Sector Update: Healthcare Stocks Advance Late Afternoon

03:53 PM EST, 11/04/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Healthcare stocks were higher late Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Healthcare Index rising 2.9% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) adding 3.2%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 2.3%. In corporate news, CVS Health (CVS) said Wednesday it plans to separate into two independent, publicly traded companies, as it raised its full-year outlook after Q3 earnings and revenue topped Wall Street's estimates. Its shares fell nearly 12%. Medline (MDLN) shares surged 18% after it reported Q3 adjusted earnings that topped analysts' expectations, while net sales increased year on year. Novo Nordisk (NVO) shares jumped past 5% after it posted higher Q3 net sales and lifted its 2026 adjusted sales guidance. Edwards Lifesciences (EW) shares rose 4.9% after Truist Securities upgraded the stock to buy from hold and raised its price target to $113 from $95.