This article was automatically generated by Dow Jones using technology from Automated Insights.

Shares of Merck & Co. Inc. jumped 12.6% to $152.20 on what proved to be an all-around favorable trading session for the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index rising 0.2% to 7,707.98 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.2% to 53,463.05.

Merck & Co. Inc. hit a new 52-week high, surpassing its previous peak of $137.98, which the company reached on August 18th.

The stock outperformed some of its peers, as Johnson & Johnson rose 0.8% to $273.41, Pfizer Inc. rose 3.6% to $28.24, and Eli Lilly & Co. rose 4.46% to $1,280.34.

Trading volume totaled 32.4 million, compared to the 50-day average of 10.1 million.

Data source: Dow Jones Market Data, FactSet