Futures Up Marginally as Traders Await Powell Remarks



Stock futures ticked higher Thursday as investors look ahead to commentary from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell expected later this week.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials gained 34 points, or 0.1%, to 41,040.

Futures for the S&P 500 index captured 12.75 points, or 0.2%, at 5,654.25.

Futures for the NASDAQ vaulted 74.75 points, or 0.4% to 19,884.25.

Software company Snowflake dropped more than 9% even after it beat quarterly expectations and slightly raised its full-year product revenue guidance. Urban Outfitters slid more than 10% after the retailer’s same-store sales in the second quarter disappointed analysts.

Traders are turning their attention to Powell’s expected speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium on Friday, hoping for further insight into rate policy. Traders are currently pricing in a 100% chance of a rate cut next month, but they are divided when it comes to how large the reduction will be.

Investors seemed pleased with the meeting summary, propelling the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite posting their ninth winning session of the last 10. The S&P 500's advance brought it less than 1% away from its closing record.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.7% Thursday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index triumphed 1.4%.

Oil prices jumped 39 cents to $72.32 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices slumped $6.60 to $2,540.90.