01:26 PM EDT, 05/21/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were edging higher in Tuesday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 0.1% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) ahead 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was shedding 0.6%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) was down 0.3%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was declining 2.4% to $69,717, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was dropping 3 basis points to 4.41%.

In economic news, Redbook US same-store sales rose by 5.5% from a year earlier in the week ended May 18 after a 6.3% year-over-year increase in the previous week.

In other news, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chair Martin Gruenberg said he is ready to resign from his post in the wake of an external investigation that found widespread sexual harassment at the agency.

In corporate news, Globe Life ( GL ) shares tumbled 4.1% as it said in a regulatory filing Tuesday it has received a preliminary, informal inquiry from the US Securities and Exchange Commission to provide information regarding recent short seller reports.