If you want to invest in the healthcare sector in India, the Nifty Healthcare Index is an invaluable barometer for you. This index comprises some of the top companies from industries in India, like pharmaceuticals, hospitals, and diagnostics.
Hence, by tracking the Nifty Healthcare Index, you can access how a variety of companies in the healthcare space in the country are performing. Besides, healthcare is a growing sector in India because people are increasing their healthcare spend. Moreover, this sector is not as vulnerable to economic swings as some other sectors are. Hence, whether you are a long-term investor or a day trader, it makes sense to track the movements in the Nifty Healthcare Index on a daily basis.
What is the Nifty Healthcare Index?
The Nifty Healthcare Index is a stock market index that tracks the performance of some of the largest players in the healthcare industry in India. Its top constituent stocks include Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Cipla, Divi's Laboratories, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, Max Healthcare Institute, etc.
Nifty healthcare stocks belong to companies that are either in the pharmaceutical industry or run a chain of hospitals. The Nifty Healthcare Index is made up of 20 stocks. It was launched on November 18, 2020. Its base date is April 01, 2005, and its base value is 1,000.
Weightage of Stocks in the Nifty Healthcare Index
The following table shows the top constituent stocks of the Nifty Healthcare Index and their weightage. These are the largest and most actively traded healthcare stocks in the country. Many mutual funds (MFs) and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) invest in these stocks due to their superior performance over the years.
Company Name
| Weightage in the Index (%)
|
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
| 21.89
|
Cipla
| 9.6
|
Divi's Laboratories
| 8.92
|
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
| 8.35
|
Max Healthcare Institute
| 8.28
|
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise
| 7.87
|
Lupin
| 5.63
|
Aurobindo Pharma
| 4.02
|
Torrent Pharmaceuticals
| 3.49
|
Alkem Laboratories
| 3.36
|
Source: https://www.niftyindices.com/Factsheet/Factsheet_Nifty_Healthcare_Index.pdf
Advantages of Investing in the Healthcare Industry
The most important benefits of investing in the healthcare industry in India are as follows:
A Gateway to a Promising Sector: The Nifty Healthcare Index is made up of some of the fastest-growing companies in India from the pharmaceuticals, hospitals, and diagnostics industries. Hence, by investing in healthcare stocks, you can capitalize on a fast-growing sector.
Capitalising on Rising Healthcare Spending: The Indian economy has grown at a fast rate in the last three decades. As a result, people in Tier-1 and 2 cities have started to spend more on their healthcare. Hence, you can consider investing in healthcare stocks.
Diversification and Risk Mitigation: The demand for healthcare tends to be more stable than that of other products. This is because people need healthcare products and services even when the economy is going through a slowdown. Besides, healthcare businesses do not have a high correlation with other industries, like banking, information technology, etc. Hence, you can diversify your portfolio by investing in such stocks.
Riding Technological Advancements: A number of technological advances have rapidly transformed the healthcare sector in the last few years. For example, ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, patients and their families are more comfortable approaching doctors through telemedicine, without a face-to-face meeting. Then, biotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) are also changing this space like never before.
Government Programs: The Central Government and State Governments are working to improve the access to healthcare services for the people of India by improving the affordability of healthcare and encouraging the local manufacturing of healthcare products. Investors can capitalize on this trend by investing in the healthcare sector.
Long-Term Growth Potential and Sustainable Investing: There are several factors in India that suggest that the healthcare sector will witness growing demand for years to income. Some of these factors include rising per capita income and increasing awareness of healthcare. Hence, this sector can provide you with investment opportunities in the long run. So, you should keep an eye on the share prices of Nifty healthcare stocks.
Contribution of the Healthcare Industry towards the Economy
The contribution of the healthcare sector to the Indian economy is growing every year. As per the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the healthcare sector is one of the biggest employers in India. It employs 7.5 million people in 2024 in India. IBEF is an initiative of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Besides, another 2.7-3.5 million new tech jobs are likely to be created with growth in areas like data analytics, telemedicine, and virtual assistants. As unemployment and underemployment are still huge problems in India, the healthcare sector is emerging as a saviour by providing jobs to a significant number of people.
IBEF further says that the hospital market of India is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 8% from 2024 to 2032. As the market grows, its monetary contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of India will increase as well.
Conclusion
If you want to invest in the healthcare sector, you should start tracking the share prices of Nifty Healthcare stocks on a regular basis. The movements in the index’s value will help you gauge investors’ sentiment towards the healthcare sector. Besides, you should also research healthcare stocks individually and invest in them if you think they have long-term potential.
Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risk, read all related documents carefully before investing.
This content is for educational purposes only. Securities quoted are exemplary and not recommendatory.
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