Dow 30 Today: Dow Jones Jumps 493 Points as Rate‑Cut Bets Surge – 22 November 2025 Market Recap

November 18, 2025 — Merck & Co. is trading higher today after the company reported new mid‑stage data for its cardiopulmonary medicine Winrevair, fueling optimism about growth beyond Keytruda and adding momentum to last week’s acquisition of Cidara Therapeutics. Merck.com+1

Merck & Co., Inc. extended this week’s rally on Wednesday as investors digested fresh late‑stage results for its investigational oral PCSK9 inhibitor and an FDA clearance that supports broader precision use of Keytruda-based therapy. Below is what changed today and how it fits into Merck’s 2025 storyline.

Merck & Co. is a global healthcare company organized in Pharmaceuticals, Vaccines and Animal Health. It focuses on oncology/immunology, infectious disease, cardio-metabolic, and hospital specialty medicinesmerck.com. Its blockbuster product KEYTRUDA® – a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor – has driven Merck’s growth, accounting for >50% of pharma sales in H1 2025nasdaq.com. Other pillars include GARDASIL® and type-2 diabetes drugs. Merck invests heavily in R&D, with hundreds of projects in clinical development. In mid-2025 the company announced a transformation plan to reallocate resources toward “new growth drivers” – including acquisitions and upcoming product launches – to drive long-term innovationmerck.com.