US benchmark equity indexes ended mixed Monday as investors awaited Nvidia's (NVDA) earnings and the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation data.

US equity investors are awaiting Nvidia's quarterly earnings due Wednesday, looking for continued validation of the so-called AI trade that has significantly contributed to stock market returns. Investors will also remain focused on the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation data this week as concern mounts that geopolitical factors could force monetary policy restraint.

* The Dallas Fed's monthly manufacturing index fell to minus 8.3 in February from 14.1 in January, compared with expectations for 6.4 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. The index indicates a return to contraction, which contrasts with the Empire State and the Philadelphia Fed readings released earlier that suggested expansion.

* The probability of the Federal Open Market Committee extending its policy pause to March jumped to 96% by Monday afternoon from 72% a month ago, according to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool. There is a 74% chance interest rates will also remain on hold in May.

* April West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed up $0.50 to settle at $70.90 per barrel, while April Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $0.44 to $74.87 after the United States issued fresh sanctions on Iran's oil industry.

* Apple (AAPL) said it plans to spend more than $500 billion in the US over the next four years, including for an artificial intelligence server factory in Texas. Shares rose 0.7%.

* Starbucks (SBUX) said it's cutting 1,100 non-retail support partner roles and eliminating "several hundred" unfilled positions as part of an effort to simplify the organization's structure. Shares rose 1.3%.