Health care spending growth hits decade high

In other news, health care stocks have emerged as robust gainers in a resilient U.S. stock market.

USA Today: Health Care Spending Growth Hits 10-Year High
Health care spending rose at the fastest pace in 10 years last quarter, a development that could foreshadow higher costs for consumers this year. Expenses for health care rose at a 5.6% annual rate in the fourth quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said  last week. The jump triggered a sharp upward revision in the government's estimate of consumer spending overall and accounted for nearly a quarter of the economy's 2.6% annualized growth in the last three months of 2013 (Davidson, 3/30).

The Wall Street Journal: Health-Care Stocks Lead From The Front 
This isn't your father's health-care sector. Long embraced by investors seeking to weather market downturns and recessions, the group -; comprising drug companies, hospitals and health insurers, among others -; has emerged as one of the healthiest gainers in a resilient U.S. stock market (Russolillo, 3/30).