Markets Captivated by Powell's Speech - German Economy Shrinks - Defense Stocks Partially Recover Losses - Meta Seals Billion-Dollar Deal with Google - Zoom Embraces AI Initiative - NVIDIA Halts China Chip H20

Markets Captivated by Powell's Speech International financial markets are focused on Jackson Hole this Friday, where Fed Chair Jerome Powell will deliver his final speech as the central bank president. Investors are hoping for a signal regarding an interest rate cut in September – and are optimistic ahead of the event. US Indices Rise The major US stock exchanges are starting the weekend with gains. The Dow Jones rises by 1.84% to 45,817 points, the S&P 500 gains 0.6% to 6,468 points, and the NASDAQ climbs 1.61% to 21,456 points....