Health-care companies rose amid anticipation of further deal activity.

The Federal Trade Commission is preparing to sue the largest three pharmacy-benefit managers -- UnitedHealth Group's Optum, CVS Health's CVS Caremark and Cigna's Express Scripts -- over their tactics for negotiating prices for drugs including insulin, after a two-year investigation into whether the companies steer patients away from less-expensive medicines.

Shares of Becton Dickinson rose after the Food and Drug Administration addressed supply issues surrounding blood-culture vials.


Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

07-10-24 1828ET