08:56 AM EST, 12/19/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks rose pre-bell Thursday with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) 0.8% higher recently.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 2.1% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 2.7% lower.

Sterling Bancorp ( SBT ) shares were almost 3% higher after the company said its shareholders approved the sale of all issued and outstanding shares of capital stock to EverBank Financial.