The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.3% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) retreated 0.5% in Thursday's premarket activity, ahead of a deluge of economic data releases.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.4%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.5% before the start of regular trading.

The existing home sales report for August and the Q2 Quarterly Services survey will be released at 10 am ET, followed by the weekly EIA natural gas report at 10:30 am ET, and the Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Index for September at 11 am ET.

Federal Reserve officials slated to speak on Thursday include Austan Goolsbee, president of Chicago; Jeffrey Schmid, president of Kansas City; Governor Michelle Bowman; Governor Michael Barr; Lorie Logan, president of Dallas; and Mary Daly, president of San Francisco.

New orders for US durable goods rebounded by 2.9% in August following a decline of 2.7%, compared with expectations for a 0.3% drop in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.

US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 218,000 in the week ended Sept. 20 from an upwardly revised 232,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for an increase to 233,000 in a survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.

The US advance international trade in goods deficit narrowed to $85.54 billion in August from $102.84 billion in July, according to data released by the US Census Bureau. This was a narrower gap than the $95.4 billion deficit expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.

In premarket action, bitcoin was down by 1.7%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.7% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) fell 3.8%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) retreated 1.9%.

Power Play:

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) retreated 0.1%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) gained 0.3% while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) declined marginally by 0.01%.

Immuneering (IMRX) stock was up more than 30% premarket after the company said Sanofi (SNY) has agreed to purchase 2.7 million shares in a private placement.

Winners and Losers:

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) gained 0.01%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Fund (VDC) was inactive. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive, and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) lost 0.2%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) and the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) were inactive.

LuxExperience (LUXE) shares were up more than 19% pre-bell after the company swung to fiscal Q4 earnings and reported higher sales.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) retreated by 0.03%.

Centrus Energy (LEU) stock was down more than 4% before Thursday's opening bell after the company said it plans a "major expansion" of its uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio.

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) retreated 0.2% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was flat and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.

Hertz Global Holdings (HTZ) stock was down more than 2% before the opening bell after the company said that one of its subsidiaries has agreed to sell in a private placement $375 million of 5.5% exchangeable senior notes due 2030.

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) retreated 0.5%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.4% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was inactive. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) fell 0.9%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) declined by 1.3%.

SAP SE (SAP) shares were up more than 2% in recent premarket activity after the European Commission said it is conducting a formal investigation into the company over allegations that it may have engaged in anti-competitive practices in the aftermarket for maintenance and support services in enterprise resource planning software.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) retreated 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.5%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.6% higher.

HSBC Holdings (HSBC) shares were down more than 1% pre-bell after the company said it agreed to sell its retail banking business in Sri Lanka to Nations Trust Bank. The company also said that a trial conducted with International Business Machines (IBM) to explore the use of quantum computers in optimizing bond trading yielded "promising" results.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 0.4% to $64.69 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was up 1.4% to $2.90 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) was 0.3% lower, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) advanced by 1.4%.

Gold futures for December were up by 0.4% to $3,782 an ounce on the Comex, while silver futures rose 2.1% to $45.11 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) advanced 0.5%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 2.1% higher.