01:37 PM EDT, 04/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were advancing Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index rising 1.4% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) up 1.3%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 1.8%.

In corporate news, UnitedHealth ( UNH ) said it paid a ransom to protect patient data from disclosure following the February cyberattack on its subsidiary Change Healthcare, according to media reports. The company did not disclose the amount of the ransom it paid out, according to the reports. UnitedHealth ( UNH ) shares fell 0.7%.