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Exchange-Traded Funds Rise, US Equities Mixed After Midday

-- Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded fund IWM and IVV gained. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) rose 1.8%.

US equity indexes traded mixed as Intel's (INTC) strong Q1 results lifted technology, and crude oil futures retreated following reports that Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will arrive in Pakistan late Friday for peace talks.

Energy

IShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each shed 1%.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose 2.7%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) gained.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) jumped 6.4%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) climbed 4.4%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) shed 0.6%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) declined 1.7%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), climbed 1.6%.

Commodities

Crude oil dropped 1.9%, and the US Oil Fund (USO) fell 2.9%. Natural gas declined 3.5%, and the US Natural Gas Fund (UNG) shed 2%.

Gold on Comex added 0.3%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) rose 0.7%. Silver gained 1%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) advanced 1.3%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) slipped 0.3%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) eased 0.1%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) was little changed.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) rose 0.7%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) fell 0.2%, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) lost 0.3%.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) dropped 1.4%, iShares US Healthcare (IYH) eased 1.4%, and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) dropped 1.2%. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) lost 0.8%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) fell 0.8%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) also dropped.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell 0.2%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) dipped 0.2%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was little unchanged, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was up 0.4%.

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