<div id="readability-page-1">01:40 PM EST, 01/21/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks rose Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index up 1% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) adding 1.3%.The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 1.5%.In corporate news, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (RDY) plans to sell a generic version of Novo Nordisk's ( NVO ) Ozempic diabetes drug following the expiry of its patent in March, media outlets reported Wednesday, citing company officials. Dr. Reddy's shares gained 2.5% and Novo was down 4%.Johnson &amp; Johnson ( JNJ ) issued a full-year sales outlook above market expectations on Wednesday, while the healthcare products conglomerate reported Q4 earnings in line with estimates. Its shares were still down 0.8%.Merck ( MRK ) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, are collaborating on a $30 million program to update Merck's ( MRK ) Ervebo Ebola vaccine and make it more affordable for low- and middle-income countries, Reuters reported. Merck ( MRK ) shares rose 1.9%.CVS Health ( CVS ) must face most of the claims in a class action challenging its policy of charging higher health-care coverage fees to employees who use tobacco products, Bloomberg Law reported. CVS shares were up 2.1%. MT Newswires does not provide investment advice. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.</div>

Health care stocks experienced a rise in afternoon trading, with the NYSE Health Care Index up 1%. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories plans to sell a generic version of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, leading to a 2.5% gain in its shares. Johnson & Johnson's full-year sales outlook exceeded expectations, despite a 0.8% drop in shares. Merck is collaborating on a $30 million program to update its Ebola vaccine, resulting in a 1.9% share increase. CVS Health faces a class action regarding higher fees for tobacco users, with shares up 2.1%.

fidelity

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First Trust NYSE Arca Biotech Index Fd

Merck

SPDR S&P Health

VanEck Biotech ETF

Invesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF

Health Care Select Sector SPDR

Kraneshares MSCI All China H

Dr Reddys Laboratories

iShares Biotechnology ETF

Defiance Daily Target 2X Long NVO ETF

iShares US Medical Devices

CVS Health

Johnson & Johnson

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iShares Genomics Immunology and Healthcare ETF

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Direxion S&P Biotech Bear 3X

Bio-Rad Lab

Novo Nordisk AS

Sector Update: Health Care Stocks Rise in Afternoon Trading