CRO concept stocks are leading the gains in Hong Kong trading. By the time of writing, VIVA BIOTECH (01873) rose 6.14% to HK$2.42, WUXI BIO (02269) increased 6.01% to HK$40.54, TIGERMED (03347) climbed 4.65% to HK$56.3, and WUXI APPTEC (02359) advanced 4.31% to HK$121.

Positive news includes projected net profit growth for WUXI APPTEC by 103% year-on-year in 2025, while TIGERMED is expected to see an increase of 105–204%. Global biopharmaceutical investment and financing began to recover in 2025, with year-on-year growth rates of 2.7% globally and 6.4% in China. Innovation drug development remains robust, with business development (BD) transaction value reaching US$135.7 billion in 2025, up 143% year-on-year.

According to a research report, as financing and BD-related payments improve, pharmaceutical companies are increasing their investments in clinical trials again. Demand for outsourced clinical CRO, SMO, and regulatory services has also rebounded, providing direct funding and project pipelines for the sector's recovery. Another securities firm noted that CXO and upstream research sectors primarily serve the R&D and late-stage production of innovative drugs. With the strong momentum in drug development, both segments are expected to maintain favorable performance trends.