By Medora Lee

U.S. stock futures are flat as investors awaited earnings from discount giant Walmart and remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Walmart's quarterly results are due before the market opens. Its earnings follow a handful of earnings from big box retailers, including Target, Home Depot and Lowe's. Retailers' earnings provide a window into consumer spending, which accounts for more than two thirds of economic activity. They also can give investors an idea of how tariffs could be affecting companies.

At the end of the week, investors look forward to Powell's speech at the annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium of global central bankers and finance chiefs. Investors will be looking for hints Powell may be done waiting to see tariff effects before cutting rates again.

The CME FedWatch tool that tracks the odds the market puts on a rate move at each Fed meeting shows the chances for a quarter-point cut at the next policy meeting in Septemeber at about 92%.

At 6:15 a.m., futures tied to the blue-chip Dow fell -0.32%, while broad S&P 500 futures slipped -0.16% and tech-heavy Nasdaq futures lost -0.09%.

Weekly jobless claims are also due before the opening bell. So far, jobless claims haven't shown a sharp deterioration in the labor market.

82791711007

Corporate news

• Coty's quarterly sales topped estimates but the company forecast a weak first half of fiscal year of 2026.

• Meta is pausing its artificial intelligence hiring spree after bringing on more than 50 researchers and engineers, the WSJ said.

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in the Financial District in New York City on February 28, 2025. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Medora Lee is a money, markets and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. You can reach her at mjlee@usatoday.com and  subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday morning.

Source: USA TODAY