09:06 AM EST, 03/07/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) was up 0.3% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) advanced 0.8% in Friday's premarket activity as Washington reported a lower-than-expected increase in jobs.

US stock futures were also edging higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.01%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.02%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.1% before the start of regular trading.

The February jobs report, released at 8:30 am ET, showed a 151,000 month-over-month rise in nonfarm payrolls following a 125,000 gain in the preceding month, compared with estimates compiled by Bloomberg for a larger 160,000 gain. The unemployment rate for the month was 4.1%, compared with estimates for a no change at 4%.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will deliver a presentation on the "Economic Outlook" to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business at 12:30 pm ET.

The Baker Hughes domestic oil-and-gas rig count posts at 1 pm ET.

Federal Reserve New York President John Williams and Governor Michelle Bowman speak at 10:15 am ET, and Governor Adriana Kugler speaks at 12:20 pm ET and 1 pm ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 0.2% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.1% higher.

Power Play:

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) advanced 0.5%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.7% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was up 1.1%. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) gained 0.7%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 1%.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise ( HPE ) shares were down more than 18% pre-bell Friday after the company issued late Thursday lower-than-expected Q2 earnings guidance and said it plans to reduce its current workforce by 5%, or about 2,500 employees, over the next 12 to 18 months.

Winners and Losers:

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLI ) was flat, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ( VIS ) gained 0.6% and the iShares US Industrials ETF ( IYJ ) was inactive.

Serve Robotics ( SERV ) stock was down more than 9% before the opening bell after the company filed a registration statement Thursday for the potential sale of up to $300 million of securities from time to time.

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) retreated 0.2%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ( VHT ) slipped 0.01% while the iShares US Healthcare ETF ( IYH ) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was down 0.01%.

Walgreens Boots Alliance ( WBA ) shares were up 6% early Friday as the company agreed to be acquired and taken private by an affiliate of Sycamore Partners in a deal worth up to $23.7 billion.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) advanced 0.2%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) was up 1.1%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 0.4% lower.

Blackstone (BX) shares were up nearly 1% pre-bell Friday after closing Thursday with a 4.2% decline. The company said it has closed its Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies V fund, which has about $8 billion of total capital commitments.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF ( IYE ) gained 0.5%, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) was up by 0.7%.

Vitesse Energy ( VTS ) shares were up more than 2% before market open on Friday after the company said it has acquired Lucero Energy.

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLP ) was flat, and 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 ) lost 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) was inactive, while the SPDR S&P Retail ETF ( XRT ) was down 0.7%.

Toyota Motor ( TM ) shares were up more than 1% pre-bell after multiple media outlets reported that the company and its Chinese partner, state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group, have started accepting orders in China for their smart electric vehicle, Bozhi 3X.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced 1.3% to $67.21 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas fell 3.1% to $4.17 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund ( USO ) gained 1.8%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) declined 2.2%.

Gold futures for April declined 0.2% at $2,921.30 an ounce on the Comex, while silver futures fell 1.3% to $32.92 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) gained 0.3%, and the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) was 0.8% lower.