Trader Poll

Tell us what you think: What are the biggest health care trends to watch out for?

Key Points
  • Health care is among the leading sectors on the S&P 500 so far this year.
  • The sector saw an uptick in deal making in the first quarter.
  • Health care innovations have also been in the news.
Ariel Skelley | DigitalVision | Getty Images

Health care is among the leading sectors in the S&P 500 so far this year, up more than 8 percent in 2018.

The sector saw a pick up in deal making in the first quarter of the year with U.S. insurer Cigna's proposed merger with pharmacy benefits company Express Scripts among those making the news. Earlier this year, Bain & Company said it expected deal activity in the sector was unlikely to go away anytime soon.

Apart from that, health care innovations have also been in the news, with major tech firms — with names like Microsoft, Apple and Amazon — making moves in the space.

Drug pricing by phamaceuticals companies amid increased scrutiny and public backlash has also made headlines, with even U.S. President Donald Trump weighing in on the issue after Pfizer raised prices earlier this year.