08:15 AM EST, 02/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) was down 0.3% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) retreated 0.2% in Thursday's premarket activity as traders digest the previous day's FOMC meeting minutes amid uncertainty over new policies.

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

The weekly jobless claims bulletin and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's manufacturing index for February will be released at 8:30 am ET. The leading indicators index for January is due at 10 am ET.

The weekly EIA natural gas and petroleum inventories reports will be posted at 10:30 am ET and 11 am ET, respectively.

Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee is scheduled to speak at 9:35 am ET, while St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem speaks at 12:05 pm ET. Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr is set to speak at 2:30 pm ET, while Fed Governor Adriana Kugler speaks at 5 pm ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 1.3% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.3% higher.

Power Play:

Health Care

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

Pediatrix Medical Group ( MD ) stock was up 10% premarket after the company reported Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue.

Winners and Losers:

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) was down 0.2%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) retreated 0.8%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) rose 1%.

Lloyds Banking Group ( LYG ) shares were up 8% pre-bell Thursday after the company reported higher Q4 revenue and an up to 1.7 billion pounds buyback plan.

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLP ) was down 1.6%, 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 ) lost 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) was inactive, while the SPDR S&P Retail ETF ( XRT ) was 0.9% lower.

Freshpet ( FRPT ) shares were down 5% pre-bell after the company posted higher Q4 earnings and net sales.

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) retreated 0.3%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.7% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was down 0.04%. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) declined 0.01%.

EPAM Systems ( EPAM ) shares were down 2.4% in recent Thursday premarket activity after the company posted Q1 and 2025 non-GAAP EPS guidance that trailed FactSet analyst estimates.

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) advanced 0.02% and the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ( VIS ) was up 0.1%, while the iShares US Industrials ETF ( IYJ ) was inactive.

Tutor Perini ( TPC ) stock was up 0.3% before the opening bell after the company said Wednesday that its joint venture with O&G Industries is close to finalizing a $3.76 billion agreement to design and construct a new jail facility in Manhattan.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF ( IYE ) was inactive, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) was down by 0.01%.

Diversified Energy ( DEC ) stock was down 1.4% before Thursday's opening bell after dropping by more than 10% at the prior session's close. The company said late Wednesday it priced an underwritten public offering of 8.5 million ordinary shares at $14.50 apiece for gross proceeds of about $123.3 million.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced 0.1% to $72.29 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas fell 2.1% to $4.19 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was up 0.1% while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was 3.7% lower.

Gold futures for April gained 0.8% to reach $2,958.80 an ounce on the Comex, while silver futures advanced 1.6% to $33.58 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) were up 0.2%, and the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) was 0.9% higher.