03:17 PM EST, 12/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks edged higher in late afternoon trading Thursday, with the NYSE Financial Index and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) each increasing 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index added 0.3%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) rose 0.2%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell 3.5% to $95,734, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries fell 1 basis point to 4.58%.

In economic news, US initial jobless claims last week fell to 219,000 from 220,000 in the previous week, compared with expectations for an increase to 223,000 in a survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

In corporate news, Evercore ( EVR ) shares rose 1.1% after Keefe Bruyette & Woods upgraded the company's stock to outperform from market perform and raised its price target to $339 from $269.