-- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.1%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.2% lower in Thursday's premarket activity as talks between the US and Iran stalled amid a continued blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.
US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.4%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.6%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.4% before the start of regular trading.
US initial jobless claims totaled 214,000, compared with expectations of 210,000 and a prior reading of 208,000.
The Chicago Federal Reserve Bank's monthly National Activity Index fell to a reading of minus 0.20 in March from 0.03 in February, compared with expectations for a smaller decrease to minus 0.13 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.
S&P Global flash estimates of manufacturing and services conditions for April will be released at 9:45 am ET, followed by weekly natural gas stocks at 10:30 am ET.
The Kansas City Fed's manufacturing reading for April will be released at 11 am ET.
In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 1.6%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.7% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) retreated by 3.3%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) declined by 0.02%.
Power Play:
Energy
The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) gained 0.03%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.4%.
Helix Energy Solutions (HLX) stock was up more than 8% before the opening bell after the company agreed to merge with Hornbeck Offshore Services in an all-stock deal to form an integrated offshore services company.
Winners and Losers:
Health Care
The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated by 0.04%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was down 0.3%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) declined by 1.2%.
Sanofi (SNY) stock was up more than 3% premarket after the company reported higher Q1 adjusted earnings and sales.
Financial
The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.2%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.4%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 0.1% lower.
KB Financial Group (KB) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell after the company reported higher Q1 earnings and revenue.
Industrial
The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.04%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) gained 0.7% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was down 0.4%.
Union Pacific (UNP) stock was up more than 2% before the opening bell after the company reported Q1 earnings and operating revenue.
Consumer
The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was up 0.1% and the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was down 0.3%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.5%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) were inactive.
Tesla (TSLA) shares were down more than 2% pre-bell after the company overnight reported Q1 results, with investors focused on its outsized capital expenditure outlook.
Technology
The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) advanced by 0.4%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was flat, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 0.9%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was 0.04% higher, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 0.9%.
Intel (INTC) shares were up more than 1% in Thursday's premarket activity after Tesla (TSLA) Chief Executive Elon Musk said he intends to use Intel's upcoming 14A process to make chips at its Terafab advanced artificial intelligence project in Austin, Texas.
Commodities
Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced by 0.2% to $93.17 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained by 0.1% to reach $2.73 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased by 0.1%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.4% lower.
Gold futures for May were down by 0.4% at $4,734.40 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures retreated by 3.1% to $76.11 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was 0.3% lower, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) fell by 1.8%.