NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks could have a hard time getting back on track Monday despite lower oil prices as investors look ahead to a number of key economic reports.

The last week of August typically produces light trading volume but can also be volatile for stocks. (Full story).

Stock futures fell in before-hours trading Monday, indicating a lower open for Wall Street.

This week will see a key inflation reading in the personal income and spending report due Thursday and a revision to second-quarter economic growth, due Wednesday. Friday comes the big number of the week: the closely watched August employment report, as well as readings on a key manufacturing index and auto sales.

Oil prices tumbled Monday as Hurricane Ernesto was downgraded to tropical storm status and forecasts suggested it will miss oil facilities in the Gulf of Mexico and hit South Florida instead.

U.S. light crude fell $1.36 to $71.15 a barrel in electronic trading, while Brent crude in London lost $1.11 cents to $71.59.

Treasuries slipped in early trading following last week's rally, lifting the yield on the 10-year Treasury to 4.80 percent from 4.78 percent late Friday. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions.

The dollar was lower against both the euro and the yen in early trading.

Stocks closed lower in Asia on concerns about the strength of the U.S. economy. Major markets in Europe were lower in early trading as well, although London markets were closed for a holiday.

In corporate news, a management group bidding to take Kinder Morgan (Charts) private raised its bid for the oil and gas pipeline company to $107.50 a share, or $15 billion. The group had previously offered $100 a share May 29, but the stock has been trading above that level since late June. The board of the company accepted the new offer Monday.

Internet auction site eBay (Charts) Inc. and search engine Google (Charts) announced early Monday they have signed a deal allowing Google to exclusively display text advertisements on eBay's auction Web sites outside the United States.

Package delivery company FedEx (Charts) announced Sunday it had reach agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association on a tentative four-year labor pact, reached after two years of negotiations.

Ford Motor (Charts) is considering selling a "significant stake" in its Ford Credit financing arm as part of a sweeping restructuring at troubled No. 2 automaker, according to a report in the Detroit News.

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