01:44 PM EDT, 03/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Consumer stocks advanced Friday afternoon with the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) increasing 0.2% and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) rising 1.9%. In corporate news, PepsiCo ( PEP ) is nearing a deal to buy soda brand Poppi for more than $1.5 billion, Bloomberg reported. PepsiCo ( PEP...

01:37 PM EDT, 03/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes were higher intraday amid expectations that a looming government shutdown would be avoided. The Nasdaq Composite was up 2.5% at 17,735.9 after midday Friday, while the S&P 500 added 2% to 5,634.5. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 1.5% to 41,439.9. All sectors were higher, led by technology and...

01:46 PM EDT, 03/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks rose in Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index up 2.3% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) adding 2.1%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was climbing 1.7%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) was 1.7% higher. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) rose 5% to $84,262, and the yield for...

01:42 PM EDT, 03/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks gained Friday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index adding 2.5% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) rising 2.6%. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 3.2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index advanced 1.2%. West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.1% to $67.25 a barrel, while global...