08:35 AM EDT, 03/15/2024 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.1% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.1% lower in Friday's premarket activity as hopes for rate cuts waned after higher-than-anticipated consumer and producer prices data.

US stock futures were also mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.1%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.1% before the start of regular trading.

The Empire State Manufacturing Index for March and import and export prices for February was released at 8:30 am ET, to be followed by the February industrial production bulletin at 9:15 am ET and the University of Michigan consumer sentiment report for March at 10 am ET.

The Baker Hughes domestic oil-and-gas rig count will be released at 1 pm ET.

In premarket action, bitcoin was down by 2.4% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 2.4% lower.

Power Play:

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) advanced 0.3%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) retreated by 0.9% while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was up by 2.1%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.1% higher.

Geron ( GERN ) was up nearly 80% premarket, a day after the company said the US Food and Drug Administration's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted in favor of the benefit-to-risk profile of imetelstat.

Winners and Losers:

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) advanced 0.3% and the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) slipped 1.4%, while the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.

Xcel Brands ( XELB ) lost more than 28% before the opening bell after the company said late Thursday it is initiating an underwritten public offering of common shares or equivalent securities, subject to market conditions.

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) was down by 0.1%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was marginally higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was unchanged. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) gained 1.8%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) lost 0.4%.

RLX Technology ( RLX ) was up more than 8% in recent Friday premarket activity after the company reported Q4 non-GAAP net income Friday of 0.325 renminbi ($0.05) per diluted American depositary share, up from 0.186 renminbi a year earlier.

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) was up by 0.5%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Fund (VDC) was flat. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was 2.7% higher, and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) gained 0.3%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was down by 1.8%, while the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was unchanged.

Ulta Beauty ( ULTA ) fell by 8.2% before the opening bell even after reporting higher year-over-year Q4 financial results.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) advanced 0.2%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.4%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was down by 0.7%.

Heritage Global ( HGBL ) was up 3.3% pre-bell Friday after the company reported fiscal Q4 operating income of $4.6 million, up from $3.1 million a year earlier.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was 2.1% lower, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) was up by 0.2%.

Obsidian Energy ( OBE ) was up 1.4% before Friday's opening bell after the company said late Thursday it has completed its offer to purchase up to 2 million Canadian dollars ($1.5 million) of its 11.95% senior unsecured notes due July 27, 2027.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 0.8% to $80.65 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained 1.5% to $1.77 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund (USO) retreated 0.5%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.3% higher.

Gold futures for April advanced 0.2% to $2,171.40 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures were up 1.4% at $25.40 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) advanced 0.1%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) gained 1.4%.