Top Health Care Stocks
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Health care stocks struggled somewhat Friday afternoon, at times lagging the broader markets, including closing with a slightly more than 0.6% gain for the NYSE Health Care Index. Also, shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 were up nearly 1.5% as a group while the Nasdaq Biotechnology index ( NBI ) raced nearly 1.0% higher today.
Among health care stocks moving on news today:
-AmpliPhi Biosciences ( APHB ) declined after the company late Thursday said it hired investment bankers Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. to assist with evaluating its strategic alternatives while it looks to fund Phase II testing of its AB-SA01 and AB-PA01 product candidates.
In other sector news:
+ Surgery Partners ( SGRY ) climbed over 14% on Friday, reaching a session high of $11.15 a share, after the specialty hospitals operator today authorized a new stock buyback program for up to $50 million of its common stock.
+ GlycoMimetics ( GLYC ) advanced as much as 6% on Friday after the glycomimetic drugmaker was tapped to join the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index early next week. Endocyte ( ECYT ), Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals (TTPH) and Cascadian Therapeutics (CASC) also were selected in the annual reclassification of the capitalization-weighted index.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
