Week ending Jan. 12 saw a stormy ride for financial stocks, particularly those tethered to the volatile crypto market. This week, the financial sector saw four crypto-linked stocks and one insurer stumble, while three insurers, one bank, and one asset manager emerged as the top performers.
All in, the financial sector’s larger market cap of $2B+ concluded the week slightly in the red, with the Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEARCA:XLF) slipping 0.4%, countered by the S&P 500’s robust 1.8% climb.
In a dramatic turn of events, Bitcoin miners Marathon Digital Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) and Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT), and cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) took major hits, plummeting 21.3%, 20.9%, and 15.1%, respectively. The retreat of Bitcoin (BTC-USD) from a two-year high after the awaited approval of U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds was notable, edging down 0.4% for the week. This shift hints at the ebbing of exuberance that preceded the much-anticipated nod.
Moreover, Genworth Financial (NYSE:GNW), a life and health insurer, slid 7.4% this past week, while trading app Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD), a major bitcoin holder, fell 7.3%.
Conversely, the victors of the week included P&C insurer Kemper Corp. (NYSE:KMPR), leading the pack with an 8.6% jump, Brazil-based digital banking platform Nu Holdings (NYSE:NU), climbing 8.1%, and Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO), which, despite a downgrade to Hold at Jefferies, advanced 7%. Kinsale Capital Group (NYSE:KNSL), another P&C insurer, gained 6.8%, and AllianceBernstein Holding (NYSE:AB) rounded out the top performers with a 6.7% ascent.