03:50 PM EDT, 10/25/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were declining late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) each shedding 0.5%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.2%.

In corporate news, Upexi ( UPXI ) shares soared 152% after the company said it was investigating an instance of possible stock manipulation.

Avalon GloboCare ( ALBT ) shares jumped past 10% after saying Friday it signed a memorandum of understanding with Qi Diagnostics for the planned co-development of a cannabis breathalyzer.

HCA Healthcare ( HCA ) shares tumbled 9%. The company's Q3 results missed analyst estimates as Hurricane Helene impacted some of its facilities, while the hospital operator expects a further hurricane-related hit in the ongoing three-month period.

ImmunityBio ( IBRX ) shares surged 28% after the company reported late Thursday dosing of the first patients in a phase 1 trial that will assess its CAR-NK cellular therapy as a potential treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.