01:18 PM EDT, 07/16/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Healthcare stocks were higher Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Healthcare Index rising 1.8% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) adding 2%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was down 0.4%.

In corporate news, UnitedHealth ( UNH ) shares rose 3.3% after it posted higher Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue and raised its 2026 adjusted EPS outlook.

AtaiBeckley ( ATAI ) shares surged 33% after Eli Lilly ( LLY ) said it agreed to acquire the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company for up to $3.8 billion. Lilly was up 1.3%.

Abbott Laboratories ( ABT ) lifted its full-year earnings outlook on Thursday as the healthcare firm reported Q2 results above market estimates. Abbott shares jumped 11%.