09:19 AM EST, 02/18/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were advancing premarket Wednesday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) 0.2% higher.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) was up 0.8% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 0.5% lower.

Moody's (MCO) shares were up more than 3% after the company reported higher Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue.

Global Payments ( GPN ) stock was up more than 12% after the company posted an increase in Q4 adjusted earnings, and issued 2026 adjusted earnings per share outlook above analysts' expectations.

MFA Financial ( MFA/PB ) shares were down 0.9% after the company reported a decline in Q4 non-GAAP earnings.