Stocks rise Wednesday after a bullish market move in the previous session. Cathie Wood's ARK buys Google following Warren Buffett's stake in the tech titan.

Indeed, JPMorgan Chase analysts estimate U.S. large-cap stocks will return 6.7% annually over the next 10 to 15 years. And Goldman Sachs analysts estimate the S&P 500 will return 6.5% annually over the next decade, with downside and upside scenarios from 3% annually to 10% annually.

Stocks closed sharply higher for a second time in as many days this holiday-shortened trading week, although Nvidia and other semiconductor shares fell on a report Meta Platforms may use Google's AI chips in their data centers.

Cidara develops drugs to prevent influenza in individuals at higher risk of complications. Merck has been seeking deals to bolster future revenue as its patent for Keytruda ends in 2028, MarketWatch said. Keytruda accounted for $30 billion in revenue in 2024.