The major averages ended Monday near flat, closing out a winning week. Investors awaited key retail earnings and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s annual speech at the Jackson Hole summit.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 34.30 points to close at 44,911.82, while the S&P 500 closed down 0.01% at 6,449.15. The Nasdaq Composite inched up 0.03% to settle at 21,629.77. Shares of Meta Platforms and Microsoft fell 2.3% and 0.6%, respectively.
Retail earnings from big-box retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, and Target will be closely watched for clues about the US consumer’s health. Wells Fargo Investment Institute senior global market strategist Scott Wren warned that retailer earnings reports are likely to reflect tariff concerns, inflation upticks, and an anticipated economic slowdown.
The Federal Reserve will also be in focus as central bank members travel to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the annual economic policy symposium. Investors will monitor the event for clues about the future path of interest rates.
In other news, Soho House shares rallied 15% after announcing plans to go private, and Duolingo’s stock surged 12% following an upgrade to overweight at KeyBanc Capital Markets.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/17/stock-market-today-live-updates.html