Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Higher Pre-Bell Thursday as Investors Embrace AI Growth Themes, Reduced Middle East Risks
The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.7%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) advanced 2.1% in Thursday's premarket activity, as investors welcomed signs of stability in the Middle East, while technology shares rallied on expectations for continued AI spending.US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.7%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 2.1% before the start of regular trading.Reports releasing at 8:30 am ET include the personal income and outlays report for May, the third and final estimate report of Q1 gross domestic product, the weekly jobless claims bulletin, the durable goods orders report, and the Chicago Fed national activity index, both for last month.The Kansas City Fed manufacturing index for June posts at 11 am ET.New York Fed President John Williams and Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee are slated to speak on Thursday.In premarket action, bitcoin was down by 2.3%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 2.1% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 3.1%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 0.01%.Power Play:Health CareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated by 0.2%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was down 0.4%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was flat, and the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was up 0.1%.Bio-Techne (TECH) stock rose more than 19% premarket after the company signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Germany's Merck KGaA for $73 a share, representing an enterprise value of $11.3 billion.Winners and Losers:TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose 2.8%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 3.2% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 2.7%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) gained 4.4%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 5.1%.Micron Technology (MU) shares were up over 17% in premarket activity after the company overnight reported a fiscal Q3 earnings and revenue beat, and its guidance for the next quarter also came in above market expectations.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.4%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was flat, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was marginally lower. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) fell by 0.2%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was flat.Trip.com (TCOM) shares were down more than 11% pre-bell after the company reported lower Q1 non-GAAP earnings.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.4%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) gained 1.7% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was flat.MDA Space (MDA) stock was up 2.7% before the opening bell after the company said it would provide digital payload, antennas, and subsystems for Japan's defense communications satellite program under contracts from Mitsubishi Electric.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) fell 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.2%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 0.1% higher.Barclays (BCS) shares traded up 2% in early hours activity after the company said that the projected capital ratios for its US business remained above the regulatory minimum levels across all nine quarters of the Federal Reserve's stress test.EnergyThe iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) gained 0.03%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was down by 0.4%.TotalEnergies (TTE) stock was down more than 1% before market open after closing the previous session with a 2% fall. The company said Wednesday it acquired a 10% stake in the Bab Gas Cap Concession in Abu Dhabi, joining an international consortium to develop the major onshore gas field.CommoditiesFront-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated by 0.7% to $69.84 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was down by 1.4% to $3.27 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) declined by 0.4%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 1.3% higher.Gold futures for July were down by 0.2% to $4,000.90 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures retreated by 1.3% to $57.74 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) declined by 0.2%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 0.1% higher.
