The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.8% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) retreated 1% in Thursday's premarket activity amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.8%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.7%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.9% before the start of regular trading.
US initial jobless claims totaled 210,000, in line with expectations and up from 205,000 in the prior week.
Weekly natural gas stocks will be released at 10:30 am ET, followed by the Kansas City Federal Reserve's manufacturing reading for March at 11 am ET.
Fed Governors Lisa Cook, Stephen Miran, Philip Jefferson and Michael Barr are scheduled to speak on Thursday.
In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 2.1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 2.2% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) fell by 4.8%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was flat.
Power Play:
Consumer
The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.3% and the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was flat. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.8%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was 0.7% lower.
Olaplex (OLPX) shares were up more than 50% pre-bell after the company said it has agreed to be acquired by Henkel for $2.06 per share in cash, representing a roughly $1.40 billion equity value.
Winners and Losers:
Energy
The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) advanced 0.5%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.7%.
Golar LNG (GLNG) stock was up more than 7% before Thursday's opening bell after the company said late Wednesday its board started evaluating strategic options, including a potential sale or merger, to accelerate the growth of its floating liquefied natural gas business.
Technology
The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.6%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 1.2% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 0.4%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) fell 4.6%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) declined by 1.3%.
Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares were down more than 3% in premarket activity after news outlets reported Wednesday that shareholders sued the company, accusing it of committing securities fraud by concealing its dependence on sales to China in violation of US export laws.
Industrial
The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) retreated 0.8%, the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was down 0.8%, and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.
Hub Group (HUBG) stock was down more than 2% before the opening bell after Wells Fargo downgraded it to equal weight from overweight and cut its price target to $35 from $55.
Health Care
The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated by 0.3%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) declined by 0.01%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) and the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) were inactive.
NovoCure (NVCR) stock was up more than 1% premarket after the company said that its phase 2 trial of tumor treating fields, or TTFields, therapy combined with atezolizumab and chemotherapy met its primary endpoint in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Financial
The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated by 0.8%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 2.5%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 2.4% higher.
Corebridge Financial (CRBG) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell, and Equitable (EQH) rose over 3% after the companies said they have agreed to combine in an all-stock merger valuing the combined company at about $22 billion.
Commodities
Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose by 4.9% to $94.70 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas declined by 0.1% to $2.95 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) was up by 3.6%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.8% lower.
Gold futures for March retreated by 2.8% to $4,455.10 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures fell 7% to $67.53 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) declined by 2%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 5.5% lower.