WBC, ANZ, HGH: How are these top banking stocks faring on NZX? – Kalkine Media

The banking sector is the backbone of any economy. NZ has 27 registered banks with 3 large NZX-listed banks responsible for a major chunk of lending.

New Zealands banks have reported growth despite signs of an economic slowdown. The Big banks have reported robust FY22 results.

However, according to the Fitch rating agency, banks are well poised and insulated against the economic downturn. According to its latest report, the big banks will benefit from their large franchises and simple business models. In fact, Fitch expects net interest margins to increase in the next over the next two years, despite stiff competition, benefitting from interest rate rises. According to Fitch, profitability is likely to decline over the next two years largely due to changes in the RBNZ's capital framework.

The rating agency expects the economic conditions in New Zealand to be broadly stable over the next two years. Continued economic recovery and a low unemployment rate should underpin banks asset quality. If at all, there will be a moderate but manageable deterioration in asset quality as a result.

However, even though banks capitalisation may suffer to some extent, Fitch does not expect downward pressure on the banks capitalisation and leverage factor scores, reflecting sufficient buffers.

The funding profiles of the big banks will also remain stable in the near term.

Even though the central bank of New Zealand has delivered many OCR hikes, and in August it raised another 50 bps, the banks will raise the mortgage rates, impacting the lending environment in the short term.

Lets examine how are some of the big banks faring on the NZX today:

Source: 2022 Kalkine Media

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (NZX:ANZ,ASX:ANZ)

ANZ is an Australian bank with operations in New Zealand. On 19 August, the Bank completed its Retail Entitlement Offer to raise approximately NZ$3.5 billion of new ANZ shares. The other part of the Entitlement Offer (institutional offer) was completed on 20 July 2022. This offer raised proceeds of NZ$1.7 billion.

On 18 July, ANZ announced its Q3 update in which it said that all its businesses had performed well.

While rising interest rates and inflation were starting to impact some of the customers, household businesses and balance sheets remained strong with a collective balance of NZ$3.8 billion. With this amount, the Bank was well-placed to continue its growth in the future. ANZ also said that robust lending and margin momentum was continuing across major businesses. And were evident across major

In fact, according to the banks report, the lending margins grew lending volumes grew NZ$2.0 billion in the third quarter, with June month the strongest. In New Zealand, ANZs institutional business performed well with customer lending growth focused on delivering sustainable and high-quality growth. On 18 July, the Bank entered into a deal with Suncorp. Suncorp would be selling its banking arm to ANZ at a total cost of AU$4.9 billion. The deal is expected to give a boost to the banks retail and commercial businesses.

. On 23 August, the stock was trading down 1.19% to NZ$25.000, at the time of writing.

Westpac Banking Corporation(NZX:WBC)

Westpac is also leading banking operating in New Zealand with headquarters in Sydney, Australia. On 1 August, Westpac completed the sale of its insurance arm to TAL Dai-ichi Life Australia Pty. The transaction took almost one year to complete as it was first announced in August, last year. The bank expects to post a loss after sale of approximately AU$1.37 billion. In addition, WBC has been simplifying its operations and the sale of its non-core business is a step in that direction.

Chief Executive of the bank, Peter King said that a technology upgrade would allow the bank to process mortgage applications very fast.

On 23 August, the stock was down 1.66%% to NZ$23.65, at the time of writing.

HGH is an NZ-based financial services company in New Zealand. It announced its full-year results today in which it reported a profit after tax (NPAT) of NZ$95.1 million for the FY22 ended 30 June. This signifies an increase of 9.3% over pcp. The strong result is due to growth in reverse mortgages where older homeowners took out a lot of reverse mortgages to cope with the rising cost of living.

In FY22, HGH bank issued a record NZ$165million worth of reverse mortgages, an increase of NZ$63million over pcp. The bank also predicted that the boom in reverse mortgages would continue well into the next year as older people were hit by the rising cost of living.

The bank also announced an equity raise of NZ$200 with NZ$130 million worth of fully underwritten placement. This will be raised from the shareholders in New Zealand and Australia. With this equity, the bank expects to pay for the acquisition of StockCo Holdings and the rest for the expansion of its existing businesses.

On 23 August, the stock was trading flat at 2.210, at the time of writing.

Bottom Line: The big banks in New Zealand are well placed to overcome the rising inflation interest rates. The big banks are focusing on major acquisitions, and digitalization to keep themselves technologically upgraded.

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WBC, ANZ, HGH: How are these top banking stocks faring on NZX? - Kalkine Media

Should You Be Adding Heartland Group Holdings (NZSE:HGH) To Your Watchlist Today? – Simply Wall St

Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone profit. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else investors will move on and the company will wither away.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Heartland Group Holdings (NZSE:HGH). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.

View our latest analysis for Heartland Group Holdings

Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. Heartland Group Holdings managed to grow EPS by 7.1% per year, over three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't anything to write home about, it does show the business is growing.

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. It's noted that Heartland Group Holdings' revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. While we note Heartland Group Holdings achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 7.4% to NZ$254m. That's a real positive.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Heartland Group Holdings' forecast profits?

It's pleasing to see company leaders with putting their money on the line, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. So it is good to see that Heartland Group Holdings insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. Holding NZ$144m worth of stock in the company is no laughing matter and insiders will be committed in delivering the best outcomes for shareholders. Amounting to 13% of the outstanding shares, indicating that insiders are also significantly impacted by the decisions they make on the behalf of the business.

One important encouraging feature of Heartland Group Holdings is that it is growing profits. For those who are looking for a little more than this, the high level of insider ownership enhances our enthusiasm for this growth. The combination definitely favoured by investors so consider keeping the company on a watchlist. It is worth noting though that we have found 2 warning signs for Heartland Group Holdings (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you need to take into consideration.

Although Heartland Group Holdings certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St does a detailed discounted cash flow calculation every 6 hours for every stock on the market, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any company just search here. Its FREE.

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Should You Be Adding Heartland Group Holdings (NZSE:HGH) To Your Watchlist Today? - Simply Wall St

Human Growth Hormone; Functions And Side Effects – Onlymyhealth

Growth hormones can fuel childhood growth and help in maintaining tissues and organs throughout a human life. This hormone is produced by the pea-sized pituitary gland which is located at the base of the brain. However during the beginning of a person's middle-age, the pituitary gland slowly reduces the amount of growth hormone it produces.

When the production of the growth hormone reduces some people tend to turn to a substance called human growth hormone or HGH in hopes that it will keep them feeling and looking youthful. However, experts suggest that hope is unfounded, and that these supplements can be harmful to one's health.

HGH helps in regulating body composition, body fluids, muscle growth, bone's growth, sugar and fat metabolism, and heart function to some extent. This synthetically produced hormone is an active ingredient in a number of prescription drugs and in other products that are widely available over the Internet. It is usually used for medical causes such as;

Lab-developed HGH injections are the most common growth hormone therapy or treatment in both adults and children. Doctors base this treatment on factors such as the patient's age, overall health and medical history, extent of the condition, tolerance for specific treatment and patients choice. However, there are certain risks and side effects involved in this form of treatment.

Also read:Study Finds Eating More Bright-Colored Fruits, Vegetables Boost Women's Health

If you, your child or anyone you know is experiencing symptoms related to HGH deficiency or excess of it, contact a healthcare provider. Moreover, if youre under any treatment for abnormal HGH levels, its important to see your healthcare provider regularly in order to make sure your treatment is working and there are no adverse effects.

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Human Growth Hormone; Functions And Side Effects - Onlymyhealth

Build upper body muscle and define your arms with this 10-minute dumbbell workout – Fit and Well

If you don't enjoy training your upper body or just can't find time for it in your workout schedule, then say hello to this 10-minute dumbbell routine. It has been designed especially for targeting the muscles in your arms and shoulders.

Before jumping into this quick upper body session you'll need a set of dumbbells to begin. You can source this type of free weight at a gym or you can buy your own. The best adjustable dumbbells are well suited for home use as this style of customizable weight saves you from having to store a full weights rack in your home and they allow you to conveniently change the load between exercises.

Once you are equipped with some weights then you can use workout instructor Gainsbybrains' (opens in new tab)10-minute dumbbell workout to build strength and muscle in your upper body.

The whole workout is completed standing up, so it's ideal if you don't have much room at home to move around. Equally, if you go to a busy gym, there is no need to find a bench or lots of floor space for this upper body routine.

There are 10 exercises in this workout, and you will perform each for 60 seconds taking no breaks in between. Fortunately, you only have one round to complete so make sure you master the form of each move and give each minute all you have.

When a workout like this doesn't include rests, you are more likely to see improvements in muscle endurance over muscle-building results. However, if you are more interested in achieving the latter then simply factor in rest periods between each exercise. This doesn't have to take away from the time efficiency of this workout.

One study published in the Sports Medicine (opens in new tab) journal reported that "when the training goal is muscular hypertrophy, the combination of moderate-intensity sets with short rest intervals of 30-60 seconds might be most effective due to greater acute levels of growth hormone during such workouts."

If you're working with heavier weight and hoping to stimulate significant strength gains, it makes more sense to give yourself around 3-5 minutes of rest as this helps prepare your muscles to lift heavy on your next set.

Whatever your fitness goals are, you should always prioritize recovery. This encapsulates more than just having a day without exercise, it requires you to fit in ample sleep time, thorough stretching (one of the best foam rollers will come in handy), and a diet that supports your training. Consuming high amounts of protein is essential for muscle recovery and growth and you can increase your daily intake using one of the best protein powders for weight loss.

Today's best Foam Rollers deals

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Build upper body muscle and define your arms with this 10-minute dumbbell workout - Fit and Well

Here’s What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Eating Dairy – The Beet

When people go plant-based, it's often not the idea ofgiving up meat that proves difficult. It's cheese. There's a reason for that.In a study on food and addiction, Yale researchers found thatcheese triggers the same neuroreceptors for pleasure that drugs do since cheese contains casein, a dairy protein that during digestion releases casomorphine, which plays directly on the brain's dopamine receptors. So if you think you're addicted to cheese, you probably are. Like most addictions, this one isn't healthy.

If you have ever tried to give up anything addictive, whether it's cigarettes, caffeine, or alcohol, you know that there is usually a painful period of withdrawal followed by a sense of improved health and even natural euphoria. The same is true ofwhat happens when you give upburrata, brie, Jarlsberg, or parmesan. First, it's hard, then you feel so much better. Here's why.

While a handful of studies have come out to say that dairy is not inflammatory, at least some of those have been funded by milk producers. In "fact-checking"the research and its funding,Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), has found that even a serving a day of dairy is not good for you and that the proteins in dairy are inflammatory, especially if you areamong the nearly 70 percent of the world's population that has some levelof lactose malabsorption.

When you stop eating dairy, Barnard asserts, inflammation drops on a cellular level, allowing long-sore joints and swollen body parts to deflate and feel relieved. You may lose your under-eye bags, your skin is likely to clear up and the pain in your joints or muscles will subside. You may also find your face and belly become less bloated, all of which is a healthy reactionafter getting rid of an allergen.

Experts estimate that 68 percent of the world's population suffers from some level of lactose malabsorption,a milder degree of lactose intolerance. The best way to figure out if you are in that group is to cut out dairy, especially cheese, and see how you feel after a week or two.

Lactose malabsorption is more common incertain parts of the world, such as Africa and Asia, where the majority of the population have some level of lactose malabsorption.In northern Europe, many people carry agenethat allows them to digest lactose after infancy but babies can have a very hard time with cow's milk, and some are sensitive if the lactating mother is eating dairy and cow proteins are in her body.

In the U.S., less than 40 percent of the population has lactose intolerance. Lactose malabsorption is not full-blown lactose intolerance and can cause symptoms that are mild or moderate, but many of those with lactose malabsorption also have lactose intolerance.

Other than inflammation, whichis driven up by eating cheese and goes downwhen you give up dairy, you may also find that your hormonal balanceshifts for the better when you give up dairy, especially cheese. That's because cheese contains traces of hormones like estrogen and growth hormone, both passed from the lactating cow's milk to humans, according to Dr. Barnard.

Barnard, who wrote a bookcalled Your Body In Balance: The New Science of Food, Hormones, and Health,has explored the ways thatthe traces of estrogen in dairy and cheese can impacthumans and especially women who have struggled with hormonal problems that affect their periods, fertility, and their endocrine system (as is the case with PCOS).

In his book, Barnard tellsstories of patients who have given up dairy and had their symptoms abateand hormonal health restored.While Barnard is notasserting that dairy causes PCOS or that giving up grilled cheese and pizza can cure all menstrual woes, if you look at the overall impact of cheese on the body, less appears to be better, he says.

Back in 2019 Barnard and dozens of other doctors joined together with PCRM to recommend that the FDA require warning labels on cheese,to caution consumers that eating this food raises their risk of breast cancer.

"Dairy products contain traces of estrogens from cows, and as milk is converted to cheese, the estrogens are more concentrated," according to PCRM. "While they are only traces, they appear to be biologically active in humans, increasing breast cancer mortality."

Dairy cows in the US areroutinely injected with Bovine Growth Hormone to increase their production of milk, which is allowed by the FDA, but this also may increase the levels of Insulin Growth Factor-1that gets passed to humans. IGF-1 promotes cell growth, including cancer cells, according to research published in the UK.

Milk, cheese, yogurt, and anything made from these ingredients can contain varying levels of IGF-1, which regulators at the FDA claim is safe for human consumption. Organic milk does not contain these growth hormones, and neither does non-dairy milk and cheese.

Cows are injected with hormones to keep them lactating for longer and to produce more milk every month. So modern-day milk has more hormones in it than the dairy your grandparents drankfrom their local old-fashioned dairy farms of a century ago.

The FDA explains that this is completely fine. An article on the government agency's sitecalled,"Steroid Hormone Implants Used for Growth in Food-Producing Animals" asserts that since the 1950s, theFDAhas approved a number of steroid hormone drugs for use in beef cattle and sheep, includingnatural estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and their synthetic versions.

Since dairy producers started giving cows massive amounts of growth hormones in the early 1990s, consumers have speculated that these trace amounts that get passed to children could have health impacts such as early puberty, antibiotic-resistant infections, and a higherrisk of cancer. Studies now find that it's likely that obesity is a contributing factor to early puberty, but in a study on IGF-1 and cancer, there was a link.

In the UK, a group of researchers found that IGF-1 was linked to the growth of second primary cancers. That means if you are a cancer survivor, IGF appears to find those cells and help them grow.

To quote the study: "IGF-1 is known to promote cancer development by inhibiting apoptosis and stimulating cell proliferation. Epidemiological studies have reported a positive association between circulatingIGF-1 levels and various primary cancers, such as breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer," but they set out to figure out how IGF helps secondary cancers grow. They found that this hormone helps convert normal cells into cancer cells.

Yet theFDA assertsthat food or dairy from animals who are given growth hormone is fine, and that "studies have shown that the food from the treated animals is safe for people to eat and that the drugs do not harm the treated animal or the environment."

If you are eager to avoid growth hormones in your morning coffee or cereal, choose almond, soy, or oat milk instead.

The public's perception is that soy, which contains plant estrogen, or phytoestrogens, could raise the risk of breast cancer, but in fact, women who eat more soy have less incidence of cancer, studies have found. That's becausephytoestrogens mimic estrogen in a good way and essentially pump the brakes on the body's estrogen uptake.

In large studies of Asian populations in which the women eat a lot of soy, the evidence is strong that the more soy you eat,the lower your overall risk of breast cancer. Soy appears tohave a protective effectin keeping estrogen production in check.

Read More:Does Soy Cause Breast Cancer? Here's What An Expert Says

In a 2021 study that followed nearly 53,000 women for 8 years, tracking daily consumption of milk, a serving a day (or more) was associated withanelevated risk of breast cancer. Consuming as little as one-quarter to one-third cup of dairy milk per day was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer of 30 percent, lead researcher Gary E. Fraser, Ph.D., of Loma Linda University explained. Soy had the opposite effect, the study found.

By drinking up to one cup [of dairy] per day, the associated risk went up to 50 percent, and for those drinking two to three cups per day, the risk increased further to 70 to 80 percent. Most cheese is made from dairy, so while the study was about milk, cheese would be considered dairy food and the results would correlate to cheese.

Read More:Study: One Daily Serving of Dairy Linked to Higher Risk of Cancer

Men who consume dairy are also at elevated risk for cancer. Dr. Shireen Kassam, Ph.D., founding director ofPlant-Based Health Professionals UKwantsmen toknow that there is also an association between dairy and prostate cancer risk, according to scientific studies.

"Acombined analysisof 32 observational studies found that for every 400 grams of dairy consumed daily (justover 1 1/2 cups)correlated with a 7 percent increased risk of developing prostate cancer, and this risk applied to both milk and cheese, she says.

In another review of studiesonplant-based foodsand cancer risk, researchers found that the consumption of plant-based foods reduced the risk of prostate cancer.

Read More:Dairy Increases Risk of Prostate Cancer. What to Eat to Lower It

Cheese is high in saturated fat, linked to an increased risk of heart disease. In the UK, researchers have recommended that people eat no more than a matchbook size sliver a day, and even that may be too much for someone battlinghigh blood pressure, a symptom and a risk factor forcardiovascular disease, according to heart doctors.

Saturated fat has been linked to high cholesterol, blockages that make heart attack and stroke more likely, and calcium deposits that can be fatal if blood flow to the brain, heart, or lungs is hindered. Dr. Joel Kahn, a plant-based cardiologist, says the less sat fat you eat the better.

A study inThe Cochrane Reviewdemonstrated that reducing dietary saturated fat intake lowered the risk of combined cardiovascular events by 21 percent, andthe greater the reduction in saturated fat, the greater the drop in the risk ofcardiovascular events.

This was true both for peoplewho hadno prior history of heart events,and those who had a history of heart disease, Dr. Kahn added. In fact, the reduction in satfat was evenmorepowerful for those who did have known heart disease.

Read More:The Fat Wars Are Over and Sat Fat is a Killer, Says Dr. Joel Kahn

A plant-based diet can lower your risk of heart disease since saturated fat is only found in animal fat and some tropical oils such as palm oil and coconut oil. TheAmerican Heart Associationstates that decades of sound science has proven [saturated fat] can raise your bad cholesterol and puts you at higher risk for heart disease.

The ADA recommends keeping daily saturated fat intake to 5 percent of your daily calories. That means if you eat 2,000 calories a day, no more than 100 of those should come from animal fat, which essentially means going plant-based.

In Dr. Barnard's book

It can take up to 21 days for alltraces of dairy protein to leave your system, according to experts at La Leche League, which helps women who have babies that are intolerant to cow's milk. (Human milk contains lactose but not dairy protein, so it is in a form that babies can tolerate.)

To see the full results of giving up cheese and dairy, you need to give upmilk, cheese, yogurt, and all forms of cow's milk for three full weeks.

But thepositive effects of giving up cheese and dairy will start to be felt much earlier, as soon as just a few days.Still, if you want to know whether dairy is causing your joint pain or inflammation, allow it to fullyleave your system and have zero dairy products for 21 ways and wait until the three weeks are up to evaluate the results.

Will you miss cheese? Does a former smoker. miss cigarettes? Yes, you will miss cheese. But less and less as the days go by and it loosens its grip on you.

Cheese is linked to inflammation in most people, and contains hormones such as growth hormone and traces of estrogen, known to increase the risk of cancer. It takes 21 days for all traces of dairy to leave your system but you can see the benefits when you give up dairy. Just a few changes are that your hormones get back into balance and you'll live free ofjoint pain and bloating.

For the best cheese alternatives, visit The Beet's review of vegan cheese slices and non-dairyvegan cheese shreds.

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Here's What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Eating Dairy - The Beet

The global pen needles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.09% during 2022 to 2027. – Yahoo Finance

ReportLinker

MARKET OVERVIEW Pen needles are the needles that are attached to the durable or prefilled pens that the patients use to inject the medication. The pen needles are found mainly among insulin users, growth hormone users, and other self-injecting medication users.

New York, Aug. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Pen Needles Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06316311/?utm_source=GNW

The advancements in needle manufacturing technology have resulted in shorter and thinner needles. This has helped the vendors to reduce needle stick injuries. This even made vendors focus on thinner and thinner needles. These thinner needles are more user-friendly, progressively improving patient self-rating of injection comfort. BD (Becton, Dickinson) is one of the key innovative players and launched many revolutionary products in the pen needles segment.

Growth in the market is largely driven by the growing prevalence of the diabetic population and the favorable demand for self-injection devices. On the other hand, the preference for alternative modes of drug delivery, poor reimbursement in developing countries, and needle anxiety are expected to restrain the overall market growth. The growing preference for biosimilar drugs and emerging markets are areas of opportunity in the market.

All injector pens require single-use replaceable pen needles for each injection. The companies offer pen needles in various lengths to accommodate varying depths of subcutaneous tissue under the top of the skin. Pen needles are designed for single-use subcutaneous injection of medication and are not intended to be reused for more than one administration. The pen needles are generally manufactured with an outer protective plastic shell, which a person uses to attach the needle to the pen, and an inner plastic shell protecting the needle itself. The doctor or nurses responsibility instructs how to attach and use needles to ensure proper use properly.

MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

The Rising Prevalence of Diabetic Population

Diabetes prevalence in all regions is predicted to rise in the coming years due to unhealthy diets and bad lifestyle choices. The countries are increasingly putting in demand for medication in recent years, majorly the low-income countries, as the patients are more convenient with injector pens. The rising incidences of needle-stick injuries due to the high usage of 8mm syringes and lack of awareness & education in low-middle income countries are also one of the main reasons for the higher adoption of insulin pen needles.When compared with developed countries, developing countries are more prone to diabetes. In these regions, young children are also affected by diabetes due to childhood obesity, which is a significant risk factor. In the case of developed countries, only older people get affected by diabetes. In contrast, in developing countries, individuals of the adult age and elderly persons above 65 are also prone to diabetes. One in 11 adults in the age group 0-79 is affected with diabetes, especially type-II, which is attributable to lifestyle changes.

Growing Demand for Self-Injection Devices

Devices for self-injection, chiefly pens used for the subcutaneous delivery of biopharmaceuticals, constitute a growing segment of the world of drug delivery devices. With the trend toward biological drugs that cannot be administered orally and the worldwide increase in diabetes, their importance is set to grow further in the future. With the large number of new injectables expected to enter the market in the coming years, the trend to shift treatment from the clinic to the home environment to save costs and provide more patient convenience is increasing the demand for self-injection devices. Self-injection solutions can also significantly improve the quality of care from the patients perspective. Self-administration by the patient (e.g., using an injection pen) has several advantages. For drugs requiring a subcutaneous application, self-injection pens offer an ideal opportunity to control the time factor and reduce risk.

Technological Advancements in Pen Needles

New pen needles, which are better than the conventional ones, are being introduced to the market. These next-generation pen needles will significantly add an advantage to healthcare providers, nurses, and at-home settings. This trend states that the manufacturers are focusing on improving the traditional portfolios for pen needles. The needle-stick injuries and non-adherence to the therapies are the significant phenomenon in which the manufacturers try to minimize and deliver the medication safely to the patients. There are few manufacturers whose products are top-selling in the market. To reduce risk, those companies have improved their traditional portfolio of pen needles with technology.

Growing Demand for Safety Pen Needles

Accidental blood exposures are caused by contaminated needle sticks, sharps, or splashes and expose HCPs and non-healthcare users to the risk of serious infections. Pen needles with automatic protective safety features allow patients who are temporarily incompetent to continue self-administering drugs with assistance but without compromising healthcare provider (HCP) safety. Moreover, safety pen needles (SPNs) have been found to minimize the risk of exposure to bloodborne infections associated with needle-stick injury without any related adverse events. Safety devices are one of the most effective risk-control measures to prevent healthcare workers exposure to injuries and infectious agents. Over 80% of NSIs can be prevented with the use of sharps with engineered sharps injury protection system.

SEGMENTATION ANALYSIS

Product Type Analysis

Based on product type, the market is segmented into standard pen needles and safety pen needles. In 2021, standard pen needles held the largest of 71.72% in the global market due to their daily usage of larger doses by diabetic patients. However, these needles are less preferred as they have a higher risk of needle-stick injury and interfere with the safe use of pen needles. Therefore, they are expected to be in low demand soon. Increasing diabetes and awareness of insulin pen use are some factors that support this segments growth. Safety pen needles are expected to witness favorable growth during the forecast period due to technological advances in this segment and increased launches of next-generation products. These devices make it possible to minimize needle-stick injuries to patients.

Segmentation by Product Type Standard Pen Needles Safety Pen Needles

Needle Length Analysis

Based on needle length, it is segmented into short needles and long needles. The short needle segment accounted for the largest share of 78.30% in the global market in 2021. Amongst the short needle lengths, 4 mm-sized pen needles are most prescribed to all patients, including obese people suffering from the target disease. Patients are increasingly using the shortest and thinnest needles due to a greater comfort level offered by them as compared to injections. Moreover, their short layer helps reach the subcutaneous tissue of the patients easily.

Segmentation by Length Short Length Long Length

Therapy Analysis

The market is segmented on therapy into insulin and non-insulin. The insulin pen needles market accounted for the largest share of 81.20% in the global market in 2021 and is also expected to showcase lucrative growth over the forecast period. This is due to the increasing awareness about the self-administration of insulin therapy amongst type 1 and types 2 diabetes patients. In non-insulin therapy, GLP-1 and growth hormone therapy is expected to exhibit significant growth soon. This is due to its capability to minimize the blood glucose level amongst patients who have type 2 diabetes.

Segmentation by Therapy Insulin Non-Insulin

Distribution Channel

The global pen needles market is segmented into retail and online based on distribution channels. The retail segment accounted for the largest share of 76.96% in the global pen needles market in 2021. In the retail segment, hospitals and clinics play a major role in distributing pen needles. The retailer pharmacies prefer to collaborate with hospitals and clinics to get a huge profit as the hospitals and clinics are the first points of contact. Online distribution channels are expected to grow drastically in the coming era. The COVID-19 pandemic has opened the doors for online platforms to surge the demand for pen needles in the market.

Segmentation by Distribution Channel Retail Online

GEOGRAPHICAL OVERVIEW

The Europe region is dominating the market and accounts for the share of 33.85%, followed by North America with the share of 29.65%, APAC with a share of 24.90%, Latin America with a share of 7.48%, and the Middle East & Africa region accounted for the share of 6.12% in the global market.

Segmentation by Geography

Europeo Germanyo Franceo UKo Italyo Spain North Americao USo Canada Latin Americao Brazilo Mexicoo Argentina APACo Chinao Japano Indiao South Koreao Australia Middle East & Africao Turkeyo South Africao Saudi Arabia

VENDOR ANALYSISThe key companies profiled in the global pen needles market are: BD Braun Melsungen Novo Nordisk Owen Mumford Ypsomed

These key players have a wide geographic presence in the region such as Europe, North America, and APAC. The market competition is based on quality, quantity, technology, safety, and price and is expected to surge in the coming years. These companies are focusing on launching next-generation products regarding the demand for self-injection devices and safety pen needles. The competition in the market is low as there are only a few key vendors in the market, and the market is not witnessing many mergers and acquisitions.

Other Prominent Vendors

AdvaCare Pharma Allison Medical ARKRAY GlucoRx Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices HTL-STREFA IGAKU NEEDLES Iyon Medical Links Medical Products MedExel Medivena Montmd Narang Medical Nipro Europe Group Companies Promisemed Medical Devices SHANGHAI BERPU MEDICAL Simple Diagnostics Terumo Europe Trividia Health UltiMed Van Heek Medical VOGT MEDICAL

Strategies adopted by the market vendors

One of the key vendors, B.Braun Melsungen, is launching the second-generation needles, and other vendors are also coming up with safety needles in the market. These are largely adopted among the developed countries in the market. The increasing target population and adoption of advanced technologies like pen needles in Europe make them dominate the market. This is making the vendors focus the product launches across Europe. The major vendors continuously compete for the leading position in the market, with occasional spurts of competition coming from other local vendors.

KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED:1. How big is the global pen needle market?2. What is the growth rate of the global pen needle market?3. Who are the key players in the global pen needle market?4. What are the growth enablers in the global pen needle market?5. Which region is expected to hold the largest share by 2027?Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06316311/?utm_source=GNW

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The global pen needles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.09% during 2022 to 2027. - Yahoo Finance

Novartis waves bye to biosimilars with Sandoz split – BioProcess Insider – BioProcess Insider

Novartis will spin-off its generics division Sandoz, which includes a portfolio of eight biosimilar products.

In 2018, Novartis granted its generic and biosimilar medicine division Sandoz more autonomy while claiming to be completely committed to the business. Since then, analysts and investors have been hedging their bets as to when the inevitable spin-off would therefore occur. Following a strategic review last year, the Swiss firm has now cemented a separation plan to be completed by the second half of 2023.

Our strategic review examined all options for Sandoz and concluded that a 100% spin-off is in the best interest of shareholders, said Joerg Reinhardt, chair of the Board of Directors of Novartis.

A spin-off would allow our shareholders to benefit from the potential future successes of a more focused Novartis and a standalone Sandoz, and would offer differentiated and clear investment theses for the individual businesses.

Novartis will now dedicate itself to innovative medicines, including its antibody and cell and gene therapy portfolio. It will, however, lose a robust portfolio and pipeline of biosimilars a modality focused on lower-cost biologics it was instrumental in bringing to the fore in both Europe and the US.

In 2006, the firm achieved approval of Omnitrope (biosimilar recombinant human growth hormone [rhGH]) in Europe, and nine years later became the first commercial biosimilar developer to bring a biosimilar to the US Zarxio, a version of Amgens Neupogen (filgrastim).

Beyond these two, the firm has won approval for six other biosimilars across various regions: Erelzi (etanercept), Binocrit (epoetin alfa), Ziextenzo (pegfilgrastim), Rixathon (rituximab), Hyrimoz (adalimumab), and Zessley (Infliximab).

Furthermore, the firm has been instrumental in advocating for such medicines, through industry, physician, and payor programs such as the recently launched Act4Biosimilars roadmap that hopes to increase global adoption of biosimilar medicines by at least 30% in 30+ countries by 2030.

For Novartis, the separation of Sandoz would further support our strategy of building a focused innovative medicines company, with depth in five core therapeutic areas, and strength in technology platforms, said Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis.

In addition, both companies would be able to focus on maximizing value creation for their shareholders by prioritizing capital and resource allocation, employing separate capital structure policies, and increasing management focus on their respective business needs.

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Novartis waves bye to biosimilars with Sandoz split - BioProcess Insider - BioProcess Insider

This is What High Cholesterol Does to Your Body Eat This Not That – Eat This, Not That

High cholesterol is a serious health concern that affects over 94 million adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.While many don't realize they're at risk because high cholesterol often doesn't show symptoms, major complications like heart disease, stroke and diabetes can happen if left untreated. Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with Dr. Tomi Mitchell, a Board-Certified Family Physician with Holistic Wellness Strategies who shares how harmful high cholesterol is to your overall health. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

Dr. Mitchell explains, "Cholesterol is a type of fat found in our bodies. It's essential for many functions, including cell growth, hormone production, and digestion. However, too much cholesterol can lead to serious health problems like heart disease and stroke.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

So, where does cholesterol come from? Our bodies produce some cholesterol independently, but we also get it from our food. Animal products, such as meat, poultry, and dairy, are exceptionally high in cholesterol. In addition, plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, contain very little cholesterol.

When it comes to our bodies, cholesterol is found in the blood. It's carried by particles called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is often called "bad" cholesterol because it can build up on the walls of your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is often called "good" cholesterol because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries.

Having too much LDL cholesterol in your blood is one of the main risk factors for heart disease. That's why it's essential to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to help keep your LDL levels under control. For example, if you have a family history of heart disease or other risk factors for heart disease, your doctor may also recommend medications to help lower your LDL levels."

Dr. Mitchell tells us, "Cholesterol is necessary to properly function many essential body processes, including producing hormones and the digestion of fats. However, too much cholesterol can lead to health problems such as heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol is found in the body: LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is often referred to as "bad" cholesterol because it contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries. HDL cholesterol is often referred to as "good" because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from the streets. The best way to keep your cholesterol levels under control is to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. High cholesterol is more than just a number on a lab report. It can seriously impact your health, increasing your risk for heart disease, stroke, and other severe conditions. Here are five ways high cholesterol can affect your health."

According to Dr. Mitchell, "High cholesterol can cause atherosclerosis, a condition in which plaque builds up on the walls of your arteries, making them narrow and hard. This can lead to chest pain, heart attack, or stroke. Just as too much sugar can lead to cavities, too much cholesterol in the blood can develop plaques in your arteries. Over time, these plaques can harden and narrow your arteries, restricting blood flow to your heart and increasing your risk of heart disease. In addition to heart disease, high cholesterol can increase your risk of stroke, kidney disease, and memory loss. High cholesterol can still damage your health even if you don't have any symptoms. That's why it's essential to check your cholesterol regularly and take steps to keep it under control. By making healthy lifestyle choices and working with your doctor, you can help keep your cholesterol healthy and reduce your risk of severe health problems."

Dr. Mitchell says, "high cholesterol can cause fatty deposits to form in your arteries, making them less flexible and more likely to become blocked. High cholesterol doesn't just clog your arteries. When too much of the waxy substance is in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis) and make it hard for enough blood to flow through. That could lead to a heart attack or stroke. The fatty deposits can also affect circulation elsewhere in your body. In atherosclerosis, plaques narrow arteries and reduce blood flow. Over time, the reduced blood flow can cause problems such as:

Coronary artery disease: Plaque buildup narrows the coronary arteries and reduces blood flow to your heart muscle. This can lead to chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, heart attack, and possibly heart failure.

Carotid artery disease: Plaque buildup in carotid arteries decreases blood flow to your brain and increases your risk of stroke.

Peripheral artery disease: Plaque buildup narrows peripheral arteries those in your legs, arms, and stomach which decreases blood flow to these extremities. This can cause pain when you walk (claudication). Unfortunately, too little blood flowing to these areas can heal wounds slowly and make you more susceptible to infections.

Aortic aneurysms: This is a bulge in the aorta wall caused by plaque buildup that weakens artery walls. Aortic aneurysms are often undetected until they rupture, causing internal bleeding that sometimes proves fatal.

Kidney damage: Plaque buildup in renal arteries limits blood flow to your kidneys, which may cause kidney failure." While Satou was going over this, her patient was sweating bullets, not knowing if he was going to live or die with his high cholesterol levels."

High cholesterol can make blood flow through your arteries difficult, leading to high blood pressure," says Dr. Mitchell. "High cholesterol is a problem because it can cause blockages in your arteries. Your arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. When you have high cholesterol, there is a buildup of plaque on the walls of your arteries. This plaque narrows the diameter of the arteries and makes it more difficult for blood to flow through them. Over time, this can lead to high blood pressure, a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high. High blood pressure can damage the arteries and lead to heart disease, stroke, and other serious health problems. Therefore, it is essential to keep your cholesterol levels under control to prevent these problems from occurring."

Dr. Mitchell tells us, "High cholesterol can increase your risk of developing blood clots, which can block an artery and lead to a heart attack or stroke. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is found in your blood. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones and other substances, but too much cholesterol can lead to health problems. Atherosclerosis makes it more difficult for blood to flow through your arteries. Blood clots can occur anywhere in the body, but they are most likely to form in an artery with high cholesterol and can cause plaque buildup in your arteries. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fat, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Over time, plaque can harden and narrow your arteries. This condition is called atherosclerosis. Arteries become blocked, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. A blood clot is a mass damaged by plaque buildup. A blood clot forms in an artery already narrowed by plaque; it can block blood flow and cause a heart attack or stroke. High cholesterol increases your risk of developing atherosclerosis and forming blood clots. Therefore, controlling your cholesterol levels is essential to reducing your heart disease and stroke risk."

Dr. Mitchell shares, "High cholesterol can damage the lining of your arteries, making them more susceptible to inflammation and injury. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury or infection. It helps to protect us from harm by fighting off invaders and promoting healing. However, inflammation can also lead to several severe health problems when it becomes chronic. One of the most significant risk factors for chronic inflammation is high cholesterol. When cholesterol levels are too high, it causes a buildup of plaque in the arteries. This plaque narrows the arteries, making them more susceptible to inflammation and injury. Over time, inflammation can damage the lining of the arteries, leading to a condition known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis increases the risk for cardiovascular problems, including heart attack and stroke. If you have high cholesterol, it's essential to take steps to lower it and reduce your risk of developing these serious health problems."

Dr. Mitchell says this "doesn't constitute medical advice and by no means are these answers meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it's to encourage discussions about health choices."

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This is What High Cholesterol Does to Your Body Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Here are 5 tips that can help you get a good night’s sleep – Firstpost

A good night's sleep is equally important as regular exercise or eating a healthy diet if you want to be at the top of your health.

The need to sleep for an average of eight hours is crucial in order to stay healthy. Studies show that poor sleep negatively impacts our hormones, brain function and overall health. A good night's sleep is as important as regular exercise or eating a healthy diet, if you want to be at the peak of your health. Restless nights and weary mornings often become more frequent as we grow older and our sleep patterns change. In women, it often happens around the time of menopause. Later in life, most of us sleep for less than eight hours. There are also some alterations in the body's circadian rhythms. This internal clock affects how your body responds to changes in light and dark. As we age, it can be tough to fall asleep at night.

Here are some of the tips to help you sleep better:

Consume sleep-enhancing foods: Hot milk, whole wheat bread, chamomile tea and potatoes are all foods that make your eyelids heavy with sleep. Many of these help in bringing a restful state to the body and also combat insomnia.Do not drink alcohol: Having a couple of drinks at night can have a negative impact on your sleep schedule. Alcohol leads to snoring, sleep apnea, and disrupted sleep patterns. It also changes nighttime melatonin production, which plays an integral role in your bodys circadian rhythms.Sleep surroundings: Comfortable pillows, mattresses, and soft linens help you sleep better and quicker. A neat, uncluttered bedroom is also helpful. Keep the lights low, and your room should feel cosy.Dont eat late at night: Eating late at night may have a negative impact both on your sleep quality and the release of HGH and melatonin.Consider taking a melatonin supplement: Melatonin is among the key sleep hormones that directs your brain when its time to relax and head to bed. Melatonin supplements are a popular sleep aid. Often used to treat insomnia, melatonin may be one of the advisable ways to fall asleep faster. You must consult your healthcare professional before taking this option.

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Here are 5 tips that can help you get a good night's sleep - Firstpost

Narrative Always Follows Price in the Markets – A Wealth of Common Sense

Magician Gustav Kuhn once performed a simple magic trick to learn why people are so susceptible to sleight of hand.

He took a small red ball and threw it in the air, catching it with one hand. He then did it again a second time very quickly. But on the third throw, the ball never came down. It disappeared.

It was a mystery.

Where did the ball go?

It didnt actually disappear into thin air. Kuhn never actually threw the ball the third time. He hid it in his hand, only pretending to throw it, just like every dog owner has done at least once in a game of fetch.

But many of the people watching this trick were sure the ball left his hand.Two-thirds of the participants in Kuhns experiment experienced the illusion of the ball being thrown into the air on the third attempt even though it never happened.

When Kuhn showed them the video they were astounded the ball never actually left his hand. It felt real. Many assumed it must have somehow stuck to the ceiling.

The key to the trick?

It wasnt the hidden ball. It was Kuhns eyes.

As he threw the ball, his eyes followed the path it would have taken. It was the eyes that told the lie. In another version of the trick, Kuhn kept his eyes down and it wasnt nearly as effective.

The trick doesnt work without expectations. When Kuhn and his researchers looked more closely at video of the audiences reactions, most people were looking at his face, not the ball.1

In his book, Experiencing the Impossible, Kuhn concluded, Our brain uses a really clever and almost science-fictional trick that prevents us from living in the past: we look into the future. Our visual system is continuously predicting the future, and the world that you are now perceiving is the world that your visual system has predicted to be the present in the past.

In other words, our expectations of the future are based on patterns from the past.Our brain builds narratives based on recent experiences.

This same process occurs when investors are trying to figure out the markets. The pattern that controls those market narratives is almost always price and price alone.

When stocks are falling its easier to become increasingly more bearish.

When stocks are rising its easier to become increasingly more bullish.

Call it pattern recognition, recency bias or sleight of hand in our brains but nothing changes narratives in the stock market like a change in price.

A podcast listener alerted us to the idea that our episode titles did a nice job gauging market sentiment these past few months so we charted them on a weekly graph of market prices:

The titles got more bearish the further stocks fell and have softened in recent weeks during the rally (Peak Pessimism kind of nailed the bottom).

The prevailing narratives 2-3 months ago in the stock market were as follows:

These narratives all made sense at the time because the stock market was down almost 25%. When prices are down its always going to be easier to talk yourself into every bearish argument.

Now that the market has rallied 15%, here are some new narratives gaining steam:

All it took for a change in sentiment was higher prices.

If stocks continue to rise, this new narrative will become even stronger. If the rally peters out and stocks resume their descent, those previous narratives will return.

Why is this the case? Because were addicted to stories. Stories can help your brain avoid discomfort.

Think about the crypto market. Its the narrative-price relationship on HGH.

When prices are rising it feels like a game-changing technology. Everyone in the space sounds like a genius. Each new project sounds better than the last. And it feels like prices will go straight up forever.

When prices are falling it feels like a solution in search of a problem. Everyone in the space sounds like an idiot. Each new project feels even more likely to fail. And it feels like prices will go straight down forever.

Not everyone gets caught up in this narrative tug-of-war. There will always be contrarians.

The hard part about handicapping the markets is sometimes going with the flow and sticking with the prevailing narratives and trends is the right move. As Jeff Bezos once said, Contrarians are usually wrong.

And sometimes it pays to go against the grain.

The problem, as always, comes down to timing.

Michael and I discussed how price drives narratives in the stock market and much more on this weeks Animal Spirits video (taped at a company offsite at Barry Ritholzs house):

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Further Reading:Being a Contrarian is Easier in Hindsight

Now heres what Ive been reading lately:

1If this video doesnt trick you its probably because I already gave it away before you watched it.

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Narrative Always Follows Price in the Markets - A Wealth of Common Sense