01:22 PM EDT, 07/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks edged lower Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index easing 0.1% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) fractionally lower.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.5%.

In corporate news, Becton Dickinson ( BDX ) has agreed to combine its biosciences and diagnostic solutions business with analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing company Waters (WAT) in a deal worth about $17.5 billion to focus on high-volume testing. Becton shares were down 0.7% and Waters was falling nearly 12%.