Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Higher Pre-Bell Monday Amid Hopes for Renewed US-Iran Diplomacy
The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 1%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) advanced 1.3% in Monday's premarket activity, amid optimism around renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.8%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 1% before the start of regular trading.The Dallas Fed manufacturing survey for June will be released at 10:30 am ET.In premarket action, bitcoin was up by 0.7%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.1% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) increased by 0.9%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) declined by 0.2%.Power Play:Health CareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 0.5%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was up 0.5%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) gained by 1.2%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.3% higher.Viridian Therapeutics (VRDN) stock was up 8.9% premarket after the company said that its Lumvoa medicine received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to treat thyroid eye disease, an autoimmune disease.Winners and Losers:IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.5%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was up 6% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.Rocket Lab (RKLB) stock was up more than 10% before the opening bell after the company agreed to acquire Iridium Communications (IRDM) in a cash-and-stock deal valuing the satellite operator at an enterprise value of about $8 billion.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.3%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.7%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 1.1% lower.Robinhood Markets (HOOD) shares were 2% higher before the opening bell, extending gains from a 5.6% rise on Friday. Goldman Sachs lifted its price target on the company to $121 from $108, while maintaining a buy rating.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) advanced by 0.1%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 1.2% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 2%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) gained by 1.3%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 0.9%.Nvidia (NVDA) shares were up 0.8% in premarket activity, after a 1.6% fall at the previous close. Firmus Technologies said over the weekend that Nvidia will supply up to 170,000 artificial intelligence accelerators for its planned AI factory campus in Batam, Indonesia.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was up 0.1%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was marginally higher, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) fell 1.5%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) gained by 0.6%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was up 0.4, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was 0.5% higher.Amazon's (AMZN) shares were up nearly 1% pre-bell after gaining 2.5% at Friday's close. Reuters reported over the weekend that the retailer's Prime Day discounts generated more than $26.4 billion in sales from June 23 to June 26, a 9.3% year-over-year increase.EnergyThe iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was down 0.1%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.2%.Eni (E) stock was up more than 1% before market open after the company said it has started enhanced gas production off the coast of Libya, in partnership with Libyan National Oil.CommoditiesFront-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil gained by 1.2% to $70.07 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas retreated by 2.3% to $3.20 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased by 0.6%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 3% lower.Gold futures for July were down by 1.1% to $4,051.50 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures retreated by 1.9% to $58.53 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was down by 0.6%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 0.8% lower.
