Sector Update: Financial Stocks Decline Friday Afternoon

01:30 PM EST, 01/23/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were lower in Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index decreasing 0.9% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) dropping 1.5%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 1.8%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) was up 0.1%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was increasing 1.5% to $90,730, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was slightly higher at 4.25%.

In economic news, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index was revised up Friday to 56.4 for January from 54.0 in the preliminary estimate, compared with expectations for no revision in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

The January flash reading of manufacturing conditions from S&P Global rose slightly to 51.9 from 51.8 in December, compared with an expected reading of 52.0 in a Bloomberg survey.

In corporate news, Capital One Financial (COF) agreed to buy AI-backed financial software platform Brex for $5.15 billion in cash and stock. The consideration includes $2.75 billion in cash and 10.6 million shares, Capital One said Thursday. Capital One shares were down 7.3%.

Blackstone (BX) and Austrian billionaire Andreas Kaufmann, owners of Leica Camera, are considering the sale of a controlling stake in the German camera maker, valuing the potential deal at about 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion), Bloomberg reported. Blackstone shares were shedding 3%.

Houlihan Lokey (HLI) is working with private equity firm Waterland on a possible purchase of AI consulting firm Xebia for 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion), Bloomberg reported. Houlihan Lokey (HLI) shares fell 3.1%.

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