Powell has never responded directly to Trump's provocations, and I, personally, expect this issue to play a predominant role at his latest meeting in Jackson Hole, perhaps even more so than the interest rate discussion. The independence of central banks is much more important than a 25 basis point change in the coming month.

Walmart earnings are in early focus before the highly anticipated start of the Federal Reserve's gathering at Jackson Hole.

The takeaway is that markets aren’t pricing in any sort of “succession premium” tied to any one chairman. The glidepath of monetary policy — regardless of Powell’s successor — appears structural, anchored to the Fed’s backward-looking framework . If that holds, it would mark a break from recent history.

(Reuters) -European equities were little changed on Thursday as investors awaited updates from the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole symposium for clues on the path of monetary policy. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was flat as of 0704 GMT, while most major bourses were mixed.

The president's latest attack comes as Powell is scheduled to deliver remarks at the Fed's annual conference in Jackson Hole, WY, on Friday.