Prescription for recovery in FY23 for underperforming pharma sector

Easing pricing pressures, complex generics uptick in the US, steady India/emerging-market growth potential booster shots

The Nifty Pharma Index was the second-worst performer among Nifty sectoral indices over the past year, shedding over 13 per cent in trade. Over a two-year period, its underperformance has grown starker. It is the only index to generate a mid single-digit return (6 per cent), with its closest competitor enriching investors by over 35 per cent.

Pricing pressures in the US market, rising raw material costs, regulatory headwinds, uneven growth in multiple segments in the India market - both in the formulations and active pharmaceutical (pharma) ingredient segments - were some of the reasons investors kept their distance from