08:48 AM EDT, 04/04/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were advancing premarket Thursday, with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLF ) 0.4% higher.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) was 1.2% higher, and bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 1.3% lower.

CTO Realty Growth ( CTO ) was down 2.1% after the company said it launched a public offering of 6.375% series A cumulative redeemable preferred shares with a $25 per share liquidation preference.

Assurant ( AIZ ) dropped 0.2% after the company said it has acquired UK tech repair services provider iSmash.

Goldman Sachs Group ( GS ) shareholders are being urged by Institutional Shareholders Services to choose an independent board chair at its annual meeting later this month, Reuters reported, citing an ISS memo. Goldman Sachs ( GS ) shares rose 0.7% pre-bell Thursday