01:26 PM EDT, 07/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were decreasing in Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index shedding 0.3% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) off 0.5%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was climbing 3.4%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) was up 0.2%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was declining 0.6% to $63,720, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was rising 4 basis points to 4.19%.

In economic news, US initial jobless claims rose to 243,000 during the week ended July 13 from the upwardly revised 223,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for 229,000 in a survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

In corporate news, Blackstone (BX) shares popped 2.9%. The company reported Q2 distributable earnings Thursday of $0.96 per share, up from $0.93 a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by Capital IQ expected $0.98. Revenue for the quarter was $2.80 billion, down from $2.81 billion last year. Four analysts surveyed by Capital IQ expected $2.56 billion.