01:56 PM EST, 11/24/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were advancing in Monday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index up 0.3% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) adding 0.5%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was rising 0.2%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) was up 0.1%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was increasing 1.9% to $88,429, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was easing 0.2 basis points to 4.04%.

In economic news, the likelihood of a 25-basis-point cut in rates next month jumped to about 77% on Monday, up from 71% on Friday and 42% a week ago, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

The Dallas Fed's monthly manufacturing index deteriorated to minus 10.4 in November from minus 5.0 in October, compared with expectations for an improvement to minus 2.0 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

In corporate news, Blue Owl Capital (OWL) is weighing whether to revive a shelved plan to merge two of its private credit funds if the share price of the larger vehicle strengthens, Reuters reported. Its shares rose 0.8%.

Fulton Financial ( FULT ) agreed to acquire Blue Foundry Bancorp ( BLFY ) in an all-stock deal valued at about $243 million or $11.67 per Blue Foundry common share, based on Fulton's share price of $17.96 as of Nov. 21, the companies said Monday. Fulton shares were down 1%, and Blue Foundry surged 40%.

Waton Financial ( WTF ) shares surged past 9% after it said it is exploring a joint venture with Panda AI to develop AI agent technologies in financial services.