Market Watch: Retail Earnings and Fed Policy in Focus as Stock Futures Dip

US stock futures edged lower Tuesday as investors braced for earnings from retail heavyweights and parsed lingering inflation concerns. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 0.1%, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 contracts down 0.2%. Home Depot kicks off retail earnings before Wednesday's Target report and Thursday's Walmart results—a trifecta offering critical insights into consumer resilience amid new tariff pressures.

All eyes now turn to Jackson Hole, where Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's Friday speech may signal the central bank's next move. With inflation proving sticky and labor market cracks emerging, policymakers face a delicate balancing act. Monday's muted market close reflected this uncertainty, compounded by geopolitical tensions and rate-cut ambiguity.