01:02 PM EDT, 03/25/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks rose Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index adding 1.2% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) up 1.1%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 3%.

In corporate news, Merck ( MRK ) on Wednesday agreed to acquire oncology company Terns Pharmaceuticals ( TERN ) in a deal with an equity value of about $6.7 billion as the pharmaceutical giant aims to expand its hematology portfolio. Merck ( MRK ) shares rose 2.9%, and Terns jumped past 5%.