08:11 AM EDT, 03/12/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) was up 0.9% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 1% higher in Wednesday's premarket activity, ahead of the consumer price index report.

US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.7%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.5%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.9% before the start of regular trading.

US mortgage applications rose 11.2% in the week ended March 7 as lower rates fueled a 16% jump in refinancing and a 7% increase in purchase applications, Mortgage Bankers Association data showed Wednesday.

The consumer price index for February will be released at 8:30 am ET, followed by the EIA petroleum status report at 10:30 am ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 1.1% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.6% higher.

Power Play:

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLP ) was up 0.2%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Fund (VDC) was flat. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF ( IYK ) was inactive, and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLY ) advanced 1.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) and the SPDR S&P Retail ETF ( XRT ) were inactive.

ECARX ( ECX ) shares were up more than 5% pre-bell after Reuters reported, citing CEO Shen Ziyu, that the company is in talks with Volkswagen about integrating its technologies into cars sold in developed markets such as Europe and the US.

Winners and Losers:

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) advanced 0.2%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ( VHT ) was down 0.2% while the iShares US Healthcare ETF ( IYH ) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was inactive.

Mineralys Therapeutics ( MLYS ) stock was down more than 6% premarket after the company said late Tuesday it priced an underwritten public offering of nearly 13 million shares at $13.50 each to raise an expected $175 million in gross proceeds.

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLI ) advanced 0.7% and the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ( VIS ) gained 0.6%, while the iShares US Industrials ETF ( IYJ ) was inactive.

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services ( ZIM ) stock was up more than 4% before the opening bell after the company reported higher Q4 earnings and revenue.

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) advanced 1.2%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.3% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was inactive. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 1.6%.

Clearwater Analytics Holdings ( CWAN ) shares were down more than 4% in recent Wednesday premarket activity after the company said that it signed definitive deals to acquire Beacon and Blackstone's (BX) Bistro portfolio visualization software platform.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) advanced 0.8%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) rose 2.5%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 2.4% lower.

Bar Harbor Bankshares ( BHB ) shares were up 3% pre-bell Wednesday after the company agreed to acquire Guaranty Bancorp in an all-stock deal valued at about $41.6 million, or $56.94 per share.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF ( IYE ) was flat, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) was up by 0.8%.

NexGen Energy ( NXE ) stock was up 2.8% before Wednesday's opening bell after the company said that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has proposed Nov. 19 and Feb. 9, 2026, to Feb. 13, 2026, as the commission hearing dates for the company's Rook I project.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced 1% to $66.92 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas fell 2.9% to $4.33 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was up 0.7%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was down 1.7%.

Gold futures for April retreated 0.02% to $2,920.40 an ounce on the Comex, while silver futures gained 1.2% to reach $33.55 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) was down nearly 1%, and the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) was 0.4% higher.