01:38 PM EDT, 06/03/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were mixed Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index fractionally lower and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) rising 0.3%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 1.4%.

In corporate news, MoonLake Immunotherapeutics ( MLTX ) shares jumped past 19% after the Financial Times reported that Merck ( MRK ) has held talks for an over $3 billion acquisition of the Swiss biotech company. Merck ( MRK ) shares rose 0.5%.