U.S. stocks retreat on eve of Powell's Jackson Hole speech

NEW YORK, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks ended lower on Thursday, as investors readied for a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the central bank's annual Jackson Hole conference due Friday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 177.71 points, or 0.43 percent, to 40,712.78. The S&P 500 sank 50.21 points, or 0.89 percent, to 5,570.64. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 299.63 points, or 1.67 percent