08:58 AM EST, 12/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were leaning lower premarket Monday with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) declining by 0.5% recently.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 1.5% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 1.6% higher.

MetLife ( MET ) is closing in on a deal to purchase PineBridge's assets outside of China from Pacific Century Group, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. MetLife ( MET ) shares were 1.5% higher pre-bell.