09:05 AM EDT, 10/17/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Consumer stocks were flat to higher premarket Thursday as the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLP ) was inactive and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLY ) was 0.3% higher recently.

Uber Technologies ( UBER ) is exploring a possible bid to acquire Expedia Group ( EXPE ) , the Financial Times reported, citing three unnamed people familiar with the matter. Expedia Group ( EXPE ) shares were nearly 7% higher premarket.

Starbucks ( SBUX ) Chief Executive Brian Niccol is facing understaffing issues as a recent internal survey revealed only 33% of respondents from 10,000 US company-operated stores said staffing levels were consistently sufficient, Bloomberg reported. Starbucks ( SBUX ) shares were down nearly 0.1% pre-bell.