Sector Update: Financial

Financial stocks were declining premarket Thursday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) down 0.6%.The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was 1.6% lower and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was up 1.8%.Whitestone REIT (WSR) said it has agreed to be acquired by Ares Management (ARES) for $19 per common share or operating partnership unit in an all-cash deal valued at about $1.7 billion. Shares of Ares Management were down more than 1% pre-bell.

-- Financial stocks were declining premarket Thursday, with the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) down 0.6%.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was 1.6% lower and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was up 1.8%.

Whitestone REIT (WSR) said it has agreed to be acquired by Ares Management (ARES) for $19 per common share or operating partnership unit in an all-cash deal valued at about $1.7 billion. Shares of Ares Management were down more than 1% pre-bell.