Sector Update: Healthcare

03:36 PM EDT, 10/22/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Healthcare stocks rose late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Healthcare Index adding 1.2% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) gaining 1.4%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) fell 1.3%. In corporate news, Gilead Sciences (GILD) agreed to pay $45 million to settle claims by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that it engaged in an "illegal kickback scheme that improperly influenced prescriptions" covered by Texas Medicaid, the attorney general said Thursday. Gilead shares were up 2.1%.