S&P 500 Gains and Losses Today: Pfizer and Merck Jump; Payments Stocks Decline
1. Merck shares surged 6.8% following positive regulatory news in Europe. 2. The company received a recommendation for a new RSV prevention product. 3. Merck also announced a drug discovery partnership with Variational AI. 4. Pfizer's lower drug prices and government backing similarly boosted pharmaceutical stocks. 5. Broader market gains were noted despite looming government shutdown concerns.