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Exchange-Traded Funds Mixed, Equity Futures Up Pre-Bell Tuesday as Oil Prices Drop Due to Possible Diplomacy in US-Iran Conflict

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The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.1%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) retreated 0.1% in Tuesday's premarket activity, as oil prices slipped amid optimism for diplomacy in the US-Iran conflict.

US stock futures were mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.1%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gaining 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.1% before the start of regular trading.

The Richmond Fed's business conditions readings for September are scheduled for 10:00 am ET.

New York Fed President John Williams is due to speak at 10:05 am ET, followed by Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson at 10:20 am ET and Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin at 1:00 pm ET.

In premarket action, bitcoin was down by 0.7%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.5% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) retreated 0.6%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was flat.

Power Play:

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was 0.3% higher, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was inactive, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) rose 0.5%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was higher by 1.2%.

Alibaba (BABA) shares were up 3% pre-bell after the company said its newest Zhenwu V900 AI training and inference processor delivers triple the performance of its previous model.

Winners and Losers:

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) fell 0.2%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) and the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) were inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was up 0.01%.

Eli Lilly (LLY) stock was down 2% premarket after competitor Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) reported that its injectable weight loss drug outperformed placebo in maintaining weight over 12 weeks with reduced dosing frequency, raising its stock by 37%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.3%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.4%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 0.3% lower.

UBS Group (UBS) shares traded down 1.5% in early hours activity after the bank agreed to pay 5 million euros ($5.7 million) to settle Dutch criminal charges concerning improper tax filings by former Credit Suisse customers.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.3%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) were inactive.

Rocket Lab (RKLB) stock was up over 3% before the opening bell after closing at an 8.2% gain the previous day.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.1%, the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.2% higher, and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 0.3%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell by 1%.

Valens Semiconductor (VLN) shares were up over 6% in premarket activity after the company reported it is working with Onsemi (ON) on a cost-effective integrated sensor for 3-megapixel automotive camera applications.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was down by 1.2%.

ExxonMobil (XOM) stock was down more than 1% before the market open after closing 3.2% lower in the prior session.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated by 2.6% to $93.30 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was down 0.1% to $2.83 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) decreased by 2%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.5% higher.

Gold futures for November retreated by 0.6% to $4,358.40 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures lost 0.5% to $66.10 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was down by 0.1%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) fell by 0.3%.

What else is happening in Commodities?

Commodities

US Power Update: Prices Show Wide Regional Swings, With PJM Above $500/MWh

US electricity markets saw wide price swings, with locational marginal prices varying sharply across regions as power demand shifted.The Independent Electricity System Operator led the markets at 5 p.m. ET with a locational marginal price of $36.47 per megawatt-hour, compared with $30/MWh for the Independent System Operator of New England, which posted the lowest price at that hour.For intraday peaks, PJM Interconnection reached $518.41/MWh at 1:35 p.m. ET, while the IESO recorded the lowest locational marginal price at $0/MWh at 2:45 a.m. ET.The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-normal temperatures across most of the US from Sept. 29-Oct. 5, with near-normal readings in some areas of the West.

Commodities

Natural Gas Update: US Futures Fall on European Decline

US natural gas prices fell to a one-week low on Monday, pressured by a sharp decline in European gas prices, while forecasts for hotter US weather helped limit the losses.In US trading, both the front-month Henry Hub contract and the continuous contract fell by 2.85% to $2.829 per million British thermal units.In Europe, the front-month Dutch TTF gas futures contract dropped 7.417% to 73.620 euros ($84.40) per megawatt-hour, while British NBP futures declined 7.469% to 183.36 pence ($2.45) per therm.Losses in US gas prices were tempered by forecasts for hotter weather that could boost demand from power generators for air conditioning, Barchart said. The Commodity Weather Group said on Monday that forecasts had shifted hotter, with above-average temperatures expected across the US Gulf Coast through Sept. 30.US gas production remained robust, while inventories were above historical averages, limiting the potential for a sharper price rally. In Europe, gas prices fell after details of Germany's latest gas storage tenders indicated that the volumes sought would be lower than initially expected.

Commodities

Market Chatter: Meta's Alberta Data Center Boosts Province's Appeal to US Hyperscalers, Capital Power Says

Capital Power CEO Avik Dey said Meta's (META) planned CA$13 billion ($9 billion) Alberta data center has boosted the province's appeal to hyperscalers, who view the project as a vote of confidence in the government's artificial intelligence strategy, Reuters reported on Monday.Dey reportedly said the company is in talks with several firms seeking electricity for potential projects and expects other US hyperscalers to follow Meta.More than 100 data centers have been proposed in Alberta, which offers abundant natural gas, available land and a cold climate. Capital Power will initially supply 250 megawatts of electricity to Meta's site.Capital Power did not immediately respond to a request for comment from.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

$META