US Stocks Dip Ahead of Walmart Earnings and Fed’s Jackson Hole Symposium

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 0.3% in premarket trading, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 contracts slipping 0.2% and 0.1% respectively. Investors await Walmart's earnings report, capping a week of retail giant disclosures after mixed results from Home Depot and Target.

Tech stocks show tentative signs of stabilization after recent sell-offs, though short sellers have profited over $5 billion from bets against the sector. AI-related volatility continues to Ripple through markets.

Federal Reserve policy remains in focus as the Jackson Hole symposium approaches. July meeting minutes revealed policymakers' predominant concern about persistent inflation rather than labor market weakness, dimming hopes for near-term rate cuts.

Upcoming economic indicators including August's preliminary manufacturing/services data and weekly jobless claims may provide further direction for monetary policy expectations.