Consumer stocks were higher Wednesday afternoon, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) increasing 0.5% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) up 0.2%.
In corporate news, Ford (F) shares gained 3.7% after the carmaker lifted its full-year core profit outlook, while it also reported an unexpected year-over-year increase in its Q2 earnings and recorded revenue above market estimates.
Procter & Gamble's (PG) fiscal Q4 revenue fell short of market estimates, while the consumer goods giant said higher costs could weigh on its fiscal 2027 earnings. Shares fell 2.5%.
VF (VFC) shares fell past 18% after the apparel and footwear company reported a wider-than-expected fiscal Q1 loss despite topping Wall Street's revenue estimates.