According to BlockBeats, on August 20, U.S. stock index futures were basically flat, with the market betting that the Federal Reserve will soon signal a rate cut. Traders took a breather after the S&P 500 rose for the eighth consecutive day on Monday.

Stock trading volume was down as investors were reluctant to make big bets ahead of this week's Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. Kyle Rodda, senior market analyst at Capital.Com Inc., said a recent series of data eased concerns about slowing U.S. economic growth while also not raising concerns about a re-acceleration of inflation.