Sector Update: Financial Stocks Rise Premarket Friday

09:22 AM EDT, 09/25/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Financial stocks were rising premarket Friday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advancing by 0.3%. The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.8% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.1% lower. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial's (SMFG) Sumitomo Mitsui Banking unit is in advanced talks to increase its stake in VPBank, a Vietnamese private lender, Reuters reported, citing four people familiar with the negotiations. Shares of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group were up more than 3% pre-bell. Veon (VEON) and Square Group joint venture received approval for a digital bank license from Bangladesh Bank, Veon said. Veon stock was up more than 2% premarket. Assured Guaranty's (AGO) unit Assured Guaranty agreed to provide up to $248 million in financing as part of Brightline Florida's restructuring, including for certain Chapter 11 entities, the company said. Assured Guaranty shares were up more than 2% pre-bell.