"I think people are realizing the sky didn't fall" (re: HCR and investors)

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

The grim ravages of socialized medicine begin... or not.

This is not a knock on the bill, BTW. Hospitals and Pharma are up today but when you move a trillion dollars around there are going to be winners and losers. Of course more prescription drugs will be consumed and more people will spend time in hospitals. It would be nice if it were not for profit but we do want more people getting care so that's good for care-givers. What is interesting in the article is how investors are playing the spread between what is implemented now and measures that don't kick in until 2014.

By Kristina Peterson and Donna Kardos Yesalavich
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stocks rose steadily on Monday as the end of the health-care debate relieved investors, and drug makers and hospital operators led a climb in health-care stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was recently up 29 points, or 0.3%, at 10770. Boeing, up 2.2%, led the measure after being upgraded to outperform from underperform by Oppenheimer, which cited the company's plans to increase production rates. The company is also expected to benefit from Russia's United Aircraft's decision not to bid for a $35 billion contract for a new generation of U.S. military aerial tankers.

The Dow's pharmaceutical components strengthened, as drug makers are expected to profit from the expansion of health-care coverage. Merck rose 2.1%, while Pfizer climbed 1.7%.

Offsetting some of the gains, energy companies weakened as crude-oil prices hovered around $80 per barrel. Chevron slipped 0.6%, while Exxon edged down 0.2%.

The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.6%, while the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index climbed 0.3%. The health-care sector posted the biggest gain, while energy lagged.

The gains in health-care stocks came after the House of Representatives on Sunday voted along party lines to approve a historic health-care overhaul bill promising to bring health insurance to 32 million Americans and dramatically refashioning the industrys regulation.

Companies ranging from hospital operators and pharmacy-benefit managers to drug and medical-device makers are expected to profit from the bill, which will enroll more people in insurance programs. Meanwhile, most new fees and cost-cutting measures arent seen as a major factor until 2014.

Hospital operator Tenet Healthcare rose 7.5%, McKesson, a health-care information technology company, gained 2.1% and Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit manager, rose 1.7%. Pharmaceutical companies also climbed, with Eli Lilly up 1.5% and Bristol-Myers Squibb up 1.6%.


http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100322-708982.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Sputter. Whine. Sputter." - Republicon Homelanders

"But, but, but...when America wins, we and our corporate ProfitPig cronies FAIL (as usual). Sputter. Grimace. Sputter."

- Republicon Homelander FAIL Freaks

[dkf]

2. Wall street loves this bill.

All that lobbying pays off again.