WebMD Stock Falls On New Google Health Tool

Shares of WebMD Health Corp. fell more than 5% in recent trade after Google Inc. said it would start answering medical inquiries right on its search page, saving users from having to click onto third-party sites for common health questions. Google said it will display relevant medical facts such as symptoms and treatments, as well as details on how common the condition is and whether it's critical or contagious, at the top of the search page when users ask medical-related questions. Google, which compiled the information through a team of doctors, said it built the tool to meet high demand, with one out of every 20 Google searches seeking medical information. WebMD's stock fell on the news, and is now down more than 18% over the last 12 months. The company is scheduled to report quarterly earnings on Feb. 24. Shares of Google were up 1% in recent trade.