Aug 21, 2025 (Baystreet.ca via COMTEX) --
Futures tracking Canada's main stock index edged down on Thursday, mirroring Wall Street's moves, as investors avoided risk ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's three-day Jackson Hole symposium.
The TSX Composite Index gained 54.88 points to finish Wednesday at 27,878.76.
Futures were down 0.1% Thursday.
The Canadian dollar gave back 0.05 cents to 72.03 cents U.S.
The annual Fed conference begins later on Thursday and will host central bankers from around the world; investors will watch Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech on Friday for clues to upcoming monetary policy moves.
In macroeconomic news, Statistics Canada said its Industrial Product Price Index rose 0.7% month over month in July and increased 2.6% year over year.
Its Raw Materials Price Index increased 0.3% month over month in July and grew 0.8% year over year.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange skidded 6.19 points Wednesday to 767.61.
ON WALLSTREET
Stock futures fell slightly on Thursday following a four-day losing streak for the S&P 500 as tech names dragged the broader market lower and traders weighed earnings from retail giant Walmart.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials collapsed 142 points, or 0.3%, to 44,853.
Futures for the broader index slipped 13.25 points, or 0.2%, to 6,399.75
Futures for the NASDAQ dipped 37.25 points, or 0.2%, to 23,286.75.
Walmart reported revenue that beat Wall Street estimates as the retailer also raised its full-year earnings and sales outlooks. However, shares dipped more than 1% in premarket trading.
The S&P 500 is down 0.8% this week, while the NASDAQ has lost about 2.1%. The 30-stock Dow is roughly flat week to date.
Investors are looking to hear from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday at the central bank's annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyo., where he could offer insights into the path of interest rates. Fed funds futures are pricing in a nearly 80% likelihood of the central bank cutting interest rates at its next policy gathering in September.
Minutes from Fed's July meeting showed policymakers are worried about the state of the labor market and inflation, though most agreed that it was too soon to lower interest rates. Fed governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman dissented against holding rates steady, marking the first time two board members have done so since 1993.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.7% Thursday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng sank 0.2%.
Oil prices added 32 cents to $63.03 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices moved backward $12.70 at $3,375.70 U.S. per ounce.
COMTEX_468202375/2559/2025-08-21T08:42:15
