03:22 PM EST, 12/04/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks edged lower late Wednesday afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Index and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) both down 0.1%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.4%.

In corporate news, Eli Lilly ( LLY ) said a phase 3b trial showed that Zepbound provided a 47% "greater relative weight loss" compared with Novo Nordisk's ( NVO ) Wegovy. Eli Lilly ( LLY ) shares gained 2.5%, and Novo climbed 0.3%.