03:56 PM EDT, 10/09/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks rose late Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index up 0.8% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) climbing 0.9%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.1%.

In corporate news, Amazon.com's ( AMZN ) Amazon Pharmacy said Wednesday it plans to open pharmacies in 20 new cities across the US next year. Amazon ( AMZN ) shares were rising 1.4%.

GSK (GSK) shares jumped 6.2% after saying it has agreed to pay $2.2 billion to settle 93% of Zantac state court product liability cases in the US.

UnitedHealth ( UNH ) and CVS Health ( CVS ) want Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan and two other FTC commissioners to recuse themselves from a lawsuit accusing the companies of increasing profit via inflated insulin costs, CNBC reported. UnitedHealth ( UNH ) shares rose 1.9%, and CVS was marginally higher.

PACS' (PACS) long duration dependent earnings potential signal a "high quality" investment choice, UBS Securities said in a report starting coverage of the company with a buy rating. PACS shares added 1.8%.