Deal activity and inflation impact health-care sector

  • Health-care companies rise on deal activity
  • AstraZeneca acquires Icosavax for $1.1 billion
  • AbbVie announces two multibillion dollar acquisitions
  • Cigna shares decline after failed buyout attempt
  • Inflation in health-care services increases

Health-care companies saw a boost in stock prices as deal activity continued in the sector. AstraZeneca made a cash deal to acquire respiratory specialist Icosavax for approximately $1.1 billion. This follows AbbVie’s recent announcement of two multibillion dollar acquisitions and a major pharmacy deal in Australia. However, Cigna shares experienced a decline after its failed attempt to buy out rival Humana. In addition, inflation in health-care services is on the rise, with hospital and related services prices increasing by 6.3% in November, marking the largest 12-month gain since January 2011.

Factuality Level: 7
Factuality Justification: The article provides information about recent deal activity in the health-care sector, including AstraZeneca’s acquisition of Icosavax and AbbVie’s acquisitions. It also mentions the collapse of Cigna’s effort to buy out Humana. The article includes a statistic from the Labor Department about the rise in hospital and related services prices. Overall, the information provided seems to be factual and based on recent events in the health-care sector.
Noise Level: 4
Noise Justification: The article provides some relevant information about deal activity in the health-care sector, but it lacks in-depth analysis and evidence to support its claims about price pressures on health-care services.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Health-care companies
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Rating Justification: The article discusses deal activity in the health-care sector and the rising prices of health-care services. While there is no mention of an extreme event, the information is relevant to financial markets and companies in the health-care industry.
Public Companies: AstraZeneca (AZN), AbbVie (ABBV), Cigna (CI), Humana (HUM)
Private Companies: Icosavax
Key People:


Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com