Wall Street indexes closed flat as investors awaited earnings reports from major retailers like Walmart and Target to gauge the economy’s health amid trade uncertainty. Fed Chair Powell’s upcoming speech at the Jackson Hole symposium is also key. Talks between Trump and Zelenskiy had little market impact. Data showed rising retail sales but lower consumer sentiment due to inflation fears.

The Dow Jones fell slightly, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq remained relatively unchanged. Investors are anticipating a 25-basis-point rate cut from the Federal Reserve next month. Recent data suggests U.S. tariffs have not affected consumer prices yet, but a weaker job market could influence a more dovish Fed stance. Intel shares dropped after reports of the Trump administration considering a stake in the chipmaker.

Dayforce saw a 26% increase after private equity firm Thoma Bravo’s interest in acquiring the HR management software firm. Solar stocks like SunRun and First Solar rose following the U.S. Treasury Department’s less strict federal tax subsidy rules for solar and wind projects. Market breadth favored advancing issues on the NYSE, with new highs outnumbering new lows on both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Wall Street ends on muted note ahead of Jackson Hole summit, retailers’ earnings