09:16 AM EDT, 04/09/2026 (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 0.3% lower in Thursday's premarket activity as doubts over the durability of a Middle East ceasefire lift oil prices.

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

US initial jobless claims rose to a level of 219,000 in the week ended April 4 from an upwardly revised 203,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a smaller increase to 210,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

Personal income declined 0.1% in February following January's 0.4% gain, compared with the expected 0.3% gain in a survey conducted by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.

US economic growth, measured by gross domestic product, was revised lower to a 0.5% increase in Q4 from a 0.7% gain in the second estimate, compared with estimates for no revision in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.

Wholesale inventory data for February are due to be released at 10 am ET, followed by weekly natural gas stocks data at 10:30 am ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 0.3%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.2% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) fell 1.5%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was flat.

Power Play:

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) retreated marginally by 0.01%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was 0.01% higher, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF ( IYK ) was up 0.5%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was 1.3% lower.

Simply Good Foods ( SMPL ) shares were down more than 19% pre-bell after the company posted lower fiscal Q2 adjusted earnings and net sales.

Winners and Losers:

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated 0.6%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 1.7%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 1.9% higher.

Whitestone REIT ( WSR ) shares were up more than 11% pre-bell after the company said it has agreed to be acquired by Ares Management ( ARES ) for $19 per common share or operating partnership unit in an all-cash deal valued at about $1.70 billion. Ares stock was 1.5% higher.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.2%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.1% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was down 0.1%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) declined by 0.3%.

Aehr Test Systems ( AEHR ) shares were down more than 2% in premarket activity, a day after the company said it plans to sell up to $60 million of its common shares via an at-the-market offering.

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 0.1%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF ( IYH ) was flat. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.7% lower.

Novartis ( NVS ) stock was down more than 1% premarket after closing the prior session with a 2% gain. The company said Thursday it will expand its programs to find and treat patients with heart disease and cancer in "hard-to-reach" communities worldwide.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLI ) declined by 0.7%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ( VIS ) gained 0.4% and the iShares US Industrials ETF ( IYJ ) was down 0.8%.

American Airlines Group ( AAL ) stock was down more than 1% before the opening bell, a day after the Federal Aviation Administration said the airline should pay a $255,000 civil penalty for allegedly breaching drug and alcohol regulations.

Energy

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

Occidental Petroleum ( OXY ) stock was up more than 1% before Thursday's opening bell after the company said it had discovered oil at the Bandit prospect, co-owned by Chevron ( CVX ) and Woodside Energy ( WDS ) , in the Gulf of Mexico. Chevron ( CVX ) stock was 0.8% higher, while Woodside advanced 0.5%.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose by 4.4% to $98.57 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas retreated by 0.2% to $2.72 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was up by 2%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was 0.3% lower.

Gold futures for May were up by 0.1% at $4,781.00 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures declined by 1% to $74.60 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) was 0.4% higher, and the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) advanced by 0.03%.