08:55 AM EDT, 06/04/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were declining premarket Wednesday, with The Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) 0.1% lower.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.1% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.2% higher.

Franklin Resources ( BEN ) shares were up more than 1% after the company said it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in pan-European private credit firm Apera Asset Management.