US stock futures pointed to more losses on Wednesday, as investors looked to a coming speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for clues to whether interest rates will stay higher for longer. S&P 500 futures slipped 0.2%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures held just below the flatline. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 led declines, down almost 0.4%, after the major gauges closed in a sea of red.
The focus is now on Powell, whose speech on the economic outlook later Wednesday will be weighed for clues to whether the Fed's June meeting will bring a policy pivot. Appearances by Michael Barr and other Fed officials will also be watched. Eyes are also on who will win the bitter proxy battle between Disney and activist investor Nelson Peltz, with the results of a shareholder vote due later Wednesday.