Health-care companies rose as the Democratic sweep of U.S. Congress and the White House was seen as maintaining status quo in the U.S. health-care system.
Shares of large insurers rose, with the largest American health insurer by enrollees, UnitedHealth Group adding more than 1% to trade at its highest ever level.
Separately, a surgical-care unit of UnitedHealth Group was indicted on antitrust charges that it maintained yearslong agreements with rival health-care firms over recruitment of senior-level employees.
Pharmacy foot traffic has fallen as Covid-19 precautions thwart the seasonal flu and people skip routine medical care and generally avoid stores, Walgreens Boots Alliance executives said. Still, shares of the drug-store chain rallied as earnings exceeded Wall Street targets.
China's Sinovac vaccine was 78% effective against Covid-19 in Brazilian late-stage trials and offered total protection against severe cases of the disease, raising hopes it can be used to immunize much of the developing world
Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
01-07-21 1722ET
