Nasdaq Edges Higher as Retail Earnings Loom and Fed Anticipation Builds

The Nasdaq Composite index rose 25.30 points to 26,754.47 on Monday morning as investors weighed the Federal Reserve's next policy move ahead of this week's Jackson Hole symposium and braced for a slate of major retail earnings reports.

The modest gain came after U.S. stock futures wavered heading into Monday's open. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.1% following the benchmark index's third consecutive weekly advance.

Retail giants including Walmart, Target, Lowe's, and Home Depot are scheduled to report quarterly results this week, providing investors with a closely watched read on consumer spending patterns during the critical back-to-school shopping season.