Health insurance and technology stocks see investor interest

Health insurance company stocks are experiencing significant growth as firms report improved control over medical costs. UnitedHealth Group reported a second-quarter net income exceeding $5 billion, noting a decrease in its medical care ratio to 86.7% from 89.4% in the previous year. This decline was attributed to pricing discipline, benefit design, and medical cost management initiatives. Shares of UnitedHealth have risen over 30% compared to a year ago, while CVS Health, which owns Aetna, has also seen a rise of more than 30% since last summer.

Other insurers, including Centene and Humana, have also seen notable stock increases. Centene's shares have more than doubled over the past year.

In separate market activity, Primecap Management Co. CA acquired a significant position in Teradyne, Inc. during the second quarter. The firm purchased 485,840 shares valued at approximately $235 million, representing about 0.31% ownership of the company. Teradyne recently declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per share.