Dow futures edged up marginally on Tuesday as Wall Street waited on a flood of retail earnings and the latest clues out of the Federal Reserve.
Contracts tied to the Dow remained flat around 44,991.00, a sign of nerves hanging over the market with inflation still running hot and traders debating when rate cuts might actually land.
Home Depot’s results are front and center for investors looking to gauge consumer strength. On top of that, headlines out of Washington and fresh Ukraine talks overseas are keeping the mood cautious as the trading day gets underway.
5 things to know before Wall Street opens
1. A wave of big retail earnings is on deck this week, with Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, and Target all set to report.
Wall Street will be combing through the numbers for signs of how much US consumers are still spending, a critical piece of the economy that makes up roughly 70% of growth.
With inflation still a sticking point and new tariffs adding uncertainty, these reports carry extra weight. Beyond moving individual stocks, the results could help set the broader market’s tone through the final stretch of summer.
2. All eyes are turning to the Federal Reserve’s annual Jackson Hole symposium later this week, where investors will be parsing remarks from Chair Jerome Powell and other policymakers for clues on the path of interest rates and the broader economy.
The stakes feel higher this year after recent comments from Vice Chair Michelle Bowman, who signaled support for multiple rate cuts.
That has only raised expectations that the Fed’s messaging in Wyoming could play a decisive role in shaping market strategy heading into September.
3. Intel got a big boost in premarket trading after SoftBank said it would put $2 billion into the company.
The announcement quickly caught attention in both the finance and tech worlds, coming at a time when Intel has been trying to regain its footing in the chip race.
The deal also lands alongside reports that the US government may take the rare step of buying a direct stake in Intel, highlighting just how central the company has become to Washington’s tech strategy.
For Intel, the SoftBank money isn’t just fresh capital, it’s a signal that big investors still believe in its long-term comeback story.
4. Crude oil slipped about 1% this morning as traders weighed the possibility of progress in high-level talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US.
Any breakthrough could ease sanctions on Russian oil and open the door to more supply in global markets.
The pullback comes against a backdrop of other pressures, including new US tariffs and shifting trade policies that have kept investors on edge.
5. S&P Global has reaffirmed the United States’ AA+ credit rating with a stable outlook. The agency pointed to tariff revenue as a buffer against the costs of tax cuts and higher federal spending.
The decision offers reassurance on US creditworthiness, even as the government pursues aggressive trade moves and expansive fiscal programs that could reshape the economy in the months ahead.
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