Australian healthcare stocks hit 8-year low as CSL extends vaccine rout

Ramsay Health Care

23/04/2026 07:12

** Australian healthcare stocks .AXHJ fall 0.6% vs benchmark S&P/ASX 200 .AXJO 0.7% fall

** Sub-index at lowest level since early-April 2018

** Biotech firm CSL CSL.AX shares fall as much as 1% to A$127.85, their lowest level since late-August, 2017

** Extends fall to over 6% after U.S. defense department said on Tuesday that military personnel would no longer be mandated to receive flu vaccine; U.S. is co's largest rev source

** Cochlear COH.AX falls as much as 8.3%, Ramsay Health Care RHC.AX down  5.1%

** YTD, .AXHJ down 22.8% vs .AXJO's 1.5% rise

(Reporting by Anjali Singh in Bengaluru)

((anjali.singh2@thomsonreuters.com; ))