08:56 AM EST, 01/10/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Financial shares fell premarket Friday with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) 1.1% lower recently.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 2.7% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 3.5% higher.

ESSA Bancorp ( ESSA ) shares were up more than 9% after the company and CNB Financial (CCNE) said they have entered into a definitive agreement for ESSA to merge into CNB in an all-stock transaction, valued at approximately $214 million. CNB Financial shares were more than 2% higher premarket.