HEALTH STOCKS BOOST WALL ST.
U.S. stocks edged higher on Tuesday as an upbeat outlook from UnitedHealth lifted health insurers, though a sharp drop in oil prices weighed on energy shares and limited the advance. The day's small gains followed a decline in the market on Monday. Analysts said the post-U.S. election rally may be losing momentum, wit the S&P 500 now up roughly 8 percent for the year to date. Wall Street has risen sharply following Donald Trump's White House win, helped in part by investor expectations that his plans to increase infrastructure spending, cut corporate taxes and reduce regulation will boost the economy. The healthcare index .SPXHC led gains in the S&P 500, rising 0.7 percent. Shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH.N), the largest U.S. health insurer, were up 3.6 percent and hit a record intraday high a day after the company issued a better-than-expected earnings forecast for the coming year. Other insurers also gained, including Aetna (AET.N), up 2.8 percent.