08:26 AM EDT, 08/20/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were mostly higher Tuesday premarket as traders largely stayed on the sidelines ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole symposium later in the week.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 0.03%, S&P 500 futures gained 0.09%, and Nasdaq futures were up 0.08%.

Powell and other central bank officials will gather Thursday for their two-day annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The central bank chief is scheduled to deliver a speech at 10 am Friday, widely expected to suggest a discussion may be held at the next policy setting Federal Open Market Committee meeting Sept. 17-18 potentially leading to the first cut to the Federal Funds target rate band since rates started climbing from 0%-0.25% in 2022 to their current 5.25%-5.50% range.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.2% at $77.82 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude up 0.2% at $73.82 per barrel.