03:57 PM EDT, 03/25/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were advancing in late Wednesday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 0.6% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) increasing 0.2%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was 0.3% higher, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) was up 0.3%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was increasing 0.5% to $70,893, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries dropped 6.4 basis points to 4.33%.

In corporate news, KKR (KKR) and the Fuchs family are discussing the sale of new and existing equity in German satellite maker OHB, Bloomberg reported. The prospective deal represents a roughly 20% stake and could value the aerospace business slightly above its 5.5 billion euro ($6.37 billion) market capitalization, the report said. Separately, KKR has reached a deal to buy Nothing Bundt Cakes from Roark Capital for more than $2 billion, including debt, The Wall Street Journal reported. KKR shares were down 1.8%.

KKR and BlackRock ( BLK )-owned (BLK) Global Infrastructure Partners are among the companies bidding for a controlling stake in superfast broadband network XpFibre, the Financial Times reported. BlackRock ( BLK ) shares rose 0.6%.

Barclays ( BCS ) is pulling back on asset-based lending to smaller borrowers after the collapses of Market Financial Solutions and Tricolor, Bloomberg reported. The bank is shifting its focus to securitizations and loans for larger corporate clients, the report said. Barclays ( BCS ) shares rose 2.2%.

NatWest ( NWG ) shares added 1.3% after it said Wednesday it has agreed to sell its human resources advisory service Mentor to Limerston Capital-backed Empowering People Group.