Sector Update: Healthcare Stocks Higher Late Afternoon

03:57 PM EST, 11/09/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Healthcare stocks were rising late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Healthcare Index and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) each adding 1.9%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 2.9%. In corporate news, Surgery Partners (SGRY) has agreed to an increased buyout deal by HealthSpan Partners after the healthcare services company received an unsolicited acquisition offer by an unnamed third party. Surgery Partners shares jumped past 14%. Merck (MRK) shares rose 1% after it said Monday that its phase 2b trial of efinopegdutide met its primary efficacy endpoint to treat adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, and stage F2 or F3 liver fibrosis. The US Food and Drug Administration said Monday it is requiring safety label changes for GLP-1 receptor agonist medications to include a warning about a potential increased risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, a rare condition that could lead to permanent loss of vision. FDA-approved GLP-1 medications include Novo Nordisk's (NVO) Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, and Eli Lilly's (LLY) Foundayo, Zepbound and Mounjaro, according to the statement. Novo shares were up 2.7%, and Lilly was rising 4.5%. Faeth Therapeutics (FTH) shares fell 42% after it said Monday that topline clinical results from a phase 2 trial of Piktor plus paclitaxel in patients with advanced endometrioid endometrial cancer showed a confirmed objective response rate of 33% in efficacy-evaluable patients and a disease control rate of 83%.