09:12 AM EDT, 05/18/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.1%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.03% lower in Monday's premarket activity as stalled diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran fuel concerns about inflation.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.4%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.7%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.4% before the start of regular trading.

The New York Fed's services sector index improved to negative 5.8 in May from negative 14.0 in April, signaling a slower pace of contraction.

The National Association of Home Builders'index for May will be released at 10 am ET.

The US Treasury's international capital standards report for March will be released at 4 pm ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 2%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 2.9% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) retreated by 4.8%, and Bitcoin &Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) lost 0.9%.

Power Play:

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) was flat, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.1% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 0.4%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was down 1.1%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) lost 0.4%.

LiveRamp (RAMP) shares were up more than 26% in premarket activity after the company agreed to be acquired by Publicis Groupe in an all-cash deal valued at about $2.17 billion. The company also reported higher fiscal Q4 financial results.

Winners and Losers:

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was up 0.8%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.04%.

Dominion Energy (D) shares rose more than 15%, while NextEra Energy (NEE) stock declined over 1% after the companies agreed to merge in an all-stock deal.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.02%, and the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was 2% lower. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.6%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) retreated by 0.3%.

Ford Motor (F) shares were up more than 6% pre-bell after the company said it has outlined a revised Europe strategy built around new electric vehicles, commercial software services, and a broader product rollout through 2029.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.1%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) retreated 0.01% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was down 0.3%.

Ryanair (RYAAY) stock was up more than 4% before the opening bell after the company reported higher fiscal 2026 earnings and revenue.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated by 0.6%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was down 0.8%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) slipped 0.2%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.5% lower.

ImmunityBio (IBRX) stock rose more than 4% premarket after the company said it signed an exclusive development and supply agreement with Japan BCG Laboratory to get exclusive rights to develop, import, and commercialize the latter's intravesical Tokyo-172 BCG in the US.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated by 0.3%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.8%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 0.5% higher.

Mizuho Financial (MFG) shares were down more than 4% pre-bell after the company said it had not yet made a final decision on an investment in Rakuten Bank.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated by 0.9% to $104.50 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was up 2.3% at $3.03 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) decreased by 0.2%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 2.2% higher.

Gold futures for May gained by 0.1% to reach $4,567.60 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures fell by 0.3% to $77.31 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) advanced by 0.1%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) increased by 0.4%.