The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.2% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.1% higher in Friday's premarket activity, as investors await August import and export prices bulletin followed by September consumer sentiment report for clues on interest rate cut.
US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.2%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.1% before the start of regular trading.
The August import and export prices bulletin will be released at 8:30 am ET, while the University of Michigan consumer sentiment report for September will be posted at 10 am ET followed by the weekly Baker Hughes domestic oil-and-gas rig count release at 1 pm ET.
In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 0.4% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.9% lower.
Power Play:
Health Care
The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) advanced 0.2%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) and the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) were inactive, while the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was marginally up.
Immuneering (IMRX) stock rose more than 48% before the bell Friday, a day after it said complete or partial response was observed in the first two patients with first-line pancreatic cancer getting IMM-1-104 in combination with modified gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in a phase 2a study.
Winners and Losers:
Consumer
The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) was up 0.2%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Fund (VDC) was inactive. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive, and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) advanced 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) and the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) were inactive.
RH (RH) shares climbed 22% in recent Friday premarket activity, a day after it reported higher fiscal Q2 net revenue from a year earlier.
Energy
The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) was up by 0.4%.
FirstEnergy (FE) stock was slightly down in premarket Friday, after saying overnight it reached a settlement deal with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which required the firm to pay a $100 million civil penalty.
Technology
Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) advanced 0.2%, while the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) were inactive. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) was 0.6% higher.
Adobe (ADBE) stock fell over 8% before Friday's opening bell after Fubon Securities downgraded it to neutral with a $610 price target.
Industrial
Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) advanced 0.3% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) were inactive.
Boeing's (BA) shares dropped 4.4% before Friday's opening bell after the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said Thursday it rejected a tentative contract proposal negotiated by the company and the union leadership and opted to go on strike.
Financial
Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) advanced 0.3%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 1%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.7% lower.
HSBC Holdings (HSBC) shares rose almost 1% before Friday's bell after Bloomberg reported that the bank is in discussions to sell its South African corporate banking unit to Rand Merchant Bank.
Commodities
Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.1% to $69.74 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was up 0.2% at $2.36 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund (USO) was 0.9% higher, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) advanced 0.3%.
Gold futures for December were up by 0.6% at $2,594.90 an ounce on the Comex, while silver futures were up 0.7% at $30.33 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) advanced 0.4%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 0.3% higher.
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