Amgen, Merck share gains lead Dow’s 100-point jump

Behind strong returns for shares of Amgen and Merck, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is climbing Tuesday afternoon. The Dow
DJIA,
-0.09%
was most recently trading 100 points, or 0.3%, higher, as shares of Amgen
AMGN,
+3.32%
and Merck
MRK,
+3.49%
have contributed around 25% of the blue-chip gauge’s intraday rally. Amgen’s shares are up $11.84, or 4.1%, while those of Merck have risen $3.96 (3.6%), combining for a roughly 104-point boost for the Dow. Verizon
VZ,
+2.97%,
Walgreens Boots
WBA,
+2.07%,
and Johnson & Johnson
JNJ,
+1.86%
are also contributing significantly to the gain. A $1 move in any one of the 30 components of the Dow equates to a 6.59-point swing.