02:15 PM EDT, 09/16/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were higher Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index rising 0.5% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) up 0.6%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) added 0.3%.

In corporate news, Bausch + Lomb ( BLCO ) shares jumped nearly 14%. The company is exploring a potential sale as it navigates a separation from its debt-laden parent Bausch Health, the Financial Times reported.

Healthy Choice Wellness ( HCWC ) shares were down about 45% in recent trading following their debut on the NYSE American after the company priced its initial public offering of 400,000 shares at $10.00 per share.

Nuvalent ( NUVL ) shares surged about 22% after the clinical-stage drugmaker provided updated data to its cancer drug candidates zidesamtinib and NVL-655 at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Barcelona, Spain.