Financial stocks were gaining pre-bell Wednesday, with The Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) marginally higher.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.2% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.1% higher.

Deutsche Bank (DB) is set to buy a portfolio of bad loans for about $800 million from First Abu Dhabi Bank, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter. Deutsche Bank shares were down 0.3% premarket.

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) said it acquired the American Financial Exchange, an electronic platform for direct lending and borrowing among American banks and financial institutions, from 7RIDGE. Intercontinental Exchange shares were steady pre-bell.