Health care, long an ailing stock market sector, has recovered over the past six months.Watch NBC Chicago local news and weather for free 24/7
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly This defensive advantage has been drawing investment from institutional investors expecting slowing economic growth at this late stage of the business cycle, as the Federal Reserve estimates growth ofHealth care is a defensive redoubt for investors because demand isn't affected by the economy. People will always need health care, and insured people will usually seek it, regardless of what the economy's doing.
Also driving the sector has been a shift in investor sentiment, with buzz surrounding new pharmaceuticals, such as GLP-1 drugs for treating diabetes and effecting weight loss, and robotic technology enabling minimally invasive techniques for complex surgeries.