01:32 PM EDT, 07/31/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks edged higher Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index adding 0.2% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) up 0.1%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.8%.

In corporate news, Humana (HUM) shares fell 8.8% after it warned of higher-than-expected inpatient hospital admissions even as its Q2 financial results topped market estimates.