Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Higher Pre-Bell Friday as Bitcoin Moves Past $77,000
The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.4% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.7% higher in Friday's premarket activity as Bitcoin moved past $77,000 in one of its best weeks.US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.5%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.6%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.8% before the start of regular trading.The S&P Global flash Composite Purchasing Managers' Index for August will be released at 9:45 am ET.In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 5.5%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 6% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 2.2%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 0.02% lower.Power Play:Health CareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated 0.3%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was up 0.2%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) advanced 3.3%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.6% higher.Aveanna Healthcare (AVAH) stock was down more than 3% premarket after the company said Thursday that selling stockholders priced a secondary public offering of 15 million common shares at $11.75 apiece.Winners and Losers:IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.9%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was up 1.4%, and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was flat.GE Vernova (GEV) stock was up nearly 2% before the opening bell after the company said it was selected by Quinbrook for the third stage of the Supernode battery energy storage project in Queensland, Australia, expanding its technology role across all three stages of the development.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was up 0.2%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) gained 0.2%, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) advanced 0.1%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) increased 0.6%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was 0.9% higher.Tesla (TSLA) shares were up more than 1% pre-bell, following a 1.7% retreat in the previous session. China's State Administration for Market Regulation said the EV-maker is recalling more than 5.7 million vehicles in China over two separate safety issues involving emergency door handles and driver-attention monitoring.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.5%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 1.2%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 1.2% lower.KKR (KKR), alongside Dragoneer Investment Group (DGNR) and insurance distributor Amwins, has agreed to acquire Steadfast Group in a deal worth approximately 7.7 billion Australian dollars ($5.52 billion). Shares of KKR were up more than 1% premarket.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) advanced 0.8%, the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.9% higher, and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 0.4%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) increased 1.3%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 1.6%.Broadcom (AVGO) shares were up more than 1% in premarket activity after Bloomberg News reported late Thursday that the company is in discussions with a group of lenders to raise as much as $100 billion in debt for an artificial intelligence chip financing deal.EnergyThe iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) gained 0.8%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.1%.Vistra (VST) stock was up more than 1% before market open after Morgan Stanley lifted its price target to $227 from $212.CommoditiesFront-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil gained by 0.2% to reach $86.99 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was up 1% at $2.76 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased 0.6%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.6% higher.Gold futures for November advanced by 1.3% to $4,628.70 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures rose 1.8% to $70.14 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) gained 1.1%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 1.7% higher.
