09:17 AM EST, 01/10/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks fell premarket Friday with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) 0.9% lower recently.

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

ESSA Bancorp ( ESSA ) shares were up more than 9% after the company and CNB Financial ( CCNE ) said they have entered into a definitive agreement for ESSA to merge into CNB in an all-stock transaction, valued at approximately $214 million. CNB Financial ( CCNE ) shares were 2.5% higher premarket.

Apollo Global Management ( APO ) is considering a taking a significant stake in Japanese convenience store operator Seven & i as its founding owners are looking to take the company private, Bloomberg News reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Apollo Global Management ( APO ) shares fell by nearly 2% premarket.

UBS Group ( UBS ) is close to agreeing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle alleged violations of US tax laws by defunct Credit Suisse, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter. UBS Group ( UBS ) shares were up 0.7% pre-bell.