NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Investors were set to start the new year Monday by buying U.S. stocks as oil prices fell and a survey of economists projected solid growth ahead in 2005.

Stock futures were broadly higher early Monday.

Oil prices fell Monday as mild weather in the Northeast U.S. cut traders' outlook on the demand for heating oil. U.S. crude futures fell 88 cents to $42.57 a barrel in electronic trading, There was no Brent trading in London due to the New Year's holiday.

"I think it's just oil and optimism about the New Year," said John Silvia, chief economist at Wachovia Securities, about the early gain in U.S. stock futures. "I think oil is the driving factor due to the warmer weather, but people are now looking for better than expected (fourth-quarter) earnings, better than expected retail sales number. There's a host of good numbers out there."

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that a survey of leading economists is looking for 3.6 percent growth in the U.S. economy in 2005. The economists quoted said that while that's a bit lower than the 3.9 percent rise reported in the first three quarters of 2004, that kind of moderate growth is just what's needed.

Major Asian markets closed their first day of 2005 mixed, although markets in Japan and Australian markets stayed closed due to the holiday. Major European markets outside of London also were higher. Major U.S. indexes all closed lower Friday, although all ended in positive territory for the second straight year.

Bond prices fell, pushing the yield on the 10-year treasury up to 4.24 percent from 4.22 percent late Friday. The dollar was up slightly against the yen and the euro, although off of earlier gains.

Economic reports due Monday include a reading on construction spending in November and the December survey of purchasing managers in manufacturing by the Institute of Supply Management.

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast that construction spending rose 0.5 percent in November after no change in October.

The ISM index is forecast to rise to 58.5 from 57.8 in November. Any ISM reading over 50.0 indicates growth in the sector.

In corporate news, Delta Air Lines (Research) is expected to announce Monday that it will slash fares and remove restrictive rules such as Saturday-night stays, according to reports in Time Magazine and the Journal. The nation's No. 3 airline had already tested a restructuring of its fare structure at its Cincinnati hub last year.

The Financial Times says that a Food and Drug Administration scientist is expected to publish a paper in the medical journal The Lancet that gives a higher estimate of the number of people who may have been injured by Merck (Research)'s pain drug Vioxx. The FT article did not contain a response from the company.