09:08 AM EDT, 08/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were little changed ahead of Wednesday's opening bell as traders digested earnings from major retailers and looked ahead to the release of the minutes from the Federal Reserve's most recent monetary policy meeting.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were flat, S&P 500 futures were 0.1% lower, and Nasdaq futures were down 0.2%.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 1.1% at $66.51 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 1.2% higher at $62.51 per barrel.

The policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee is scheduled to release the minutes from its latest meeting at 2 pm ET.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.5% lower, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.2% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 1% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was up 0.6%, and Germany's DAX index was down 0.4% in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, TJX (TJX) shares were 4.7% higher pre-bell after the company reported higher fiscal Q2 earnings and net sales in addition to raising its fiscal 2026 EPS outlook. Lowe's (LOW) stock was up 3.1% after the company posted higher fiscal Q2 adjusted earnings and sales in addition to lifting its fiscal 2025 sales guidance. Rocket Pharmaceuticals ( RCKT ) shares were 28% higher after the company said that the US Food and Drug Administration has lifted the clinical hold on the company's phase 2 trial of a treatment candidate for Danon disease.

On the losing side, Target ( TGT ) stock was 10% lower after the company reported lower fiscal Q2 financial results.