09:00 AM EDT, 04/09/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were declining premarket Thursday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) down 0.6%.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was 1.6% lower and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was up 1.8%.

Whitestone REIT ( WSR ) said it has agreed to be acquired by Ares Management ( ARES ) for $19 per common share or operating partnership unit in an all-cash deal valued at about $1.7 billion. Shares of Ares Management ( ARES ) were down more than 1% pre-bell.