SPOTLIGHT: Abbott Labs reports 38% jump in profit


Abbott Labs said second-quarter profit was up over 38 percent due to increased sales of its arthritis drugs Mobic and Humira. The drug maker says sales of Mobic have nearly tripled, largely as a result of the withdrawal of Pfizer's pain reliever Bextra. Sales of Humira, which is designed to treat rhumatoid arthritis, were up 58 percent. Even though Abbott beat second-quarter estimates by a penny, Wall Street was looking for a little more. Story