumble on Tuesday, amid news that Prime Minister Boris Johnson planned to add a clause to the Brexit bill making it illegal to extend the transition period beyond the end of 2020, potentially reviving the threat of a no-deal Brexit.

On the data front, building permit and housing starts figures for November were scheduled to be published at 1330 GMT, while industrial and manufacturing production figures would follow at 1415 GMT.

October's JOLTS job openings report will be published at 1500 GMT.

A number of Fed speakers were also set to address the media during the session.

In corporate news, Navistar, Cintas and FedEx would all report earnings throughout the course of the day.