Asian share markets are lower today as market participants remained nervous amid a looming deadline for Washington's proposed tariffs on Chinese imports, leaving financial markets in a state of anxious uncertainty. The Nikkei 225 is off 0.2% while the Hang Seng is down 0.7%. The Shanghai Composite is trading down by 0.8%.
Back home, India share markets opened the day on a flattish note. The BSE Sensex is trading up by 18 points while the NSE Nifty is trading up by 8 points. The BSE Mid Cap index and BSE Small Cap index both opened up by 0.1%.
The rupee is currently trading at 68.53 to the US$.
Sectoral indices opened the day on a mixed note with power stocks and healthcare stocks witnessing maximum buying interest. While, metal stocks & IT stocks opened the day in red.
In the news from the pharma sector. As per an article in a leading financial daily, biotechnology major Biocon has received EU GMP (good manufacturing practices) certification for its sterile drug product manufacturing facility in Bengaluru.
Reportedly, the facility was inspected by the European agencies in March 2018.
This facility is used for the manufacture of Biocon's portfolio of biosimilars.
Earlier in May, Biocon had received a preliminary report from the European Regulator post inspection of its sterile drug product facility in Bengaluru in March 2018.
The report lists six major observations with no observation classified as critical. The company will submit a corrective and preventive action plan to the European inspection agency within the stipulated time period.
Speaking of the biosimilars, note that, Biosimilars and Biologics are burgeoning sectors. Also, major scientific and technological advances, coupled with socio-demographic changes and increasing demand for medicines will revive the pharma industry's fortunes in another 10 to 20 years.
But given the complexity of biologics, will Indian companies be able to break some ground in this space?(Subscription Required). Going forward, whether the monetization of biosimilars prove to be a big growth driver for the company will be the key thing to watch out for.
Meanwhile, The BSE Healthcare Index has been on a roller coaster ride in the past few years. The period from 2012 to 2015 saw the index go up more than three times.
The Roller Coaster Ride of the BSE Healthcare Index
Since then it has been a painful ride downwards.
Pre-2015, pharma companies enjoyed a fairytale ride in the US market. Low labor costs, good chemistry skills, along with efficiency, ensured Indian companies could copy innovator drugs to make generic drugs at a fast pace.
The generic business had lucrative margins for all major pharma players. But the party did not last long. In the quest to supply drugs quickly, they compromised on quality at their manufacturing facilities.
The regulatory issues coupled with price erosion in US markets has impacted the business of major pharma players.
Biocon's share price opened the day up by 1%.
Moving on to the news from bank sector. As per an article in a leading financial daily, Yes Bank has received the final regulatory approval from the markets regulator to commence its mutual fund business.
This approval is subsequent to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) approval granted to Yes Bank to sponsor a mutual fund followed by markets regulator's in-principle approval received subsequently.
The fund house will be called Yes Asset Management (India) Limited (YAMIL).
Yes Asset Management (India) Limited ('YAMIL') will leverage YES BANK's knowledge banking expertise and relationship capital across retail, corporate and institutional investors to effectively channelize their assets in equity and debt capital markets.
This strategic initiative will further complement Yes Bank's retail liabilities and wealth management strategy, and also allow YAMIL to build on the Bank's 'DIGICAL' distribution network to provide customers a seamless Investment and Banking experience.
Yes Asset Management (India) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Yes Bank will launch fund offerings across the spectrum of both debt & equity markets over the next 6-12 months.
Yes Bank share price opened the day up by 1.5%.
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This article was originally published in English at www.equitymaster.com
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