What to Watch in the Day Ahead - Wednesday, August 13

Investors await comments from the Federal Reserve policymakers to assess when the central bank might cut interest rates. Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin is scheduled to speak before the Greenville Chamber of Commerce (0800/1200). At the same event, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee is set to participate in a moderated Q&A session (1300/1700). And lastly, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic will discuss the economic outlook in Red Bay, Alabama (1330/1730).

On the earnings calendar, Cisco Systems is expected to post growth in the fourth-quarter revenue, benefiting from a pick-up in enterprise spending on networking equipment.

Peter Thiel-backed Bullish is expected to debut on the NYSE during market hours, in a rare listing by a crypto exchange, as the sector rides high on regulatory clarity and corporate adoption.

The Bank of Canada will release its summary of monetary policy deliberations by the Governing Council for the latest policy decision.

Brazil's government statistics agency, IBGE, is expected to report June retail sales figures, with monthly sales forecast to rise 0.7%, compared to a 0.2% decline in May. On an annual basis, retail sales are projected to increase 2.4% in June, after rising 2.1% the prior month.