Sector Update: Health Care Stocks Advance Late Afternoon
Health care stocks climbed late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index rising 1.4% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) adding 1.5%.The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) gained 1.6%.In corporate news, Abbott Laboratories' (ABT) end-markets remain healthy despite a lower 2026 organic revenue guidance amid fiscal Q1 challenges and mixed performance, RBC Capital Markets said in a note. Abbott shares rose 1.7%.Merck (MRK) shares added 2.8% after it said Friday that the European Commission has approved Enflonsia to prevent respiratory tract disease in newborns and infants.Kura Oncology (KURA) shares jumped past 9% after it said Friday that new preliminary data from a subset analysis of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma previously treated with cabozantinib showed "robust" antitumor activity in an ongoing clinical trial of darlifarnib in combination with cabozantinib.Psyence Biomedical (PBM) shares surged 30% after it acknowledged recent reports saying that the US administration is preparing an executive order to further evaluate the safety and therapeutic potential of ibogaine, a naturally occurring compound being studied for its potential in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, and other serious neurological and mental health conditions. Through its investment in PsyLabs, Psyence has established a position in the manufacturing of ibogaine and ibogaine derivatives, it said.