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Sector Update: Financial Stocks Retreat Friday Afternoon

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Financial stocks were lower in Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index decreasing 0.5% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) off 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index rose 0.4%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) shed 0.3%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was falling 1.7% to $79,712, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was steady at 4.762%.

In economic news, total nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday, compared with a 55,000 increase projected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey.

The probability of the Fed raising its target rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4.0% in September jumped to 60% after midday from 49% a day ago, according to the CME FedWatch tool. The remaining likelihood is that policy will remain on hold.

President Donald Trump called on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, saying the US economy is a stronger credit than it was before. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said job growth exceeded estimates and argued that a "strong country means a lower interest rate."

In corporate news, Equifax (EFX), Experian and TransUnion (TRU) "have been overcharging Americans for far too long," US Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte said late Thursday on X, adding that his agency is considering solutions to prevent the companies from taking advantage of American consumers. Equifax shares fell 7.3%, and TransUnion dropped 7.4%.

Jason Mehring was appointed as chief executive and chair of BlackRock (BLK) Private Credit Fund, BlackRock Direct Lending and BlackRock TCP Capital (TCPC), starting Sept. 2, following the resignation of Philip Tseng from the posts on Aug. 31, according to a regulatory filing Friday. BlackRock shares were shedding 0.4%.

Deutsche Bank (DB) led an effort to provide about $950 million of credit to properties owned by troubled Hollywood studio landlord Hackman Capital Partners, which is now in default, the Financial Times reported. Deutsche shares were down 0.4%.

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Sector Update: Financial Stocks Gain Late Afternoon

Financial stocks were advancing in late Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 1.4% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) adding 1.5%.The Philadelphia Housing Index was up 0.6%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) rose 1.1%.Bitcoin (BTC-USD) popped 5.5% to $81,564, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries fell 3.4 basis points to 4.762%.In economic news, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Thursday he would support keeping interest rates steady if further signs of disinflation emerge, though he seemed willing to tighten monetary policy if price pressures intensify.The probability of the Fed raising its target rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4.0% in September slumped to 50% after midday Thursday from 63% a day ago, according to the CME FedWatch tool. The remaining likelihood is that policy will remain on hold.The Institute for Supply Management's US services index rose to a reading of 55.4 in August from 54.1 in July, compared with expectations for no change in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.The S&P Global US services index was revised downwards to 56.5 in August from the 56.8 flash reading, as expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.In corporate news, Jefferies Financial-linked (JEF) fund LAM Trade Finance Group II has secured a worldwide freezing order from the UK High Court against iron ore trader Radiant World and its founder Pinkesh Nahar, media outlets reported. Jefferies shares were up 1.9%.Equity Bancshares (EQBK) has agreed to buy Lincoln Bancorp in a deal valued at $123.8 million, the companies said. Equity Bancshares gained 2.8%.UBS (UBS) is facing renewed scrutiny from the US Senate over Credit Suisse's handling of Nazi-linked accounts, with the Senate Judiciary Committee seeking responses after determining the bank had not fully addressed its earlier requests, Bloomberg reported. UBS shares were up 1.3%.Carlyle (CG), Bain Capital, Oaktree, and Nextalia are among the firms preparing to bid for a minority interest in a company holding the international media rights of Italy's Serie A soccer league, Reuters reported. Carlyle shares added 0.9%.

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Sectors

Sector Update: Energy Stocks Decline Late Afternoon

Energy stocks were lower late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index decreasing 0.4% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) down 0.5%.The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was falling 1.8%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index added 0.9%.In geopolitical news, the US and Iran have intensified tit-for-tat military strikes in recent days, remaining locked between ceasefire and all-out war as the White House struggles to end the six-month conflict, Bloomberg reported. Iran said it attacked bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates "in response to America's crimes against the Iranian people," Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported.Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 0.7% to $91.62 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract increased 0.1% to $95.71 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures shed 1.3% to $2.92 per 1 million BTU.US natural gas stocks rose by 30 billion cubic feet in the week ended Aug. 28, smaller than the 31 billion gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 15 billion cubic feet in the previous week.In corporate news, BP (BP) on Thursday sent a letter to the union representing workers at its refinery in Whiting, Indiana, stating that it is willing to re-start negotiations, or work through a federal mediator, to end a BP lock-out that began on March 19. Separately, BP has drawn interest from UK energy firm EnQuest regarding a potential purchase of its UK North Sea oil and gas operations, CNBC reported, citing an interview with EnQuest CEO Amjad Bseisu. BP shares were down 0.7%.Diversified Energy (DEC) has agreed to buy Birch Permian and affiliates for a gross purchase price of about $1.8 billion, the company said. Diversified Energy shares gained 2.3%.Equinor's (EQNR) East Point Energy unit has begun operations at Citrus Flatts, its largest energy storage project in the US, a key step toward building scalable operations in the onshore power industry. Equinor shares were down 2%.GeoPark (GPRK) said it has made a strategic entry into Venezuela via the acquisition of the Bare Block, a large producing asset in the Orinoco heavy-oil belt. GeoPark shares rose 1.1%.

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Sectors

Sector Update: Consumer Stocks Mixed Late Afternoon

Consumer stocks were mixed late Thursday afternoon, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) decreasing 0.2% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) rising 1.6%.In corporate news, Lands' End (LE) shares fell 2.8% after it lowered the higher end of its fiscal 2026 revenue guidance.John Wiley & Sons (WLY) shares gained 2% after it reported fiscal Q1 results above analyst estimates.Campbell's (CPB) guided for a soft fiscal 2027 outlook amid persistent inflation worries and cut its quarterly dividend. Shares dropped past 8%.Tyson Foods (TSN) reduced its fiscal 2026 revenue growth guidance to a range of 1.5% to 2% from the previous range of 2.5% to 3.5%, the company said Thursday. Shares fell past 7%.

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