09:04 AM EST, 12/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Consumer stocks were edging higher pre-bell Thursday with the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLP ) up 0.2% and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLY ) marginally advancing recently.

Alibaba Group Holding ( BABA ) has agreed to merge its South Korean operations with E-Mart's e-commerce platform, Gmarket, news outlets reported, citing a company regulatory filing. Alibaba Group Holding ( BABA ) shares were 0.5% higher premarket.

Starbucks ( SBUX ) employees returned to work Wednesday after a five-day strike in which the union claimed baristas in 43 states walked off the job as of Tuesday, closing hundreds of stores. Starbucks ( SBUX ) shares were down 0.4% pre-bell.