US benchmark equity indexes were lower ahead of Monday's close as markets assessed an inflation survey and awaited official price growth data for November due later in the week.

The Nasdaq Composite was down 0.7% at 19,720.4, while the S&P 500 fell 0.6% to 6,052. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.4% to 44,451.2. Among sectors, communication services saw the steepest decline, while health care led the gainers.

US consumers' inflation expectations rose in November, while optimism regarding year-ahead financial situations improved "considerably," a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York showed.

Government data are expected to show Wednesday that US consumer inflation rose 0.2% sequentially and 2.7% annually last month, according to a Bloomberg-compiled consensus. In October, the US consumer price index increased 0.2% month on month and 2.6% on an annual basis.

The official producer prices report for November is scheduled to be released Thursday.

The US 10-year yield rose 4.4 basis points to 4.2%, while the two-year rate added 3.1 basis points to 4.13%.

Oracle (ORCL), MongoDB (MDB), Casey's General Stores (CASY), Toll Brothers (TOL), and C3.ai (AI) are among the companies scheduled to report results after the closing bell.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil increased 1.4% to $68.15 a barrel.