Group 1 - CRO concept stocks collectively declined, with Kingsray Biotechnology down 6.05% at HKD 14.92, Kanglong Chemical down 4.67% at HKD 20.8, Viatris down 4.57% at HKD 1.88, and Tigermed down 3.71% at HKD 36.9 [1] - The U.S. non-farm payroll data for September exceeded expectations, leading to a reduced likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate cut in December [1] - Zhongtai Securities anticipates that while there may be fluctuations in overseas CPI data, there is a gradual shift towards a rate cut cycle in 2024, which could improve investment and financing expectations [1] Group 2 - Some companies have already seen a recovery in orders, indicating potential valuation recovery opportunities for overseas CRO/CDMO and domestic preclinical CRO sectors [1] - The CRO sector has been significantly impacted by domestic and international investment and financing environments, but with the gradual implementation of domestic policies, a recovery in the sector is expected [1] - Continuous focus on clinical CRO investment opportunities is recommended as the sector shows signs of gradual recovery [1]

Group 1 - The Hong Kong Innovation Drug Index (987018) has seen a strong increase of 2.33% as of May 21, 2025, with notable gains in constituent stocks such as CanSino Biologics (06185) up 8.87%, Junshi Biosciences (01877) up 8.16%, and Kelun Pharmaceutical (06821) up 7.02% [1] - The Hong Kong Innovation Drug ETF (159567) has risen by 1.56%, marking its fourth consecutive increase, with the latest price reported at 1.3 HKD. Over the past week, the ETF has accumulated an increase of 8.63% [1] - The trading activity for the Hong Kong Innovation Drug ETF has been robust, with an intraday turnover of 10.03% and a transaction volume of 171 million HKD, indicating active market participation. The average daily trading volume over the past month reached 736 million HKD, with the ETF's latest scale reaching 1.667 billion HKD, a new high in nearly a year [1] Group 2 - The CDMO sector is expected to see rapid growth driven by the increasing demand for chemical macromolecules and XDC CDMO production, particularly in polypeptides and oligonucleotides, presenting investment opportunities in the related industry chain [1] - The CRO sector is anticipated to benefit from improving overseas financing conditions and a gradual shift towards a rate-cutting environment, with expectations of revenue recovery for integrated CRO/CDMO and domestic preclinical CROs, suggesting potential valuation recovery opportunities [2] - The CRO sector has been significantly impacted by domestic and international financing challenges, but with supportive domestic policies, there is an expectation for gradual recovery, highlighting investment opportunities in clinical CROs [2]