Health Care Up After UnitedHealth Earnings, Merck Trial -- Health Care Roundup

Shares of health-care companies rose after strong earnings from one major insurer.

Shares of insurer UnitedHealth Group rose after it said the federal tax overhaul will increase its 2018 earnings by roughly 16%. UnitedHealth boosted its earnings projection for 2018 and said it expects to continue reaping the benefits of the tax bill into 2019 and beyond.

Shares of Merck surged after the company's Keytruda immunotherapy showed promise in a late-stage clinical trial on lung-cancer patients, meeting endpoints, including improving survival outcomes.

--Rob Curran, rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 16, 2018 16:21 ET (21:21 GMT)