07:58 AM EDT, 04/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.8% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 1.1% higher in Friday's premarket activity, boosted by a rally in tech stocks after strong earnings by big names.

US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.8%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 1% before the start of regular trading.

The March core personal consumption expenditures inflation index, or PCE-core, is set to be released at 8:30 am ET.

The April consumer sentiment report from the University of Michigan is slated for a 10 am ET release, while the weekly Baker Hughes domestic oil-and-gas rig count will be released at 1 pm ET.

In premarket action, bitcoin was down by 0.8% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.9% lower.

Power Play:

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) advanced 0.4%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT), the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH), and the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) were inactive.

Vincerx Pharma ( VINC ) shares were down more than 20% premarket Friday after the company priced an underwritten public offering of 6 million common shares and accompanying warrants to purchase 6 million common shares and, to certain investors, pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 16 million common shares and accompanying warrants to purchase 16 million common shares.

Winners and Losers:

Energy

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

US Silica Holdings ( SLCA ) was up more than 18% before Friday's opening bell after the company reported Q1 results and said it has agreed to be acquired by funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management ( APO ) in a deal valued at approximately $1.85 billion in cash.

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) retreated 0.4%, 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) gained 0.7%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was flat, while the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was also flat.

Boyd Gaming ( BYD ) traded down more than 12% pre-bell after the company reported lower year-over-year Q1 financial results.

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) gained 0.8%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 1% 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 0.1%.

Alphabet (GOOG) shares were up more than 11% in premarket activity Friday after the company reported a surge in earnings and sales in Q1.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) retreated 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.1%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.3% higher.

NatWest Group ( NWG ) was up 5.3% pre-bell Friday after the company reported forecast-beating Q1 revenue.

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) lost 0.2% and the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) were inactive.

AZZ (AZZ) shares lost 4.3% before the opening bell after the company said late Thursday it priced a public offering of 4 million shares at $70 apiece, targeting gross proceeds of $280 million.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced 0.7% to $84.17 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas fell by 4.7% to $1.56 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund (USO) was 0.5% higher, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 1.2% lower.

Gold futures for June gained 0.7% to $2,358.20 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures were up by 0.8% to $27.86 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) advanced 0.6%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was also 0.6% higher.