ASX hangs in the balance; US, local inflation in focus

ASX futures are walking a tightrope following mixed signals from Wall Street as investors await crucial inflation data to provide more clarity on the impact of US President Donald Trump's ongoing trade war. Contracts for the S & P/ASX 200 Index were pointing up two points on Monday morning, indicating a rise by just 0.02 per cent. On Wall Street, the S & P500 Index closed up 0.7 per cent on Friday after Trump said he was engaging with Beijing on tariffs - a claim denied by officials in China. The Dow edged lower. Investors are looking to this week's…