The latest Market Talks covering the Health Care sector. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.
0319 GMT - Malaysian equities could face temporary softness over the next two quarters, driven by heightened geopolitical risk, ringgit weakness and delayed Fed rate cuts narrowing the interest rate spread, Hong Leong IB analysts Jeremy Goh and Felicia Ling say in note. However, KLCI earnings appear largely insulated from the Iran conflict's initial impact, with the banking, utilities, healthcare and telco sectors insulated. Among the KLCI constituents, potential positives may come from plantation, Petronas Chemicals and Press Metal Aluminium, while construction, consumer and Petronas Dagangan could face headwinds. The market is expected to regain momentum later this year and current levels are viewed as attractive for accumulation. Hong Leong maintains its end-2026 KLCI target at 1790, with CIMB, Tenaga Nasional and IHH Healthcare are among its top picks.(yingxian.wong@wsj.com)
0225 GMT - Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group's innovative drug launches strengthen its long-term outlook, UOB Kay Hian analysts say in a research report as they maintain the stock's buy rating. The Chinese pharmaceutical company's strong 2025 results was mainly driven by a surge in innovative product sales and collaboration revenue, the analysts note. Management expects innovative drugs will continue to drive resilient revenue growth with double-digit expansion for drug sales and business development income in 2026. However, the brokerage cuts the stock's target price to HK$45.00 from HK$50.00 to factor in recent weak market sentiment. Shares last closed at HK$39.36. (ronnie.harui@wsj.com)
0150 GMT - Bursa Malaysia and FTSE Russell's plan to expand the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index to 50 constituents from 30 appears positive, CIMB Securities analyst Ivy Ng Lee Fang says in a note. The move could raise market capitalization coverage to 70% from 60%, strengthen representation of the Malaysian equity market and improve sector diversification, she says. A hypothetical 50 constituents would have outperformed the current index by about 60 points annually, she reckons. Sector weightings for financials and utilities could decline, while real estate, industrials and energy gain. Dialog, United Plantations and KPJ Healthcare might benefit, while major banks could see reduced weightings, she adds. Bursa Malaysia and FTSE Russell are seeking feedback on the proposals, with implementation targeted for Dec. 21, 2026, or June 21, 2027, based on the consultation's outcome. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)
2009 GMT - Eli Lilly is back on a more level playing field with rival Novo Nordisk after getting Food and Drug Administration approval for its once-daily oral GLP-1 pill Foundayo, also known as orforglipron, Morgan Stanley analysts say in a note. Foundayo does not require food or water restrictions, and follows Novo Nordisk's launch of oral Wegovy earlier this year, the analysts say. But to meet consensus estimates for U.S. sales of about $1.45 billion in 2026, Eli Lilly's orforglipron launch would need to ramp to higher volumes than recent GLP-1 launches, the analysts say. They forecast the drug will generate about $1.2 billion in sales this year. (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)
1257 GMT - EssilorLuxottica's first-quarter figures should demonstrate, again, the company's strong growth trajectory, Jefferies analysts say in a note to clients. The analysts forecast organic sales growth of around 10% for the first three months of the year. While this represents a clear sequential slowdown from the previous two quarters, "we see it as a testimony of resilient, high growth," they say. The focus will likely be on the performance of smartglasses, the analysts write. Despite competition, EssilorLuxottica and Meta, with whom it develops smart eyewear, will keep the lion's share of the booming market, they say. This is due to their advantage as first-movers in the category, as well as appealing brands and unique distribution capabilities, they add. (andrea.figueras@wsj.com)
0915 GMT - AstraZeneca's late-stage clinical trial in early liver cancer supports the view that peak sales for its Imfinzi oncology drug could exceed consensus expectations, Citi analysts say. The U.K. drugmaker said a drug combination including its Imfinzi and Imjudo drugs showed a meaningful improvement in progression-free survival--the time from starting treatment until death or disease progression--for patients with the most common type of liver cancer. The data look positive in an indication for which Citi estimates Imfinzi peak sales of $800 million, the analysts say. This and other trials in bladder and esophageal cancers support Citi's expectation that Imfinzi's sales will peak at $11 billion in 2030, or 20% above the consensus estimate, they add. AstraZeneca reported Imfinzi revenue of $6.06 billion for 2025. Shares rise 0.3%. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)
0821 GMT - Novo Nordisk's share-price performance from here will be determined by the trajectory of its Wegovy weight-loss pill prescriptions following Eli Lilly's launch of a rival pill, Citi analysts write. Wegovy pill prescriptions have been strong, but Eli Lilly has filed for approval of its new pill in 40 countries versus Novo Nordisk's more selective approach. This suggests Lilly's Foundayo pill may launch ahead of the Wegovy pill in many global markets, Citi says. "We expect Novo to focus defense on Wegovy pill's better weight loss [profile versus Foundayo]." Foundayo has some drug interaction limitations that the Wegovy pill doesn't, but Foundayo lacks Wegovy pill's requirement that patients don't eat or drink for 30 minutes after taking it. Pricing of the two pills is the same. (dominic.chopping@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 03, 2026 04:20 ET (08:20 GMT)
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