Futures for the S&P/TSX Composite Index remained stable on Monday as investors considered the increasing likelihood of a US Federal Reserve rate cut in December. Fed official John Williams remarked on Friday that a rate reduction might occur "in the near term," raising expectations ahead of significant US retail sales and producer price reports anticipated this week. Meanwhile, oil prices continued to decline from last week's levels, fueled by aspirations for a potential peace agreement in Ukraine that might lead to reduced sanctions on Russia, thereby affecting major Canadian producers adversely. Simultaneously, gold maintained a steady position as heightened expectations of a Fed rate cut counterbalanced the pressure from a strong US dollar, providing some support to local mining operations. In corporate developments, Barrick Mining and the government of Mali reached a verbal agreement in principle to resolve a dispute concerning the Loulo-Gounkoto complex.