08:59 AM EST, 03/06/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.5% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.7% lower in Friday's premarket activity amid fresh market data releases on the last day of the trading week.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.5%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.7% before the start of regular trading.

US nonfarm payrolls fell by 92,000 in February, compared with expectations for a 55,000 increase and after a 126,000 gain in the prior month, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% from 4.3%, above forecasts for 4.3%.

US retail sales declined 0.2% in January, compared with expectations for a 0.3% decrease after a flat reading in the previous month.

Business inventory and sales data for December are due to be released at 10 am ET.

The weekly Baker Hughes oil-and-gas rig count is out at 1 pm.

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack is slated to speak on Friday.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 1.7%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.8% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) retreated 2.2%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 0.3%.

Power Play:

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.9%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.9% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was flat. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) was down 1%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell by 1.4%.

Ingram Micro ( INGM ) shares were down more than 1% in recent premarket activity after the company said it priced a secondary public offering of nearly 9 million of its shares on behalf of a selling stockholder at $22.25 apiece.

Winners and Losers:

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated by 0.5%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) was down 1.3%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 1.4% higher.

Western Alliance Bancorp ( WAL ) shares were down more than 7% pre-bell after the company said its Western Alliance Bank subsidiary and collateral agent filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract and fraud against Jefferies Financial Group ( JEF ) and Leucadia Asset Management over an unpaid commercial loan. Jefferies stock retreated more than 2% premarket.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLV ) retreated by 0.1%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ( VHT ) was down 0.2%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF ( IYH ) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.45 lower.

AtaiBeckley ( ATAI ) stock was down more than 2% premarket after the company reported a wider Q4 net loss.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLI ) retreated by 0.6%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ( VIS ) was down 0.1%, and the iShares US Industrials ETF ( IYJ ) was inactive.

FTAI Aviation ( FTAI ) stock was down more than 2% before the opening bell after the company said that Nicholas McAleese has been appointed chief financial officer and Michael Hazan chief accounting officer.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF ( IYE ) gained 0.9%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLE ) was up by 1.7%.

Shares of Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) , BP (BP), and Chevron ( CVX ) rose about 2% in premarket activity, while ConocoPhillips gained more than 2% as crude prices extended gains amid the continued conflict in the Middle East.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.2%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) retreated marginally by 0.02%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF ( IYK ) was flat. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.5%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was 0.02% lower.

Aptiv ( APTV ) shares were up more than 1% pre-bell after the company said that its subsidiary, Aptiv Swiss Holdings, has launched a cash tender offer to repurchase several series of its outstanding senior notes.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose by 6.6% to $86.34 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas increased by 2.9% to $3.09 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) rose by 7.8%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was 3.3% higher.

Gold futures for March advanced 0.5% to $5,103.40 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures gained by 1% to $82.95 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) was up by 0.3%, and the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) rose by 0.5%.