Wall Street's main indexes fell on Thursday as investors awaited monetary policy clues from the Federal Reserve's annual economic symposium, while big-box retailer Walmart's quarterly results dampened sentiment.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is set to address an annual gathering of central bankers and economics bigwigs at a mountain resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Friday. Here's what you need to know: What exactly is the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium?

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is preparing to address the annual Jackson Hole, Wyoming, economic forum as the Trump administration pushes for an interest rate cut in September. Bill Watts, a markets editor for MarketWatch,

The annual economics symposium, which begins Thursday, brings together top monetary policy officials from around the world and always makes headlines in the financial press. There are at least three reasons the conference is worth paying attention to this year.

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Almost every financial headline you read the next two days will mention Jackson Hole, the stunning Wyoming region that becomes the capital of the macroeconomic world every August. But this year's gathering of central bankers and economists could be more important than it's been in a very, very long time.

But every August, the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium make headlines, move markets and fuels policy debates. Hosted since 1978 by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, the annual meeting convenes roughly 120 participants to discuss new research and pressing economic issues.

Gold prices were steady on Thursday as investors awaited U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole symposium on Friday for signals on the central bank's policy direction. Spot gold fell 0.