09:16 AM EDT, 09/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were edging higher premarket Wednesday with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLF ) recently advancing by 0.1%.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) was up 0.4% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 0.3% lower.

BlackRock ( BLK ) , its Global Infrastructure Partners unit, Microsoft ( MSFT ) and MGX said they are creating a global artificial intelligence infrastructure partnership to invest in data centers and energy projects to address the increasing demand. BlackRock ( BLK ) shares were up 0.6% pre-bell.

Bank of America ( BAC ) said it will redeem on Sept. 25 all $2 billion of its 0.981% fixed/floating rate senior notes due September 2025. Bank of America ( BAC ) shares were 0.1% higher premarket.