01:26 PM EST, 12/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were edging higher Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) each adding 0.1%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.5%.

In corporate news, Hoth Therapeutics ( HOTH ) said Thursday that it signed an exclusive patent license agreement with the US Department of Veterans Affairs to develop an obesity treatment. Its shares were falling 4.4%.