08:04 AM EST, 12/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) slipped 0.02% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) advanced 0.4% in Monday's premarket activity, as investors assessed next year's interest rate outlook after the Fed signaled prolonged higher rates.

US stock futures were also mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.1%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.4% before the start of regular trading.

November's Chicago Fed National Activity Index will be released at 8:30 am ET, followed by the Conference Board's consumer confidence report for December at 10 am ET.

In premarket action, bitcoin was up by 0.6%, while the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was down by 4.8%.

Power Play:

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLP ) was down 0.1%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Fund (VDC) was 1.2% lower. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF ( IYK ) was inactive, and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLY ) gained 0.4%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) and the SPDR S&P Retail ETF ( XRT ) were inactive.

Honda Motor ( HMC ) shares were up more than 14% pre-bell after the company and Nissan Motor said they had signed a memorandum of understanding to discuss the possibility of a merger and create a joint holding company.

Winners and Losers:

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) gained 0.5%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.3% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was up 0.5%. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 1.2%.

Xerox Holdings ( XRX ) shares were up 5.6% in recent Monday premarket activity after the company said that it has agreed to acquire Lexmark International from Ninestar, PAG Asia Capital, and Shanghai Shouda Investment Center for $1.5 billion, including assumed liabilities.

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) advanced 0.2%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ( VHT ) was down 0.7% while the iShares US Healthcare ETF ( IYH ) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was inactive.

Zomedica ( ZOM ) stock was down 3.4% premarket after the company said that it has launched two new canine assays for its Truforma in-clinic biosensor testing platform.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) retreated 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) was down 0.6%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 0.5% higher.

National Health Investors ( NHI ) shares were down 1.1% pre-bell Monday after Truist lowered the company's price target to $72 from $78.

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLI ) advanced 0.1%, the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ( VIS ) gained 0.2%, while the iShares US Industrials ETF ( IYJ ) was inactive.

Laser Photonics ( LASE ) stock was up nearly 1% before the opening bell after the company said it received an order for its handheld continuous wave fiber laser machine for surface preparation from the Cooper Nuclear Station in Nebraska, US.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF ( IYE ) gained 0.2%, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) was up by 0.1%.

Vermilion Energy ( VET ) stock was up nearly 1% before Monday's opening bell after the company said it has agreed to acquire Westbrick Energy for $1.08 billion in cash.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated 0.3% to $69.28 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained 2.1% to $3.83 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund ( USO ) declined by 0.6%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) rose by 0.8%.

Gold futures for February were down 0.6% to $2,629 an ounce on the Comex, while silver futures gained 0.7% at $30.16 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) retreated 0.4%, while the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) was 0.2% higher.