Financial stocks were advancing premarket Friday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) 0.5% higher.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 1.2% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 1.3% lower.

UBS Group (UBS) shares were up more than 1% following media reports that Swiss lawmakers have pitched a compromise on new capital rules for the local banking giant in a bid to make sure it continues to be competitive globally.

Old Republic International (ORI) stock was up more than 2% after the company declared a special dividend of $2.50 a share, payable on Jan. 14 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 2.

HSBC (HSBC) has committed to keeping its 327 branches in the UK open until at least 2027 and will increase its 2026 branch network investment by 30% to 55.8 million British pounds ($74.6 million), HSBC UK said in a statement shared with MT Newswires. HSBC shares were 0.3% higher premarket.