* Retail sales improve in February, NY factory activity plummets * Stock market rally reduces demand for safe haven US debt * Fed's Powell expected to remain cautious on rate cuts this week (Updates to New York afternoon) By Karen Brettell March 17 (Reuters) - Shorter-dated U.S. Treasury yields rose on Monday as a closely watched segment of February's retail...

03:33 PM EDT, 03/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were higher in late Monday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 1.4% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) adding 1.6%. The Philadelphia Housing Index rose 1.2%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) climbed 2%. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was increasing 2.2% to $84,432, and the yield...

03:30 PM EDT, 03/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index adding 1.8% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) rising 1.9%. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index added 1.7%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was up 0.5%. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 0.6% to $67.59...

03:38 PM EDT, 03/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were higher late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index rising 1.6% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) up 1.3%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 1.6%. In corporate news, Vtv Therapeutics ( VTVT ) shares surged 53% after it said Monday that the US Food...