2008: Hot circuits

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: appears to be a sign of a deeper, long-term trend in the PC market. About 2.1 million PCs were sold in the second quarter, a growth of about 8% over the same period last year compared to about 10% in the first quarter. Shipment numbers from Intel, which controls a lion’s share of the PC microprocessor market, also show that India might not become world’s fourth largest consumer of PCs by 2012, as expected earlier.

Magic pill

WAIT for the much-touted magic pill for heart patients just got a little longer. The country’s drug regulator is yet to give the go ahead to Dr Reddy’s Laboratories for its four-in-one cardiovascular drug that is to be sold in the country for less than Rs 300 a month. The polypill contains an aspirin, a statin to lower blood pressure and two blood pressure drugs, which are widely used at present. While India-specific trials have already been completed, the wonder drug is all set to enter human trials in London and in six other countries before it gets launched globally in 2010.

Bucking slowdown

Mobile mania

INDIA’S love affair with mobile phones is continuing to blossom. Mobile mania not only continued to sweep across the country, the craze for newer gadgets escalated with renewed vigour. The ever-increasing cellular subscriber base along with the rapidly expanding mobile-services market and availability of entry level handsets is proving to be a windfall for handset manufacturers. Analysts believe some 10,000 mobile phones are sold across the country every hour. In future too, prospects are bright as India could double its number of mobile subscribers by 2012 to 650 million.

Booster dose

If you thought the prevailing slowdown could dampen the prospects for Indian generics majors, think again. The likes of Glenmark, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Lupin, Dr Reddy’s, Ranbaxy and Zydus Cadila evolved a unique strategy of warding off slowdown fears. They are tapping niche segments like dermatology, ophthalmology, oncology, anti-asthmatic and anti-allergic, cardiology, diabetology and gastroenterology, where demand for products is extremely high in the developed markets like the US, Europe and Japan.

Pharma chases low cost