The market indexes and leading stocks are at a key juncture heading into Fed chief Jerome Powell's Jackson Hole speech Friday morning. Be prepared.

Stock futures are pointing to a slightly lower open for major indexes on Wednesday as investors respond to a slew of earnings reports from retailers and brace for a big speech later in the week by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Dow futures slipped slightly on Wednesday as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming remarks at the Jackson Hole Symposium.

Fed minutes are due, and top retailers will report earnings in the coming week. But the main attraction will be Jerome Powell's speech on Friday.

The blue-chip Dow Jones ended higher after hitting an intraday record high on Friday, as UnitedHealth's shares jumped after Berkshire Hathaway raised its stake, but other Wall Street indexes slipped as mixed data clouded the Federal Reserve's next monetary policy move.

Dow Jones futures edged lower early Wednesday, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures. TargetTGT, Lowe'sLOW and Toll BrothersTOL were earnings movers. The stock market rally technically was mixed Tuesday,

U.S. markets are caught in limbo this morning. Stock futures for the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq are slipping as traders juggle hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts with worries over retail earnings and global politics.

S&P 500 futures are down 0.3%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are dipping 0.3%. Nasdaq 100 futures are slipping 0.4%. On Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 10 points, or 0.02%, to 44922,