09:23 AM EDT, 03/11/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were declining pre-bell Monday with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLF ) 0.3% lower recently.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) was down 1% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 0.7% higher.

MSCI ( MSCI ) was down nearly 0.2% after it filed an automatic shelf registration statement covering common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts and units.

Blackstone (BX) is close to finalizing a deal to acquire the W Hotel property in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the transaction. Blackstone was 1.6% lower pre-bell.