The healthcare sector is not homogeneous and includes many different industries ranging from managed care organizations, healthcare facilities providers, medical device manufacturers to biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Investors in heath care therefore should remain mindful of the different drivers and appropriate metrics associated with the various sub-sectors.

That said, and recent market volatility aside, long-term growth of the healthcare sector overall continues to be fuelled by aging of the population and decisions in Congress related to government funding. Given the ongoing reform debate in Congress, healthcare policy changes remain an important signpost to investing in the sector.

As would be expected in the current backdrop of potentially unfavorable regulatory change, the outlook for many health care industry groups is currently in the `Bad' category. As case in point is the Managed Care Industry (HMOs), whose fortunes are set to be negatively affected by most of the legislative proposals currently on the

...

The healthcare sector is not homogeneous and includes many different industries ranging from managed care organizations, healthcare facilities providers, medical device manufacturers to biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Investors in heath care therefore should remain mindful of the different drivers and appropriate metrics associated with the various sub-sectors.

That said, and recent market volatility aside, long-term growth of the healthcare sector overall continues to be fuelled by aging of the population and decisions in Congress related to government funding. Given the ongoing reform debate in Congress, healthcare policy changes remain an important signpost to investing in the sector.

As would be expected in the current backdrop of potentially unfavorable regulatory change, the outlook for many health care industry groups is currently in the `Bad' category. As case in point is the Managed Care Industry (HMOs), whose fortunes are set to be negatively affected by most of the legislative proposals currently on the

...

The healthcare sector is not homogeneous and includes many different industries ranging from managed care organizations, healthcare facilities providers, medical device manufacturers to biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Investors in heathcare therefore should remain mindful of the different drivers and appropriate metrics associated with the various sub-sectors. That said, and recent market volatility aside, long-term growth of the healthcare sector overall continues to be fuelled by aging of the population and decisions in Congress related to government funding.  Given the ongoing reform debate in Congress, healthcare policy changes remain an important signpost to investing in the sector. As would be expected in the current backdrop of potentially unfavorable regulatory change, the outlook for many health care industry groups is currently in the ‘Bad’ category. As case in point is the Managed Care Industry (HMOs), whose fortunes are set to be negatively affected by most of the legislative proposals ...

The probably bankruptcy of CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) could have major implications on the retail and manufacturing sectors this week, as many related companies are reliant on the financing giant.

With options running out over the weekend, CIT advisors began preparations for a bankruptcy filing. As of Sunday, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) and Morgan Stanley (MS) were talking with other banks about a debtor-in-possession loan, used to fund a company’s operations after it seeks court protection from creditors, Bloomberg News reported.

Bondholders held calls last week to discuss whether to swap some claims for equity to reduce indebtedness. Thomas Lauria, a lawyer at White & Case LLP, told Bloomberg that a group of CIT creditors he represents offered to provide $3 billion in new loans to bridge CIT to an out-of-court restructuring or an orderly bankruptcy, but had yet to hear back from CIT management.

“It seems CIT was

...

U.S. stocks declined for the third consecutive day after Standard & Poor's cut its credit ratings and outlooks for 22 banks and bellwether FedEx Corp's weak profit forecast reignited worries of a prolonged recession.  Nevertheless, consumer and technology stocks helped Nasdaq end the day higher with a 0.7% gain.

Pre-market futures suggest a flat opening as traders look for concrete signs of an economic recovery, amid fears of increased government interventions and a crushed economic rebound.

Commodities and financial shares led the decliners yesterday, but healthcare stocks rose after Democratic leaders began working on a healthcare overhaul that would make it mandatory for all Americans to have health insurance coverage.  Shares traded in a narrow range, swinging between gains and losses.  Among S&P industry groups, financials led the declining issues with a 2.2% fall.  Oil and basic materials both recorded a 1.6% fall.  Stocks of consumer services companies

...