Healthcare stocks advanced 0.5% at midday Wednesday.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 fell 0.4%, the Dow Jones index slipped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq index shed 0.7%.

PainChek (ASX:PCK) was granted a De Novo classification by the US Food and Drug Administration for its PainChek pain assessment adult app. The US FDA created product code "SGB," recognizing the app as a unique medical device for pain assessment.

The FDA De Novo classification increases the potential for expedited regulatory approval in Japan as well as other global markets, such as Brazil and the United Arab Emirates, that accept FDA approval to facilitate abbreviated market entry.

On the flip side, the consumer discretionary sector fell 1.7%, as Australian stocks continued to decline.

Peter Warren Automotive Holdings (ASX:PWR) said that Chief Financial Officer Victor Cuthell plans to retire in June 2026. The company has initiated a process to identify a successor and ensure a smooth transition.