A JPMorgan analyst said Tuesday that health care is currently the most attractive sector in the market, and stocks in health care could make an average gain of 25 percent in 2009.
Thomas J. Lee upgraded the health care sector to “Overweight” from “Neutral,” saying the stocks are generally inexpensive compared with their expected earnings, and profit growth could exceed Wall Street expectations. Lee said pharmacy benefits managers, biotechnology Read the rest of this entry »

Shares of women’s clothing retailers traded mostly higher on Tuesday, despite more data showing consumers were reluctant to spend this holiday season.
The International Council of Shopping Centers said weekly same-store sales dropped 1.5 percent last week amid continued economic woes and wintry weather.
On a year-over-year basis, same-store sales fell 1.8 percent, according to the association’s weekly index, which tracks sales of about 40 retailers.
Read the rest of this entry »

Shares of health insurers were battered throughout 2008, in part because of smaller profit margins bought on by years of price cuts. Analysts on Wednesday offered differing opinions on whether that will continue in 2009 and beyond.
Citi Investment Research analyst Charles Boorady said he thinks managed care providers will be able to post steadier margins in 2009 and 2010 because the recession is reducing their medical costs. However, an analyst Read the rest of this entry »

HARARE, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has
showed its commitment in improving Zimbabwe’s health delivery system by making
available 5 million U.S. dollars for the health sector at a time the country is
battling cholera, The Sunday Mail reported.
UNICEF Executive Director Ms Ann Veneman on Saturday told journalists that
the grant is a stop-gap measure and part of a larger initiative to provide
incentives Read the rest of this entry »

on Wednesday gave positive outlooks for Mylan Inc. and
Industries Ltd., saying the top generic drug developers will likely benefit from health reforms in the coming years.
In a note to investors, analyst Randall Stanicky, also said buyout activity at the companies has positioned them well for competitiveness.
The new presidential administration and Congress will likely deal with some type of health care reform plan in an effort to reduce costs. Read the rest of this entry »

Associated Press
09.12.08,
1:55 PM ET
Shares of hospital operators received a boost Friday as analysts gave mostly upbeat outlooks for several companies based on a mix of admissions, management and debt improvements.
In notes to investors late Thursday, both Banc of America and Pomeroy Research said companies including Dallas-based
Tenet Healthcare Corp.
) and Naples, Fla.-based
Health Management Associates Inc.
) have positioned Read the rest of this entry »

Daschle, one of Obama’s earliest and most ardent campaign supporters, paid $140,000 to the U.S. Treasury on Jan. 2 and about two days later informed the White House and the Senate Finance Committee, according to an account provided by his spokeswoman and confirmed by the Obama administration.
Although Daschle had known since June 2008 that he needed to correct his tax returns, he never expected the amount to be such a “jaw-dropping” sum and “thought Read the rest of this entry »

NEW YORK (Associated Press) – Among the sector activity stories for Friday, Sept. 12, from AP Financial News:
NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of teen apparel retailers dropped Friday, along with the broader market, as the Commerce Department reported retail sales fell by 0.3 percent in August.
NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of hospital operators received a boost Friday as analysts gave mostly upbeat outlooks for several companies based on a mix of admissions, Read the rest of this entry »

what various communities are doing to grapple with the ever-rising health insurance costs.
Aside from the size of the weekly paycheck, health insurance is the benefit that a worker cares most about. It offers peace of mind and a real measure of security, especially for those workers with children.
As this benefit takes a bigger and bigger bite out of employers’ budgets, employees are finding that they, too, are having to pay increasing amounts Read the rest of this entry »

New Food and Drug Administration guidelines for diabetes drugs could mean higher study costs and delays in reaching the market for several companies, including Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc., as the agency focuses on potential heart risks.
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration updated guidance for new diabetes drugs, calling for more scrutiny on heart condition risks. Two years ago, concern was raised over potential heart risks for patients Read the rest of this entry »