NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Stocks could start the week stronger Monday as investors weigh some corporate news and a new drop in interest rates.

U.S. stock futures were little changed in early trading, but a comparison to fair value indicates a higher opening for stocks.

There are reports of several of multi-billion dollar deals in the Wall Street Journal Monday, as the paper reports that Agilent Technologies (Research) has put its semiconductor-products division on the auction block, a unit that could fetch between $1.5 billion to $2 billion, according to the report.

The paper also reports E*Trade Financial (Research) has sweetened its bid for rival Ameritrade Holding (Research) -- a move it hopes will block a move by TD Waterhouse to buy Ameritrade.

And two real estate investment trusts could announce a deal Monday as ProLogis (Research) could buy Catellus Development (Research) in a $3.6 billion cash and stock deal

The Journal and C/NEt.com also reported over the weekend that Apple Computer (Research) is ready to announce it will start using Intel (Research) chips in its Macintosh computers. The announcement would be bad news for IBM (Research) and Freescale Semiconductor (Research), which have been providing the chips.

Drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb (Research) is expected to announce a $300 million settlement to end a federal probe of its accounting practices, according to published reports.

Treasury prices were higher, cutting the yield on the 10-year note to 3.96 percent from the 3.97 percent level late Friday. The dollar lost ground against on the euro and the yen.

The recent rally in oil prices continued in early trading Monday.

The July light crude contract gained 26 cents to $55.29 a barrel in electronic trading, while the July contract for Brent crude rose 6 cents to $54.23.

Major markets in Asia closed mixed Monday, and major European markets were little changed in early trading.

For a more detailed look at the markets before the open, click here.