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Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Decline Pre-Bell Friday as Investors Shift Focus From Middle East to Technology Stocks

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The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.7%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) retreated 1.6% in Friday's premarket activity, as investors shifted their focus from the US-Iran conflict in the Middle East to technology stocks.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.5%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 1.4% before the start of regular trading.

The US advance international trade in goods deficit narrowed to $105.76 billion in May from $83.01 billion in April, according to data released by the US Census Bureau.

June's final University of Michigan consumer sentiment report is slated for a 10 am ET release, followed by the weekly Baker Hughes oil-and-gas rig count at 1 pm ET.

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari is scheduled to speak on Friday.

In premarket action, bitcoin was down 0.3%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was down 0.2%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) declined by 1.3%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) lost 0.01%.

Power Play:

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was up 0.5%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was down 0.8%, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was 0.1% lower. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was flat.

Trip.com (TCOM) shares were down more than 3% pre-bell as multiple analyst price target cuts followed the company's Q1 earnings announcement.

Winners and Losers:

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.3%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.6%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 0.2% lower.

HIVE Digital Technologies (HIVE) shares traded down 6.1% in early hours activity after the company priced an offering of $115 million worth of 0% exchangeable senior notes due 2031 in a private offering.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 0.03%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was up 1.1%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) rose 0.5%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.1% lower.

Nuvation Bio (NUVB) stock was down nearly 1% premarket, extending losses from the previous day's 10% fall. The company said late Thursday it priced an underwritten offering of $250 million of 0.75% convertible senior notes due in 2032.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was marginally higher, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was down by 0.5%.

Equinor (EQNR) stock was down nearly 2% before market open after the company said it is ending its offshore wind business activities in Japan and shutting its Tokyo office by the end of the year.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) retreated by 0.2%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) gained by 0.2% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was flat.

AerCap (AER) stock was up more than 2% before the opening bell after the company said it delivered the first of three Airbus A321neo aircraft to Azerbaijan Airlines.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 2.1%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 1.4% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 2%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) declined by 2.9%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell by 4.3%.

Microsoft (MSFT) shares were up 1.4% in premarket activity after closing the prior day with a 3.5% fall. The Italian Competition Authority said the company faces a formal regulatory investigation into whether it engaged in deceptive marketing during a recent price increase for Microsoft 365.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell by 3.1% to $69.70 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained by 2.9% to $3.44 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) declined by 3.2%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 2.5% higher.

Gold futures for July were up by 0.4% to $4,063.80 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures gained by 0.1% to $58.83 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) advanced by 0.4%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 0.5% higher.

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Commodities

US Natural Gas Update: Hotter Weather Forecasts Counter Bearish Inventory Data

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US Crude Stocks Post 9th Straight Weekly Draw as Exports Rise, TPH Energy Says

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