Singapore's healthcare-related stocks averaged 37% gains in YTD 2020

They made it to the city’s top 200 stocks by daily turnover.

Singapore’s most traded primary-listed stocks that represent medical equipment manufacturing, biotech and pharmaceuticals all generated gains as of 15 May, averaging 37% gains, according to data from SGX.

Listed on the Catalist, the three healthcare-related stocks with a market value of at least $7.05m (S$10m) ranked outside the 200 largest stocks by market value, but all have made it to the city’s top 200 stocks by average daily turnover in YTD 2020.

In particular, Biolidics has ranked just outside the top 50 stocks by turnover during the period. Since the launch of its rapid test kit for COVID-19 on 30 March, turnover participation in the stock has soared 50-fold. The company averaged 80% gains during the period.

Both iX Biopharma and Hyphens Pharma have also expanded e-commerce operations, with the former reporting high demand for its LumeniX and RestoriX nutraceutical products less than three weeks into the opening of flagship stores on JD Worldwide and Tmall Global.

Pharma exports have helped boost the city’s non-oil exports, which has eased to a 9.7% YoY growth in April. This was the third straight month of growth as sales of non-electronics products continued to gain. Pharma exports, which are typically volatile, surged 174% YoY in April.

Globally, stocks focused on medical equipment manufacturing, biotech and pharmaceuticals have defended their 2019 returns in 2020, with flat median returns in the 2020 year through to 15 May.

Across the region, medical equipment manufacturing, biotech and pharmaceutical stocks have marginally outpaced their global peers with 2% median total returns over the 19 weeks.