The Federal Reserve’s annual gathering in the Rocky Mountains is usually a time for central bankers and their wonky friends to kick back, discuss a few complicated economic topics and then go for a hike in the shadow of Grand Teton.

The annual economics symposium, which begins Thursday, brings together top monetary policy officials from around the world and always makes headlines in the financial press. There are at least three reasons the conference is worth paying attention to this year.

The 2025 Jackson Hole summit ended in total uncertainty. The Federal Reserve’s top officials met in Wyoming last week, and nobody left with a clear plan. According to Bloomberg, Jerome Powell used his Friday speech to hint at a possible interest rate cut in September.