Financial stocks rose pre-bell Thursday with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) up 0.5% recently.

The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 1.5% and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 1.3% lower.

Itau Unibanco Holding (ITUB) shares were down more than 1% even after the company reported higher Q4 net income and operating revenue.

ING Groep (ING) shares fell by over 2% after the company reported a decline in Q4 earnings and unchanged revenue from a year earlier.

AllianceBernstein Holding (AB) shares were up 0.3% after the company reported higher Q4 adjusted net income and revenue.