03:20 PM EST, 12/10/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks edged higher in late Tuesday afternoon trading with the NYSE Financial Index and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) both up 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index fell 1.8%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) dropped 1.3%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) declined 1.6% to $95,997, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 2.2 basis points to 4.221%.

In economic news, the National Federation of Independent Business's monthly Small Business Optimism Index jumped to 101.7 in November from 93.7 in October, above 90.6 from a year earlier and the highest since June 2021.

In corporate news, Markel ( MKL ) faces pressure from Jana Partners to consider divesting or separating the private investments business, Bloomberg reported, citing Scott Ostfeld, managing partner at Jana Partners. Markel ( MKL ) shares added 0.6%.