Friday's U.S. economic calendar will be anchored by the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment report and the Federal Reserve's annual Jackson Hole Symposium, with additional updates on energy activity and speculative positioning across key markets.
The Michigan survey, due at 9:00 a.m. ET, is expected to show the headline sentiment index easing to 51.0 from 55.2 in July, while the expectations component is forecast to decline to 50.6 from 55.4. Current conditions are projected to fall to 51.8 from 54.8. One-year inflation expectations are seen ticking up to 4.3% from 4.2%, while the five-year outlook is expected to remain steady at 3.3%.
The Jackson Hole Economic Symposium, convening in Wyoming, will draw global central bankers and policymakers for discussions on monetary policy frameworks and economic challenges. Former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh is scheduled to deliver remarks during the session.
Energy markets will also be in focus with Baker Hughes' U.S. rig count update at noon ET, following last week's total of 452 active rigs. The broader U.S. rig count stood at 588.
Commodity positioning data from the CFTC, released at 2:30 p.m. ET, will show net speculative bets in major futures contracts. Notable shifts in the prior week included long positions in crude oil at 122.1K contracts and gold at 222.2K, while natural gas saw net short positioning of 203.5K contracts.
The day's releases follow a week marked by volatility in risk assets and shifting expectations around the Fed's policy trajectory, with traders closely monitoring the symposium for signals on the central bank's next steps.
