The financial sector is trading higher, with the XLF ETF up approximately 1.55%, driven by a series of positive earnings reports from regional banks. Companies like Wintrust Financial and KeyCorp reported robust third-quarter results, beating analyst expectations in some cases. Adding to the positive sentiment, Prudential Financial announced a major strategic divestiture, selling its Brazilian and Mexican units for over $4 billion. This combination of strong earnings and significant corporate action appears to be fueling investor confidence in the sector.