The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.9% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 1.5% lower in Thursday's premarket activity amid the latest jobless claims data.
US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 1%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.6%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 1.6% before the start of regular trading.
US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 194,000 in the employment survey week ended Oct. 17 from an upwardly revised 200,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a level of 200,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.
The leading indicators data for September will be released at 10 am ET.
Weekly natural gas stocks data post at 10:30 am ET, followed by the Kansas City Federal Reserve's manufacturing reading for October at 11 am ET.
In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 3.2%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 3.2% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) retreated 3.8%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) fell 14%.
Power Play:
Healthcare
The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 0.7%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was flat, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) gained 0.4%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.7% lower.
Biohaven (BHVN) stock was up 35% after a regulatory filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission showed that the US Food and Drug Administration accepted the company's resubmitted New Drug Application for Vyglxia or troriluzole.
Winners and Losers:
Industrial
The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) was down 0.8%, the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) retreated 0.9%, and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.
Snap-on (SNA) stock was down more than 9% before the opening bell after the company reported lower fiscal Q3 earnings and net sales.
Energy
The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) gained 0.7%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.8%.
Liberty Energy (LBRT) stock was up more than 5% before market open after the company swung to Q3 adjusted earnings amid higher revenue.
Consumer
The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was up 1.2%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) retreated 0.01%, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 1.3%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was 0.6% lower.
Tesla (TSLA) shares were down more than 3% pre-bell, a day after the company reported lower Q3 adjusted earnings and revenue.
Technology
The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 2%, the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 1.7% lower, and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 2.3%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) declined 2.2%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell by 3.7%.
Nvidia (NVDA) shares were down more than 2% in premarket activity following a similar increase in the prior session. Reuters reported that the company and Tesla (TSLA) plan to invest a combined 3.7 trillion South Korean won ($2.80 billion) in Samsung Electro-Mechanics to expand production of advanced semiconductor substrates.
Financial
The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated 0.4%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 1.2%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 1.3% higher.
United Bankshares (UBSI) shares were down 1% in early-hours activity after the company reported Q3 financial results.
Commodities
Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2.3% to $99.41 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was down 0.5% at $2.78 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased by 1.7%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.4% lower.
Gold futures for November retreated by 1.5% to $4,086.60 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures fell 3% to $55.96 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was down 1.3%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 3.5% lower.