Home / Business and Economy / Wall Street Awaits Powell's Jackson Hole Speech Amid Market Volatility
Wall Street Awaits Powell's Jackson Hole Speech Amid Market Volatility
21 Aug
Summary
- U.S. stock futures little changed ahead of Fed Chair's speech
- Intuit shares drop 6% despite strong earnings, Zoom gains 5%
- S&P 500 posts fifth straight day of declines
As of August 21, 2025, U.S. stock futures were relatively flat, with investors closely watching for clues on the path forward for monetary policy from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's highly anticipated speech at the Jackson Hole economic symposium on Friday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose slightly, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures each added about 0.1%. This comes after a losing session on Wall Street, with the S&P 500 posting a fifth straight day of declines, falling 0.4%. The Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average also slid 0.34% and 0.34%, respectively.
Investors are hoping Powell's speech will provide clarity on the interest rate outlook. Markets were recently pricing in a 75% chance of a quarter-point rate cut at the September meeting. However, a more hawkish stance from the Fed chair could dampen market sentiment.
In other news, shares of Intuit, the maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks, dropped roughly 6% in extended trading despite reporting fiscal fourth-quarter results that topped Wall Street's expectations. Conversely, Zoom Communications' stock gained 5% after the company's second-quarter results exceeded forecasts.
