16.10.201708:14:00UTC+00Oil Rising On Middle East Conflict

Crude oil futures rallied Monday morning after Iraqi and Kurdish forces clash near Kirkuk's oil fields in wake of an independence vote.

Meanwhile, an oil rig exploded near New Orleans, with multiple injuries reported.

WTI crude oil was up 85 cents to $52.31 a barrel, having generally held the $50 mark of late.

The Federal Reserve Bank's Empire State Manufacturing Survey for October will be issued at 8.30 am ET. The economists are looking for consensus of 20.0, slightly down from 24.4 in the prior month.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Budget for September will be presented at 2.00 pm ET. The consensus is for surplus of $3.0 billion, while it recorded a deficit of $107.7 billion in July.