Healthcare stocks were steady premarket Thursday, with the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) inactive and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) up a slight 0.1%.
Agilent Technologies (A) stock was up more than 11% after the company posted higher fiscal Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue, and raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance.
Gold traded at a two-month low early on Thursday on renewed inflation worries as oil prices rose on renewed fighting between Iran and the United States, while a key U.S. inflation measure rose in April.Gold for July delivery was last seen down US$70.40 to US$4,411.10, the lowest since March 26.The drop comes as oil prices rose off a month low on fresh hostilities in the Persian Gulf. The Wall Street Journal reported U.S. forces attacked a drone-control base in Iran and shot down Iranian drones, while Kuwait intercepted an Iranian missile and Iran attacked commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf."Gold fell to a two-month low as US Treasuries sold off and the dollar strengthened following a fresh surge in crude oil prices, fuelling concerns that tight energy markets will continue to exert upward pressure on inflation," Saxo Bank noted.The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis on Thursday reported the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure, rose 3.8% annualized in April, up from 3.5% in March and matching expectations, according to Marketwatch. Core PCE, excluding volatile food and energy, rose at a 3.3% annual pace, again matching expectations and up from 3.2% a month earlier.The Bureau also released its second revision to its estimate for first-quarter gross domestic product growth, cutting its estimate to 1.6% from 2.0%. The agency was expected to maintain its 2.0% estimate, according to Marketwatch.The dollar edged down following the data, with the ICE dollar index last seen down 0.02 points to 99.19. Treasury yileds were mixed, with the U.S. two-year note last seen paying 4.053%, up 1.2 basis points, while the yield on the 10-year note was down 0.4 points to 4.485%.
Consumer stocks were mixed pre-bell Thursday, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) up 0.5% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) down 0.3%.Dollar Tree (DLTR) shares were up more than 19% after the company posted higher fiscal Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue, and raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance.
Technology stocks were mixed premarket Thursday, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) slightly higher and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) marginally declining.Snowflake (SNOW) stock was up more than 36% after the company reported higher fiscal Q1 adjusted net income and revenue, and raised its fiscal 2027 product revenue outlook.