Sector Update: Financial

03:30 PM EDT, 09/25/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were advancing in late Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 0.8% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) up 0.5%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was adding 1%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) was shedding 0.3%. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was declining 0.5% to $83,994, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries increased 2 basis points to 5.18%. In corporate news, Blackstone's (BX) global head of private equity, Joseph Baratta, is preparing to leave the firm, The Wall Street Journal reported. Baratta, who has been with Blackstone for nearly three decades and has led its private equity business since 2012, is also a board member and part of the firm's management committee, according to the report. Blackstone shares were up 0.9%.