The calculator will do exponents before it does negatives and multiplications.
It evaluates -5² + 4 x 2³ like this:
First: -(25) + 4 x 2³ (because it does the exponent before it does the negative)
Second: -(25) + 4 x 8 (it does the other exponent)
Third: -25 + 4 x 8 (it does the negative)
Fourth: -25 + 32 (it does the multiplication
Fifth: 7 (it does the addition)
If you want the calculator to square -5, put parenthese around the (-5); so enter it as (-5)^2
Similarly, if you want the 4 and the 2 multiplied together first and that answer cubed, enter that portion as
(4 x 2)^3
I don't know how you arrived at -168.