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Exchange-Traded Funds Higher, Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell Thursday Ahead of Fed's Jackson Hole Symposium

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The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.6%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 1% higher in Thursday's premarket activity, ahead of the US Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium.

US stock futures were mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.5%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.01%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 1% before the start of regular trading.

US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 203,000 in the week ended Aug. 22 from an upwardly revised 207,000 level in the previous week, in contrast with expectations for an increase to 208,000 in a survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:40 am ET.

The US advance international trade in goods deficit widened to $118.81 billion in July from $101.41 billion in June, according to data released by the US Census Bureau.

Weekly natural gas stocks will be released at 10:30 am ET, followed by the Kansas City Federal Reserve manufacturing reading for August at 11 am ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 1.2%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.4% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 1.4%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) increased 0.4%.

Power Play:

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.5%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) retreated 0.6%, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.4%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was inactive.

Dollar General (DG) shares were up more than 10% pre-bell after the company reported higher fiscal Q2 earnings and revenue.

Winners and Losers:

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) gained 2%, the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.8% higher, and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 0.7%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) advanced 2.3%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 2.8%.

Nvidia (NVDA) stock was 7% higher after the company posted overnight higher fiscal Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 0.5%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was up 0.6%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) slipped 0.01%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.3% lower.

Moderna (MRNA) stock was down more than 4% premarket after the company said it plans to offer $2 billion worth of convertible senior notes due 2032 in a private placement.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated 0.7%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 1.8%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 1.8% higher.

Hyperliquid Strategies (PURR) shares were up 4% in early hours activity after the company reported fiscal 2026 net income Thursday of $305.5 million.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.4%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) gained 0.1% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.

GE Vernova (GEV) stock was up more than 2% before the opening bell after the company said it will deliver a new 400-kV gas-insulated switchgear substation in Chesterfield, England, for National Grid projects.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.1%.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil gained by 0.2% to reach $82.37 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was up 1.9% at $2.90 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased 0.6%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.4% higher.

Gold futures for November were down by 0.1% at $4,647.60 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures gained 0.3% to reach $69.02 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) decreased 0.2%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 0.2% lower.

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Update: US Equity Indexes Slip After Fed's Preferred Inflation Gauge Accelerates in July

(Updates with index/price moves and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes slipped while most government bond yields edged up after the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge swung higher in July.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2% to 53,463.88, the S&P 500 edged less than 0.1% lower to 7,675.70, and the Nasdaq Composite declined less than 0.1% to 26,130.20. Industrials topped gainers while health, communication services and consumer discretionary led decliners.The headline personal consumption expenditure price index rose 0.2%, following a 0.1% slide in June, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Wednesday. That's above the consensus for a 0.1% gain in a Bloomberg-compiled survey, keeping the annual headline rate at 3.7%, which also exceeded the expected 3.6% print. The Fed's preferred core measure, which excludes food and energy, climbed 0.2% in July, as expected. That's faster than the June print of 0.1%. The annual core gauge held steady at 3.3%, as projected.Most US Treasury yields rose, with the 10-year yield up one basis point to 4.65%.The probability of the Federal Reserve extending its policy pause to December stood at 27% late Wednesday, according to the FedWatch tool, almost unchanged from a day ago. Currently, there is a 45% chance of interest rates moving up by 25 basis points to a 3.75% to 4% target rate by December and a 24% likelihood of the fed funds rate being raised by 50 basis points to 4% to 4.25% by the end of this year.On Tuesday, Boston Fed President Susan Collins said the central bank may have to tighten its monetary policy soon, unless inflation continues to cool.US gross domestic product rose 1.5% in Q2, unrevised from the advance estimate released last month, as expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. GDP climbed 2.1% in Q1. New orders for US durable goods advanced 1.1% in July, up from 0.5% in June, versus expectations for 0.5% in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.In geopolitical news, the Iranian military said it reached a revenue-sharing deal with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported. "Agreements have been reached regarding each country's share of the strait's waters as well as Iran and Oman's share of its revenues," Bloomberg cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' spokesman Hossein Mohebbi on the state-run Sepah News agency.However, Reuters cited the IRGC as saying the strait would not open unless the US met Tehran's conditions under an interim ceasefire agreement that was struck in June before unravelling. Those conditions include an end to the US blockade on Iranian ports, compensation and removal of sanctions, the news outlet said."We have our own tools, and we also know the game," Iran's Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said while referring to Tehran's experience circumventing US sanctions, according to a report from Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster. Tehran could potentially "go on the offensive" and was confident that many countries would effectively reject US President Donald Trump's threats to cut off all links with Iran, he added.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil contract retreated 0.7% to $81.82 per barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent declined 1.4% to $87.38 per barrel.In company news, Truist downgraded Nike (NKE) to hold from buy while adjusting its price target to $42 from $47. Shares of the sports footwear and apparel retailer were down 2.3%.Meta Platforms (META) has agreed to pay up to $16.68 billion to resolve claims brought by several US states that the tech giant used its platforms to "ensnare" youth and teens, according to a federal court filing.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$META$NKE$NVDA
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Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$META$NKE$NVDA
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Exchange-Traded Funds Fall as US Equities Decline After Midday

Broad Market IndicatorsBroad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV were lower. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) eased 0.2%.US equity indexes fell while most government bond yields rose after the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge accelerated sequentially in July and as investors awaited Nvidia's (NVDA) quarterly earnings post-bell.EnergyIShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each added about 1%.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose 0.2%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) edged lower.The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) was down 0.2%, while iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) slipped 0.1%.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) shed 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) declined 0.3%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), advanced 0.4%.CommoditiesCrude oil gained 0.6%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) added 1.8%. Natural gas rose 3.8%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was up 2.6%.Gold on Comex dipped 1%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) shed 1.6%. Silver fell 1.1%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) eased 1.3%.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) shed 0.1%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) fell 0.2%, while iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) lost 0.1%.The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) fell 0.9%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was down 0.6%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) rose 0.4%.HealthcareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) dropped 0.8%. iShares US Healthcare (IYH) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) were also lower. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) lost 0.3%.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) gained 1%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were also higher.CryptocurrencyIn midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell 1.1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) dipped 1.2%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was down 0.5%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) dropped 1%.

Dow Jones^EEM^EXI^FAS^FAZ^GLD^IBB^IGM^IGV^IPK^IVV^IWMNasdaq Composite^IYE^IYH^IYJ^IYK^IYW^PMR^QQQ^RTH^SOXXS&P 500^SPY^UNG^USO^VDC^VHT^VIS^XLE^XLF^XLI^XLK^XLP^XLV^XRT^XSD$BETH$BITO$EETH