09:18 AM EDT, 05/21/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) was down 0.4% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.6% lower in Thursday's premarket activity amid increasing uncertainty about the progress of any talks between the US and Iran.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.3%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.5% before the start of regular trading.

US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 209,000 in the employment survey week ended May 16 from an upwardly revised 212,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a smaller decrease to 210,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET.

April housing starts fell by 2.8% from the previous month to a 1.465 million annual rate, compared with expectations compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET for a 1.410 million rate after an increase to a 1.507 million pace in March.

April housing starts fell by 2.8% from the previous month to a 1.465 million annual rate, compared with expectations compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET for a 1.410 million rate after an increase to a 1.507 million pace in March.

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's monthly manufacturing index fell to minus 0.4 in May after rising to 26.7 in April, compared with expectations for a smaller decrease to a reading of 17.8 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

Traders will be looking ahead to the S&P global flash estimates of May manufacturing and services conditions, which are slated for a 9:45 am ET release, followed by weekly natural gas stocks at 10:30 am ET.

The Kansas City Fed's manufacturing index for May will be released at 11 am ET.

Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin is due to speak on Thursday.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 0.5%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.5% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) declined 1%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was flat.

Power Play:

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLV ) advanced 0.3%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ( VHT ) retreated by 0.6%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF ( IYH ) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was flat.

Nanobiotix ( NBTX ) stock was down more than 7% premarket after the company said it launched a global follow-on offering of 75 million euros ($87.2 million).

Winners and Losers:

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF ( IYE ) gained 0.2%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLE ) was up by 0.5%.

Borr Drilling ( BORR ) stock was down more than 7% before the opening bell after the company reported a wider Q1 net loss.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated by 0.3%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.8%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was up 1%.

Hyperliquid Strategies ( PURR ) shares were up more than 6% pre-bell a day after Chardan raised its price target for the company's stock to $9.75 from $8.45.

Industrial

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

Deere (DE) stock was down more than 3% before the opening bell after the company reported lower fiscal Q2 earnings.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.8%, and the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) retreated 0.6%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF ( IYK ) was 3.5% higher. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.2%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) decreased by 0.2%, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) declined by 0.4%.

Kroger ( KR ) shares were down more than 3% pre-bell after closing the prior session with a 2.7% fall. Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran is looking to implement substantial price cuts to keep the company competitive, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing an interview with the CEO.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.4%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.7% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was up 0.01%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) was down 04%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell by 0.6%.

AMD (AMD) shares were down more than 2% in premarket activity after closing the previous day with a 8% rise. The company said it plans to invest more than $10 billion in Taiwan's artificial intelligence ecosystem and is ramping production of its new EPYC processor in Taiwan using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's ( TSM ) 2-nanometer process technology.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated by 0.8% to $107.77 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was up 0.8% at $3.03 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) increased by 2.7%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was 0.7% lower.

Gold futures for May retreated by 0.4% to $4,517.40 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures declined by 1.1% to $75.36 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) was down by 0.9%, and the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) fell by 1.6%.