Uncertainty persists for pharma

US President Donald Trump's latest 90-day pause on tariffs on all nations except China should come as a breather for Indian pharma stocks. The Nifty Pharma index is down about 5% from its close on 2 April.

- Ashish Agrawal

While pharma was exempted initially, Trump's statements point out that the pharma sector would also face tariffs. The White House 2 April release announcing tariffs mentions pharma as a focus sector.

The delay in imposing tariffs reflects the complex dynamics of the sector, including the risk of drug shortages getting aggravated. "All in all, several outcomes are possible, with near-term uncertainty being a certainty," said Kotak Institutional Equities. For instance, if tariffs are applied at a fixed rate across all the countries, Indian pharma companies could have an edge because of their cost advantage.