09:19 AM EDT, 04/01/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were edging higher premarket Wednesday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advancing by 0.5%.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was 1.6% higher and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was down 1.2%.

Brookfield Wealth Solutions ( BNT ) shares were up more than 2% after the company said it completed its 2.4-billion-British-pound ($3.19 billion) purchase of UK retirement services provider Just Group.

FirstSun Capital Bancorp ( FSUN ) stock was nearly 1% higher after the company said it has completed its merger with First Foundation through an all-stock transaction.

Blackstone (BX) and EQT Fund Management received regulatory clearance to jointly acquire Spanish firm Urbaser, the European Commission said. Blackstone stock was 0.9% higher pre-bell.