Financial stocks were edging up in Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index adding 0.1% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) up 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was up 0.1%, while the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) was fractionally lower.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) increased 0.5% to $84,278, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was shedding 1 basis point to 4.25%.

In economic news Thursday, US initial jobless claims rose to 223,000 in the week ended March 15 from an upwardly revised 221,000 in the previous week, below expectations for 224,000 in a survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

In corporate news, Accenture (ACN) pointed to a potential slowdown in federal revenue as the Trump administration pushed to cut federal spending but still raised the midpoint of its full-year financial outlook. Its shares dropped past 7%.

TPG's (TPG) TPG Capital has offered more than 800 million euros ($867.2 million) for the digital banking unit of Italy's Nexi, Bloomberg reported. TPG shares were fractionally lower.

Carlyle (CG) is seeking a buyer for SierraCol, its Colombian oil producer, for about $1.5 billion, Reuters reported. Carlyle shares rose 0.6%.