01:46 PM EDT, 10/09/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks advanced in Wednesday afternoon trading with the NYSE Financial Index up 0.6% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) climbing 1%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was little changed, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) fell 0.2%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) declined 0.5% to $63,126, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries gained 3.4 basis points to 4.067%.

In economic news, wholesale inventories rose 0.1% in August, revised down from a 0.2% gain in the advance reading and following a 0.2% increase in July. Analysts in a survey compiled by Bloomberg expected August inventories to be unrevised from the advance estimate.

Mortgage applications fell 5.1% in the week ended Friday as the strong September employment report drove mortgage rates to the highest level since August, according to data released by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

In corporate news, Whitestone REIT ( WSR ) shares jumped 7.1%. Shareholder MCB Real Estate increased its offer to buy Whitestone to $15 a share in cash.

LendingClub ( LC ) and Pagaya Technologies ( PGY ) partnered to buy the intellectual property of fintech Tally Technologies. LendingClub ( LC ) shares jumped 4%, and Pagaya ( PGY ) fell 1.3%.

Interactive Brokers ( IBKR ) shares rose 1.5%. The company agreed to partner with Saudi investment bank SNB Capital to allow global investors to use the Saudi Exchange via Interactive Brokers' ( IBKR ) platform.