Bird flu makes drug stocks fly

If bird flu scare has spelled doom to poultry farmers, it has brought about a streak of luck to drugmakers in the race for influenza drugs. Cipla reaped the benefit to its side with investors going on a bullish spree over its stock as it is pitched to manufacture the only effective drug known for bird flu—Tamiflu. Cipla's stock rose more than three percent to 559.10 rupees and Ranbaxy Laboratories gained more than one percent to 455 rupees.