01:54 PM EDT, 07/30/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks advanced in Tuesday afternoon trading with the NYSE Financial Index rising 0.5% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) ahead 0.9%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index added1%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) gained 0.3%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell1.4% to $65,871, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was dropped 3.3 basis points to 4.145%.

In economic news, US job openings fell to 8.184 million in June from 8.230 million in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The June level topped the 8 million openings expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

The Conference Board's measure of consumer confidence rose to 100.3 in July from a downwardly revised 97.8 in June, exceeding 99.7 expected in a Bloomberg survey.

In corporate news, Blackstone (BX) is in the early stage of talks to buy Retail Opportunity Investments ( ROIC ) , an owner of shopping centers in the US, Reuters reported. Blackstone shares fell 0.4%, and Retail Opportunity surged 18%.

PayPal ( PYPL ) shares jumped 8.9% after the company reported stronger-than-expected increases in Q2 results and boosted 2024 earnings guidance.

Renasant ( RNST ) agreed to buy First Bancshares (FBMS) for $1.2 billion in stock to expand in the US Southeast. Renasant ( RNST ) shares fell 4.6%, and First Bancshares jumped 8.1%.