Sector Update: Financial Stocks Slide Thursday Afternoon

BY MT Newswires | TREASURY | 10/16/25 02:02 PM EDT

02:02 PM EDT, 10/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks declined in Thursday afternoon trading with the NYSE Financial Index falling 1.4% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) dropping 2.1%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index lost 1.1%, while the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) rose 0.1%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) declined 1.7% to $108,951, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries dropped 5.1 basis points to 3.982%.

In economic news, US homebuilder confidence rose more than expected this month to the highest since April, despite persistent macroeconomic uncertainty, according to National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo data. The housing market index, which covers new single-family homes, advanced five points to 37 in October. The consensus was for an increase to 33 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

In corporate news, Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL) shares fell 19% after the company initiated a lawsuit against Cantor Group V in August for alleged fraud related to a note finance revolving credit facility.

Travelers' (TRV) Q3 written premiums fell short of market estimates, although the property and casualty insurer reported Q3 earnings above expectations. The shares dropped 2.8%.

Charles Schwab's (SCHW) Q3 results exceeded Wall Street's estimates as the financial services provider added more than 1 million brokerage accounts for the fourth quarter in a row. The shares increased 0.2%.

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In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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