The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.5% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) retreated 0.6% in Thursday's premarket activity as rising bond yields and a jump in oil prices renewed inflation concerns.
US stock futures were mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.03%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.1% before the start of regular trading.
In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 4.9%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 4.8% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 8.3%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 3.8%.
US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 206,000 in the employment survey week ended Aug. 15 from an upwardly revised 212,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a level of 210,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET.
The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's monthly manufacturing index rose to 47.4 in August after advancing to 41.4 in July, compared with expectations for a decrease to a reading of 24.8 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.
Leading indicators data for July will be released at 10 am ET, followed by weekly natural gas stocks at 10:30 am ET.
St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem is scheduled to speak Thursday.
Power Play:
Financial
The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated 0.3%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.7%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 0.8% higher.
Strategy (MSTR) stock was up more than 10%, Coinbase Global (COIN) shares were up more than 6%, and Circle Internet Group (CRCL) was up 4% as Bitcoin rose above $71,000, continuing its advance from the previous day.
Winners and Losers:
Health Care
The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated 0.4%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was down 0.6%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) gained 0.9%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.9% lower.
Moderna (MRNA) shares were down 7% following a 177% rise at the prior close as a late-stage trial for a skin cancer treatment being developed in partnership with Merck (MRK) yielded positive topline results. Merck was 1% lower after a 13% rise at Wednesday's close.
Consumer
The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 1.2%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was 1.1% lower, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) retreated 0.04%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 1%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) declined 1.5%, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) fell 1.4%.
Walmart (WMT) shares were down more than 6% pre-bell after the company's fiscal Q3 guidance trailed analyst expectations.
Technology
The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.7%, the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.1% lower, and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 0.7%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) retreated 1.1%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell more than 1%.
Palo Alto Networks (PANW) shares were down more than 2% in premarket activity after a 3.8% fall at the prior close. The company and NTT DATA said they have signed a multiyear alliance targeting $1 billion in joint business by the end of 2029 to support organizations' adoption of artificial intelligence and modernization of cybersecurity.
Industrial
The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) retreated 0.5%, the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was down 0.1%, and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.
Navios Maritime Partners (NMM) stock was up more than 1% before the opening bell after the company reported higher Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue.
Energy
The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) gained 0.5%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 1%.
ExxonMobil (XOM) stock was up more than 1% before market open. Bloomberg reported, citing a company presentation, that ExxonMobil warned that Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil field is nearing peak production and that output will fall sharply over the coming decade.
Commodities
Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose by 3.7% to $89 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was down 2% at $2.76 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased 3.5%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.6% lower.
Gold futures for November were down by 0.7% at $4,514.70 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures gained 0.7% to reach $67.03 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) declined 1%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 0.1% lower.