BSE Healthcare gains on vitamin boost

The BSE Healthcare index finally settled at 4,440, up 38 points or 1%.

Cipla advanced around 4% to Rs 296 and Aurobindo Pharma added 3% to 846.

Ranbaxy gained 2.5% each at Rs 382 and Dr Reddys added 1.5% at Rs 976, respectively.

Wockhardt and Opto Circuit slipped around 2.5% each to Rs 178 and Rs 206, respectively.
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(Updated at 1116hrs)

Sales in vitamins and minerals have boosted pharma stocks today.

According to the August MAT (moving annual total) data, the vitamins, minerals and nutrients segment is the only group among the top five money-spinning therapeutic areas with growth in both volume as well as value terms on a year-on-year basis. ORG MAT data gives the annual sales of each therapeutic group for the September 2008–August 2009 period and compares it with the September 2007–August 2008 period.

Incidentally, the vitamins, minerals and nutrients segment is the only area (among the ones tracked by ORG-IMS) where five of the top 10 players are foreign multinational firms. While the market leader is the Indian subsidiary of Germany’s Merck Ltd, the other foreign MNCs among the top 10 are GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer, Novartis and Abbott.

The BSE health-care index is the only sector which has gained today. The index opened at 4,407 and touched a high of 4,454 - up 1%. The index is now up marginally at 4,437.

Lupin has gained 3.2% at Rs 1,293. Ranbaxy has moved up 2.5% to Rs 382 following a better-than-expected Q2 numbers.

Dr Reddy's Lab has moved up 2% to Rs 978. Sun Pharma is up over 1% at Rs 1,364.

Bilcare, IPCa Lab and Apollo Hospitals have added 1-2% each.

However, Dishman Pharma has shed 3% at Rs 252.

Wockhardt and Sterling Biotech are down 1-2% each.