03:36 PM EDT, 05/21/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were higher in late Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index up 0.3% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) fractionally higher.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was adding 0.2%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) was increasing 0.1%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was fractionally higher at $77,492, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 1.4 basis points to 4.586%.

In corporate news, Ares Management ( ARES ) has raised about $850 million so far for its inaugural closed-ended real estate debt fund, with the firm targeting a total of $1.5 billion for Ares Real Estate Debt Strategies, Bloomberg reported. Ares shares rose 1.2%.