Financial stocks were declining premarket Friday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) down 0.5%.
The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was 1.4% lower and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was up 1.7%.
Western Union (WU) shares were down more than 11% after the company posted lower Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue.
Energy stocks rose Thursday with the NYSE Energy Sector Index gaining 0.7% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) adding 0.8%.The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index advanced 1.1%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index climbed 2.4%.In sector news, President Donald Trump ordered the US Navy to "shoot and kill" any boat that is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to his Truth Social post. The US and Iran remain at an impasse, with Tehran refusing to negotiate a peace deal as long as the US Navy continues to blockade its ports and Washington refuses to lift the siege. Mediators are trying to get the diplomatic process back on track, including arranging a possible meeting as soon as Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported.West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 3.6% to $96.32 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent advanced 3.6% to $105.54 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 4.8% to $2.59 per 1 million BTU.US natural gas stocks rose by 103 billion cubic feet in the week ended Friday, a larger gain than the 96 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following a revised gain of 60 billion in the previous week.In corporate news, NextEra Energy (NEE) shares jumped 7%. The company reported Q1 adjusted earnings that topped Wall Street estimates.BP (BP) shareholders rejected a proposal that would have eliminated some climate-related disclosure requirements that investors had voted for at previous meetings, and Chair Albert Manifold was elected with 82% of the vote, media outlets reported. BP shares eased 0.1%.Helix Energy Solutions (HLX) and Hornbeck Offshore Services agreed to merge in an all-stock deal to form an integrated offshore services company. Helix shares gained 0.7%.Chevron (CVX) resumed full production at its Wheatstone liquefied natural gas facility in Western Australia after repairs from damage caused by a cyclone last month, Reuters reported. Chevron shares rose 0.7%.
Financial stocks were lower in late Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index down 0.6% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) falling 0.7%.The Philadelphia Housing Index rose 0.9%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) added 1.1%.Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was decreasing 0.4% to $77,852, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 2.9 basis points to 4.32%.In economic news, US initial jobless claims rose to 214,000 in the week ended April 18 from an upwardly revised 208,000, compared with the 210,000 print expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey.The April flash reading of manufacturing conditions from S&P Global improved to a 47-month high of 54.0 from 52.3 in March, compared with the 52.5 anticipated in a Bloomberg-compiled poll.In sector news, the White House is reviewing US Securities and Exchange Commission's regulations to simplify the process for companies to file for initial public offerings by easing disclosure requirements, Bloomberg reported, citing the Office of Management and Budget.In corporate news, American Express (AXP) shares were down 4.9% even after the payments giant reported better-than-expected Q1 results and reiterated its full-year outlook.Robinhood (HOOD) shares dropped 5.9% after JPMorgan cut the company's price target to $92 from $113, while keeping its neutral rating.Barclays (BCS) has alleged that capital was fraudulently routed across the corporate network of Market Financial Solutions on a significant scale, Bloomberg reported, citing High Court documents. Barclays shares fell 2.7%.Voya Financial (VOYA) has been encouraged by activist investor Toms Capital Investment Management to put itself up for sale or offload its underperforming health insurer business, the Financial Times reported. Voya shares climbed 4.2%.
Consumer stocks were mixed late Thursday afternoon with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) rising 1.8% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) falling 1.1%.In corporate news, Comcast (CMCSA) reported higher-than-expected Q1 results as the company benefited from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Super Bowl LX. The shares rose 7.9%.Tesla (TSLA) shares fell 3.7% after the company issued higher-than-expected 2026 capital-expenditure guidance.Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders approved the buyout by Paramount Skydance (PSKY). Warner shares fell 1.4%, and Paramount fell 5.2%.Vail Resorts (MTN) reported that skier visits from the start of the season through April 19 fell 15% from the same period a year earlier. The shares dropped 5.5%.