09:24 AM EDT, 06/18/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were edging higher pre-bell Thursday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advancing by 0.5%.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 1.8% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 1.7% lower.

Morgan Stanley ( MS ) stands to benefit from the planned initial public offering of the National Stock Exchange of India, Bloomberg reported. Shares of Morgan Stanley ( MS ) were up 1.1% premarket.

Brookfield Business ( BBUC ) has agreed to sell its Multiplex Global subsidiary to Obayashi, the Japanese company said. Brookfield Business ( BBUC ) stock was up more than 2% pre-bell.

HSBC ( HSBC ) has been ordered by Australia's Federal Court to pay a 35 million Australian dollar ($24.6 million) penalty after admitting to serious failures in protecting customers from scams, Australian Securities and Investments Commission said. HSBC ( HSBC ) stock was marginally lower premarket.