08:29 AM EDT, 05/15/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) was down 0.4% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) retreated 0.5% in Thursday's premarket activity, ahead of a slew of key inflation data.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.4%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.6% before the start of regular trading.

The April producer price index report and the retail sales bulletin will be released at 8:30 am ET. Other reports due at the same time include the weekly jobless claims bulletin, the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index, and the Empire State Manufacturing Index, both for May.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will speak at the Thomas Laubach Research Conference in Washington at 8:40 am ET.

The April industrial production bulletin posts at 9:15 am ET, followed by the March business inventories bulletin and the NAHB Housing Market Index at 10 am ET.

The weekly EIA natural gas report follows at 10:30 am ET.

Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr speaks at 2:05 pm ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 1% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.8% lower.

Power Play:

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLP ) was up 0.2%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Fund (VDC) gained 0.1%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF ( IYK ) was inactive, and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLY ) lost 0.7%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) was inactive, while the SPDR S&P Retail ETF ( XRT ) advanced 1%.

Foot Locker ( FL ) stock soared more than 82%, while Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) shares were down more than 8% pre-bell, after the companies said Dick's has agreed to acquire Foot Locker ( FL ) in a deal that implies an equity value of $2.4 billion and an enterprise value of $2.5 billion.

Winners and Losers:

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLI ) retreated 0.5% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ( VIS ) and the iShares US Industrials ETF ( IYJ ) were inactive.

NV5 Global ( NVEE ) stock was up 16% before the opening bell after the company said it has agreed to be acquired by Acuren (TIC) for about $1.7 billion. Acuren shares were slightly higher in recent premarket activity.

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) retreated 0.1%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ( VHT ) was up 0.1% while the iShares US Healthcare ETF ( IYH ) was flat. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was flat.

UnitedHealth ( UNH ) stock was down more than 6% premarket after The Wall Street Journal reported that the company is facing a criminal investigation by the US Department of Justice over possible Medicare fraud tied to its Medicare Advantage operations.

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) retreated 0.6%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.5% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was up 0.2%. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) declined by 1%.

CoreWeave ( CRWV ) shares were down more than 6% in recent premarket activity after the company reported a wider Q1 net loss late Wednesday.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF ( IYE ) was inactive, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) was down by 1.3%.

Halliburton ( HAL ) stock was down 1.6% before Thursday's opening bell. Rhino Resources and Halliburton ( HAL ) said they have delivered two exploration wells on Block 2914 within Petroleum Exploration License 85 offshore Namibia.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) retreated 0.4%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) retreated 1.2%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 0.8% higher.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group ( MUFG ) shares were up 1% pre-bell Thursday after the company reported higher fiscal 2025 earnings and revenue.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated 3.3% to $61.09 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas declined 0.8% to $3.46 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was down 2.7%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was 0.2% lower.

Gold futures for June lost 0.3% to reach $3,178 an ounce on the Comex, while silver futures retreated 0.5% to $32.28 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) declined 0.1%, and the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) was 0.1% higher.