Novartis faced downward pressure on its U.S. shares following the release of late-stage study results for its multiple sclerosis medication. The data indicated that the drug’s ability to reduce flare-ups fell short of the benchmarks established by a competing product from Roche Holding. Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group saw its share price slip during the session, though the insurer successfully capped off the week with a cumulative gain exceeding 4%.