Merck, UnitedHealth share gains lead Dow's 80-point climb

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is climbing Wednesday morning with shares of Merck and UnitedHealth leading the way for the index. The Dow DJIA, +0.12% is trading 80 points (0.3%) higher, as shares of Merck MRK, +2.10% and UnitedHealth UNH, +1.63% have contributed around a quarter of the blue-chip gauge’s intraday rally. Merck’s shares are up $1.89, or 2.2%, while those of UnitedHealth are up $9.30, or 1.9%, combining for a roughly 74-point bump for the Dow. Johnson & Johnson JNJ, +2.00%, Salesforce Inc. CRM, +1.64%, and Procter & Gamble PG, +1.37% are also contributing significantly to the gain. A $1 move in any one of the 30 components of the index equates to a 6.59-point swing.