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.

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.

Stocks start the week just shy of record highs, underpinned by a well-received corporate earnings season and hopes the Federal Reserve will soon start reducing official borrowing costs again. Investors are therefore keen that Friday’s keynote address by Fed Chair Jerome Powell at the Jackson Hole symposium will be suitably dovish.

The Nasdaq fell as megacaps lost after having rallied for much of the year. Nvidia fell 3.5%, the biggest drop in nearly four months.

Stocks often rise the week of the Fed’s big Jackson Hole gathering. Don’t count on it this year. Why a ‘wall of money’ is unlikely to flood into stocks when the Fed cuts rates, this Goldman strategist says.

Software maker Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) plunged more than 9%, making it the S&P 500's weakest performer. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) bucked the trend, edging up 10.45 points, or 0.