Aussie healthcare stocks rise as local currency weakens

CSL Finance

25/10/2019 06:09

** Australian healthcare index  .AXHJ  rises as much as 2.2%
in its best day since Oct. 4
    ** Export-reliant healthcare firms rise as the local
currency  AUD=D3  was lower, hurt by a fresh bout of Brexit
uncertainty undermining risk sentiment
    ** Hearing devices maker Cochlear Ltd  COH.AX  rises as much
as 2.9% in its best day in more than two months
    ** Medical labs operator Sonic Healthcare  SHL.AX  gains as
much as 2.1%, while biopharmaceutical firm CSL Ltd  CSL.AX 
advances as much as 2%
    ** Healthcare index up 31% this year, as of last close,
compared with a 18.6% increase in the S&P/ASX 200 benchmark
index  .AXJO 

 (Reporting by Soumyajit Saha in Bengaluru)
 ((Soumyajit.Saha@thomsonreuters.com;))