Pharma stocks to buy: ETMarkets Investors’ Guide: Has pharma rally run out of steam?

After a bearish phase in 2014, pharma stocks rebounded last year amid the Covid crisis and many of them more than doubled investors’ money in 2020. And now, as the Covid graph dips and the vaccination drive takes off, investors have started booking profits on the pharma counter.

Both the BSE healthcare and Nifty Pharma indices are now in the negative zone on a year-to-date basis, after a stupendous rally in 2020. Has the sectoral rally run out of steam? We discuss money-making opportunities in the pharma sector in today’s special podcast with independent market expert Rajiv Nagpal.

Welcome to the show Mr Nagpal.

1) Last year, the BSE healthcare index outperformed all other sectoral indices with a 61% gain. This year, it has failed to deliver so far. Is it just a sectoral rotation towards cyclicals….ya koi aur baat hai?

2) With the reopening of the economy, domestic pharma sales have also improved. What is your reading from the Q3 earnings and the management commentaries from India-focused pharma companies?

3) As Covid cases drop in India and vaccination picks up, what should investors holding vaccine-themed stocks do?

4) For someone making a fresh entry, is it a good time to buy pharma stocks or most of the growth is already priced in?

Thank you Mr Nagpal. That’s all in today’s special podcast but keep checking this space for more such interesting content. Good bye!