01:46 PM EDT, 09/19/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were advancing in Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) each rising about 1%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was climbing 2%, while the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) was down 0.4%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was increasing 6% to $63,475, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was rising 6 basis points to 3.75%.

In economic news, US initial jobless claims declined sequentially to 219,000 in the week ended Sept. 14 from an upwardly revised 231,000, compared with expectations for 230,000 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

In corporate news, Toronto-Dominion Bank ( MLWIQXX ) President and Chief Executive Bharat Masrani said Thursday he intends to retire on April 10, 2025, after 38 years at the bank. Toronto-Dominion shares were rising 3%.

KKR (KKR) and German billionaire Mathias Dopfner have agreed to split Axel Springer in two, the German media company said Thursday. KKR shares were adding 2.9%.

Gryphon Digital Mining ( GRYP ) shares were up 1.8% after the company said that Steve Gutterman has been named chief executive officer and Jimmy Vaiopoulos has been appointed chair of the board.