On October 2, a legislature committee wrote letters to the 14 companies, initiating an investigation and seeking details about recent price increases in several generic products available in the American market.
The November 5 US presidential elections, Federal Reserve interest rate decision, trading activity of foreign investors, and the upcoming quarterly earnings from domestic firms are the major triggers that would influence sentiments in the equity market this week, analysts said. In an eventful week ahead, a host of macroeconomic data announcements and global trends would also drive the markets, experts said. "The upcoming week is poised to be eventful on the global front.
The tailwind of low price erosion in the US generics market, seen by domestic pharmaceutical companies in calendar year 2023 (CY23), may be reversing slowly, caution analysts. According to the latest data from US-based Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS), price erosion in calendar year 2024 (CY24) on a year-to-date (YTD) basis stood at a high of 15 per cent in the oral solid dosage (OSD) segment compared to a low of 1 per cent in CY23. This erosion, according to a report by Antique Stock Broking, was the highest in the last three years.
Nine Indian Americans are running for the US House of Representatives, which includes a re-election bid by six of them while three are making their maiden foray into Congressional politics.
Industry insiders in India warn that any such move in the pharmaceutical sector could be counterproductive for the US as it may face increased drug shortages if tariffs are imposed on such imports.
In recent months, several pharma multinational corporations (MNCs) are increasingly turning to Indian companies to expand market reach in the country's pharmaceuticals sector. Sanofi's partnerships with Dr Reddy's, Cipla, and Emcure, AstraZeneca and Mankind Pharma - teaming up for asthma medication distribution - are a few instances of this trend. This strategy allows MNCs to leverage established Indian networks and reach a wider audience. Indian companies also benefit from global brands and expertise, say analysts.
The S&P BSE Sensex shed 119 points to close at 27,977 and the Nifty50 dropped 45 points to finish at 8,591.
These are the top buyers of the scrapped electoral bonds, the data for which was released by the Election Commission on Thursday.
Gland Pharma beat muted expectations for Q2FY25. There was increased Ebitda (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) loss at Cenexi, the CRAM subsidiary. However, overall Ebitda margin was better than expectations at 21.1 per cent. But given two years of earnings decline in FY23 and FY24, the business may have bottomed and upper-teens EPS (earnings per share) growth looks possible over next two financial years.
Do we have enough trained oncologists and medical professionals in India to man these over 4,500 beds in the public sector?
There is a need to incentivise R&D investments, offer corporate tax concessions and establish an effective intellectual property rights regime in order to push the growth of domestic pharmaceutical industry, as per the industry bodies. Outlining the sector's wish list for the upcoming Union Budget, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) Director General Anil Matai urged the government to explore methods to incentivise R&D investments, such as deductions on R&D expenses, research-linked incentives for MNCs, and corporate tax concessions.
Analysts are expecting pharmaceutical companies to post sales growth of 10-11 per cent in the second quarter this financial year while the Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) margins are anticipated to improve by about 110 basis points. Ebitda improvement will be led by lower input costs because prices of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are 5-15 per cent lower year-on-year (Y-o-Y). Axis Capital said sales growth would be around 10 per cent, of which growth in the India market would be 11 per cent or so.
The BSE Healthcare Index is up 19 per cent as compared to BSE Sensex returns of 11 per cent during this period. Nitin Agarwal of DAM Capital highlighted this trend in a report last month. "After a sustained period of underperformance over FY21-23, the BSE Healthcare Index has once again captured the spotlight. "The recent uptick in performance has been driven by hospitals and emerging green shoots in pharmaceutical exports, particularly to the US, along with sustaining momentum in domestic branded formulations," he said.
A reading of the reports suggests that there is no standard practice for reporting political contributions and it is left to the company's discretion to report them as they find fit.
While about 8,000 people are in the long list of invitees, the select list features just a few hundred people, including prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, bureaucrats and diplomats.
NSE Nifty ended at 4,113, down 42 points.
It has currently pared gains on weakness in select stocks, and is now up 22 points at 4,655. The Nifty has advanced 10 points to 1,488.
Once available, Sputnik V will be the third vaccine to be used in India against coronavirus.
Benchmark indices declined for the third day running on Tuesday, with the Sensex tumbling 567.98 points amid weak global markets and continuous foreign funds outflow. Investors were risk averse ahead of the RBI's policy decision on Wednesday, traders said. The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 567.98 points or 1.02 per cent to settle at 55,107.34.
It also asked why the data shared pertained to a period from April 2019 even though the scheme for anonymous political funding was introduced in 2017.
The first phase of the programme will kick off with vaccinations in Hyderabad on Monday and in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday (May 18) at Apollo facilities.
From steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal to billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal's Airtel, Anil Agarwal's Vedanta, ITC, Mahindra and Mahindra, and a lesser-known Future Gaming and Hotel Services were among the prominent buyers of the now-scrapped electoral bonds for making political donations.
The Indian pharmaceutical market (IPM) grew 6.8 per cent to touch a turnover of ~1.93 trillion in calendar year 2023, despite volumes going down marginally by 0.9 per cent. This indicates the price increase has been the major growth driver. Growth in the moving annual turnover (the previous 12 months' turnover) in December was 5.1 per cent and that in new product introduction 2.6 per cent, while volumes dipped 0.9 per cent, leading to an overall growth rate of 6.8 per cent, according to the data from market research firm Pharmatrac.
Axis Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 2 per cent, followed by Reliance Industries, Kotak Bank, Bharti Airtel, Titan, Dr Reddy's and M&M. NSE Nifty fell by 100.55 points to 17,898.65.
Equity benchmark indices ended lower on Thursday in line with weak global market trends. The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 230.12 points or 0.37 per cent to settle at 61,750.60. During the day, it fell 337.45 points or 0.54 per cent to 61,643.27.
Markets continued to fall on Monday, with the Sensex declining 94 points as investors remained cautious amid unabated selling by foreign funds and elevated crude oil prices ahead of the RBI's policy decision later this week. The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 93.91 points or 0.17 per cent to end at 55,675.32. During the day, it tanked 473.49 points or 0.84 per cent to 55,295.74.
According to the recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) meeting held on July 30, which have been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Sputnik-Light is the same as the component-1 of Sputnik V and as its safety and immunogenicity data in the Indian population has already been generated in a trial here, there seems to be inadequate data and justification for conducting a separate, similar trial.
Equity benchmarks bounced back sharply on Friday after facing a heavy drubbing in the previous trade, with the Sensex and Nifty jumping nearly 3 per cent, aided by positive trends from global markets and across-the-board buying. Index majors Reliance Industries and HDFC twins saw robust buying, helping the benchmarks. The 30-share BSE Sensex rallied 1,534.16 points or 2.91 per cent to settle at 54,326.39.
Future Gaming and Hotel Services whose director is the lottery magnate Santiago Martin is the top purchaser of electoral bonds having purchased bonds worth Rs 1,368, according to data uploaded by the Election Commission of India on its website on Thursday.
Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V vaccine will be available in nine more cities across India, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Baddi, Kolhapur and Miryalaguda, informed the official twitter handle of Sputnik V.
Equity benchmarks ended higher on Wednesday amid buying in banking counters and a firm trend in global markets. Continuing its previous day rally, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 91.62 points or 0.15 per cent to settle at 61,510.58. During the day, it jumped 361.94 points or 0.58 per cent to 61,780.90. The broader NSE Nifty gained 23.05 points or 0.13 per cent to end at 18,267.25.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories is in a pact with Russian Direct Investment Fund to sell the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of Sputnik V in India.
BSE benchmark Sensex plummeted 778 points to close below the 55,500-level on Wednesday following a broad-based selloff in global markets as the Russia-Ukraine crisis escalated. The 30-share BSE index ended 778.38 points or 1.38 per cent lower at 55,468.90. Similarly, the NSE Nifty plunged 187.95 points or 1.12 per cent to 16,605.95.
Benchmark indices ended the day in the negative territory on Tuesday amid weak global market trends and rising crude prices. Falling for the third day running, the 30-share BSE benchmark ended 208.24 points or 0.33 per cent lower at 62,626.36. During the day, it tumbled 444.53 points or 0.70 per cent to 62,390.07.
Benchmark indices ended in the green on Friday after falling for the past two days, helped by continuous buying from foreign institutional investors and a largely positive trend in Asian and European markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 113.95 points or 0.19 per cent to settle at 60,950.36. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty ended 64.45 points or 0.36 per cent higher at 18,117.15.
Equity benchmark indices ended on a flat note on Monday, with the BSE Sensex falling nearly 34 points, recording its second day of decline after an eight-day rally. In a volatile trade, the 30-share BSE benchmark dipped 33.9 points or 0.05 per cent to settle at 62,834.60. During the day, it fell 360.62 points or 0.57 per cent to 62,507.88.
Benchmark indices maintained their winning momentum for the fourth day running on Tuesday, helped by a rally in Asian and European markets and continuous foreign fund inflows. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 374.76 points or 0.62 per cent to settle at 61,121.35. During the day, it jumped 543.14 points or 0.89 per cent to 61,289.73.
Asian Paints was the top loser in the Sensex pack, tanking around 5 per cent, followed by Reliance Industries, Infosys, Tata Steel, TCS and Dr Reddy's.
