Managed Health Care

Accenture (ACN) rose 5% after the S&P 500 index named the consulting firm to replace Marshall & Ilsley (MI), a holding bank. The index also named Amerigroup (AGP), the managed health care provider, to replace Nationwide Health Properties (NHP).

Stocks punched higher in afternoon action, led by Internet retailers and other tech plays. The Nasdaq jumped 1.6%, with Amazon.com (AMZN)and Microsoft (MSFT) both jumping more than 4%. The S&P 500 climbed 1.3% and the NYSE added 1%. Trade remained weak vs. Friday's heavy action. More than four...

Shares of MetLife Inc (NYSE: MET) gained about 0.8% after Franco-Belgian financial services group Dexia SA (OTC: DXBGF) agreed to sell its Turkish life insurance business to MetLife for 162 million euros ($229.3 million). The transaction is likely to close by the end of 2011. MetLife will buy Dexia...

By 11:48 am, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 93.20 points, or 0.78%, to 12,027.78, while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index had surged 9.14 points, or 0.72%. The NASDAQ composite index rose 28.10 points, or 1.06%. Some of the narrow based indexes that are driving the markets are...

Icagen Inc (NASDAQ: ICGN) shares surged 129.18% to $5.50 at 9:45 am. Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) reported that it is considering a strategic transaction with Icagen. Tiens Biotech Group (USA) Inc (AMEX: TBV) shares gained 64.08% to $1.69. TBV shares have dropped 43.72% over the past 52 weeks, while the...

Shares of Continucare Corp (NYSE: CNU) jumped more than 17% in pre-market trading after Metropolitan Health Networks Inc (AMEX: MDF) announced its plans to buy Continucare for around $416 million in cash and stock. Under the deal, CNU's stakeholders would receive $6.25 in cash for each share of...

Pre-open movers US stock futures are higher this morning, as investors are awaiting data on consumer spending. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 26 points to 11,907.00 and futures on the S&P 500 stock index rose 4.20 points to 1,267.20. Nasdaq 100 futures jumped 7.75 points to...

Metropolitan Health Networks (NYSE: MDF) and Continucare Corporation (NYSE: CNU) announced jointly today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby Metropolitan will acquire Continucare in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $416 million at the time of...

Shares of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE: HNT) are higher on the session by 0.32%, currently trading at $31.63. The stock has been moving largely higher over the past two weeks and is currently trading above the 50-day moving average. Options traders are buying calls on the name today. A short while ago...

Deutsche Bank is out with its report today on AmeriGroup (NYSE: AGP), reaffirming Buy. In a note to clients, Deutsche Bank writes, "We hosted several days of investor meetings with AGP's management team in New York and the Mid-Atlantic. The focus of the meetings was on the robust Medicaid managed...

Coventry Health Care, Inc. (NYSE: CVH) announced today that it has entered into a new $750 million five-year unsecured revolving credit facility which will be undrawn at issuance. All outstanding balances on the previous credit facility have been repaid from existing parent company cash.

A sector that has managed to stay extremely strong throughout the recent market pullback is healthcare. When searching though the healthcare stocks the best of breed is clearly Humana Inc. (HUM). HUM broke out to new 52 week highs yesterday, which tells me that as the market find its next leg...

Shares of WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP) are off slightly in the after-hours trade following the company's announcement that it has reaffirmed its FY2011 EPS forecast. Currently, shares are off by 0.30%, at $78.45; they ended the regular session higher by 3.21%, at $78.69. WellPoint, Inc. said it...

Citi is maintaining its Buy rating and its $81 price target on Amerigroup (NYSE: AGP) after meetings with the company's management. Says Citi, in the report, “In addition to the state conversions between now and 2014, and the federal expansion in 2014, the conversion of long-term enrollees is the...

J.P. Morgan is maintaining its Overweight rating and its $55 price target on CIGNA Corp. (NYSE: CI) following meetings with the company's management. In its report, J.P. Morgan writes, “We recently held meetings with management. Overall, still an emphasis on the global focus/nature of the CI...