The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.3% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) advanced 0.4% in Friday's premarket activity, as big banks reported better-than-expected earnings for the prior quarter and year.

US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.3%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gaining 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures advancing 0.4% before the start of regular trading.

The December housing starts and permits bulletin will be released at 8:30 am ET, followed by the December industrial production report at 9:15 am ET.

The weekly Baker Hughes domestic oil-and-gas rig count follows at 1 pm.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 1.9% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 2.1% higher.

Power Play:

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) advanced 0.6%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was nearly 1% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was inactive. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 0.9%.

Qorvo (QRVO) shares were up 7% in recent Friday premarket activity after the Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday that activist investor Starboard Value bought a 7.7% stake in the chip maker valued at around $500 million.

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) advanced 0.3% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) were inactive.

Fastenal (FAST) stock was down nearly 6% before the opening bell after the company reported lower-than-expected Q4 net income and sales.

Winners and Losers:

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) was up 0.3%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Fund (VDC) advanced 0.1%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK), the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY), the VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) and the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) were inactive.

Vision Marine Technologies' (VMAR) shares were down more than 4% pre-bell after the company said it closed a private placement to raise about $5.8 million in gross proceeds.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) advanced 0.4%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 1%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.9% lower.

Truist Financial (TFC) shares were up nearly 3% pre-bell Friday after the company reported higher Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue.

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) advanced 0.4%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was flat while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was inactive.

Novo Nordisk's (NVO) shares were down 1.8% in recent Friday premarket activity. Reuters reported that the company's largest shareholder, Novo Holdings, is looking to double the size of Catalent over five years. Novo also reported results from a phase 3b trial of subcutaneous semaglutide 7.2 mg versus 2.4 mg saying the study achieved its primary endpoint.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) was up by 0.3%.

Cameco (CCJ) stock was up 1.4% before Friday's opening bell, reversing the loss of 0.3% at the prior close. The company said Friday it supported Westinghouse Electric's resolution of an intellectual property dispute with Korea Electric Power and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced 0.3% to $78.88 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas fell 3.9% to $4.09 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund (USO) was up 0.3%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 5.2% lower.

Gold futures for February retreated 0.4% to $2,739.40 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures fell nearly 1% at $31.42 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) declined by 0.3%, while the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) slipped by 0.6%.