Sector Update: Financial Stocks Rise Late Afternoon

03:48 PM EST, 02/26/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were advancing in late Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index up 0.9% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) ahead 1.2%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was adding 0.7%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) was rising 0.5%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was declining 0.4% to $67,734.9, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was decreasing 3.2 basis points to 4.02%.

In economic news, US initial jobless claims rose to 212,000 in the week ended Feb. 21 from an upwardly revised 208,000 in the previous week, compared with expectations for 216,000 in a survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

The Kansas City Fed monthly manufacturing index rose to 5 in February from 0 in January, higher than expectations for an increase to 2 in a Bloomberg-compiled survey.

In corporate news, HSBC (HSBC) has started the process to sell its Singapore life insurance product manufacturing business by hiring an advisor, and seeks a deal value of over $1 billion, Reuters reported. HSBC (HSBC) shares added 0.4%.

Apollo Global Management (APO) and French bank BNP Paribas are close to entering a partnership to arrange loans for corporate and private equity clients in Europe, Bloomberg reported. Apollo shares were down 2.5%.

Janus Henderson (JHG) was sent an offer to be acquired by Victory Capital for $57.04 per share, the latter said Thursday. Janus shares jumped past 6%.

PayPal (PYPL) is not currently holding talks to sell itself to Stripe or any other company, Semafor reported. PayPal (PYPL) has been working for months with bankers to brace for the possibility of activist pressure or an unsolicited takeover approach, the report said. PayPal (PYPL) shares fell 3.5%.

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