[Special Stocks] PCL, ATinum and Other Diagnostic Kit Stocks on the Rise

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] As the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has surpassed 1,000, the stock prices of diagnostic kit manufacturers diagnosing the virus are on the rise.

According to the Korea Exchange on the 28th, as of 10 a.m., PCL's stock price showed a 7.24% increase from the previous day, reaching 118,500 KRW. The previous day, it rose 29.69% to hit the upper limit price of 111,500 KRW. Earlier, PCL developed an 'antigen rapid diagnostic kit' that allows individuals to easily check for COVID-19 infection themselves. PCL plans to request emergency use approval from the government for this product.

The stock price of genome analysis company Eone Diagnomics Genome Center (EDGC) is also on the rise. At the same time, it is trading at 5,960 KRW, up 7.39% from the previous day. The news that its affiliate Solgent signed an export contract for about 40,000 units of COVID-19 diagnostic kits to China, Vietnam, and the Middle East acted as a positive factor.

Atinum Invest's stock price also soared to 1,985 KRW, up 16.42% from the previous day, shortly after the market opened. This is interpreted as attention being drawn to the news that its investee SD Biosensor completed emergency use approval for its COVID-19 diagnostic device.