PHARMA STOCKS RISE UP TO 6% AMID DEFENSIVE BUYING

Shares of pharmaceutical companies extended their positive run for the third consecutive session, with Mankind Pharma and Wockhardt leading the gains. The sector’s strength comes amid continued defensive buying, while a strong pipeline of upcoming product launches and regulatory approvals is also driving a structural shift in the industry. The Nifty Pharma and Nifty Healthcare indices gained more than 1% each, emerging as the top-performing sectoral indices. More than half of the constituents of the Nifty Pharma index traded in positive territory. Among major pharma stocks, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories gained around 2% each, while Mankind Pharma, Wockhardt and Laurus Labs advanced between 3% and 6%. The pharma sectoral index has gained more than 3% over the past three trading sessions. Defensive buying has strengthened amid heightened volatility in the broader equity market, driven by macroeconomic concerns. At the same time, company-specific developments are providing additional support. Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories recently entered into an agreement with Takeda Biopharmaceuticals India, the Indian arm of Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, to exclusively distribute Qdenga, India’s first approved dengue vaccine. The sector is also seeing increasing focus on innovation-led growth. The approval of semaglutide across multiple markets, steady performance of key brands such as Ilumya, and progress in commercialising new specialty products highlight the growth potential from new therapies. Meanwhile, the proposed acquisition of Organon is expected to expand the company’s presence in Women’s Health and Biosimilars while strengthening its global footprint.