03:56 PM EDT, 06/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were higher late Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Financial Index up 0.1% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) fractionally higher.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was adding 0.2%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) rose 0.4%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was declining 0.6% to $104,036, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was little changed at 4.38%.

In economic news, the Federal Reserve kept its benchmark lending rate unchanged for a fourth straight meeting, while acknowledging that economic uncertainty has dropped. The Federal Open Market Committee left interest rates in the range of 4.25% to 4.50%, in line with Wall Street's expectations.

Separately, the seasonally adjusted number of initial jobless claims fell by 5,000 to 245,000 for the week ended June 14, government data showed, in line with a Bloomberg-compiled consensus. The previous week's reading was revised up by 2,000 to 250,000. The four-week moving average totaled 245,500, its highest level since August 2023.

In sector news, US regulators, including the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC, are planning to reduce the supplementary leverage ratio by up to 1.5%, Bloomberg reported. The change would lower capital requirements for the largest US banks, such as JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Goldman Sachs (GS), and Morgan Stanley (MS), from 5% to a range of 3.5% to 4.5%, the report said.

In corporate news, Brookfield Wealth Solutions ( BNT ) has mostly withdrawn from private credit investments as rising demand shrinks yields, Bloomberg reported, citing the company's Chief Executive Sachin Shah. Brookfield shares were rising 3%.

Barclays ( BCS ) and Banco Santander (SAN) are among banks interested in buying Banco Sabadell's UK retail lender TSB, Bloomberg reported. Barclays ( BCS ) shares were up 0.9%, and Santander rose 1.7%.

Slide Insurance (SLDE) shares jumped past 17% in their Nasdaq debut Wednesday after the company priced its IPO of 24 million shares at $17 per share.

Blackstone (BX) sees a $200 billion investment potential in European credit deals over the next decade amid factors like an improved fiscal and monetary environment in the region, Bloomberg reported, citing a company executive. Blackstone shares rose 1.5%.