03:41 PM EST, 02/18/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks advanced in late Wednesday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 0.4% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) adding 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was 0.6% lower, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) fell 1.4%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was declining 1.5% to $66,436, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 2.7 basis points to 4.08%.

In corporate news, Gemini Space Station ( GEMI ) shares fell 3.2% after Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded the company's stock to neutral from overweight and adjusted its price target to $8 from $14.