Key Highlights

  • Fed Governor Christopher Waller is scheduled to speak early on October 13, 2026 on economic policy in the age of artificial intelligence at the New Economy Forum in New Delhi, with timing varying by calendar.
  • One calendar lists Waller at 3:45 a.m. ET and another at 9:45 a.m., so the time is unsettled, while Richmond Fed President Barkin speaks at 1:00 p.m. ET and Boston Fed President Collins at 4:00 p.m. ET.
  • The Nasdaq closed at 27,245.90 on October 12, 2026, down 0.44%, and Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) tracks the Nasdaq-100, though no fund move is cited because published data gave none.
  • Barkin and Collins are FOMC non-voters in 2026, so their remarks carry less direct weight on policy decisions, although they can influence how markets read the debate on rates and inflation.

Three Fed Voices

Three Federal Reserve officials are scheduled on October 13, 2026. Governor Christopher Waller speaks early in the day on economic policy in the age of AI at the New Economy Forum in New Delhi, and calendars differ on the time, listing 3:45 a.m. ET in one and 9:45 a.m. ET in another. Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin speaks at 1:00 p.m. ET at Howard University, and Boston Fed President Susan Collins speaks at 4:00 p.m. ET at the Regional and Community Bankers Conference. Barkin and Collins are FOMC non-voters, while a governor holds a permanent vote. The timing matters because Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) holds technology and growth companies whose valuations are sensitive to expectations for interest rates.

Why AI and Policy Meet in QQQ

Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) tracks the Nasdaq-100, an index of large non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq, many of which are linked to artificial intelligence. A speech on AI and economic policy draws attention because artificial intelligence can affect productivity, which influences inflation and growth, and therefore the path of interest rates. The mechanism works through valuation: growth company earnings lie further in the future, so higher rates reduce their present value more. The Nasdaq closed at 27,245.90 on October 12, down 0.44%, while the Dow rose 0.38% to 51,850.55. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack said that day that rates need to go higher, and bets on a December hike remain alive.

Risks and What to Watch

The risk is that comments read as hawkish could add to pressure on growth shares, while comments that point to AI-driven productivity gains could ease concerns about inflation. Neither outcome is known, and the content of the speeches is not yet public. Timing uncertainty adds a second risk, because a speech at 3:45 a.m. ET would be digested before the market opens, while one at 9:45 a.m. ET would land during the first trading hour. The September consumer price index due October 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET, with headline inflation forecast near 3.6%, may matter more than the speakers. Investors in Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) should also watch earnings for signs of strength. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) reports before the open. The 10-year yield read 5.24% on October 12.

Where Things Stand

Waller's speech matters because the debate about AI and policy bears on inflation, rates and the valuations of growth companies in Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ). Calendars differ on his timing, 3:45 a.m. ET or 9:45 a.m. ET on October 13, 2026, and Barkin and Collins follow at 1:00 p.m. ET and 4:00 p.m. ET. The content of the remarks is not yet known. After a 0.44% Nasdaq dip on October 12, Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) could be sensitive to any signal on rates.