Iran’s Khuzestan Steel says repairs may take up to a year after strikes

 

Iran’s Khuzestan Steel Company said on Thursday that repairs to damaged facilities could take between six months and one year after recent strikes.

Mehran Pakbin, deputy for operations at the company, said all modules and steelmaking furnaces at the complex in Ahvaz had been damaged.

Last week that US and Israeli strikes hit two of the country’s largest steel producers, including Mobarakeh Steel Company and Khuzestan Steel.

Pakbin said restarting the units would take at least six months and up to a year, adding the company aimed to rebuild using domestic expertise.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202604015564#202604027962

Iran’s Mobarakeh Steel says production halted after strikes

 

Mobarakeh Steel Company said on Thursday that damage to production units had forced a complete halt to its lines.

The company said operations could not continue and asked staff to avoid coming to the complex until further notice.

State media reported last week that US and Israeli strikes hit two of the country’s largest steel producers, including Mobarakeh Steel in Isfahan and Khuzestan Steel Company in Ahvaz.

Khuzestan Steel said earlier on Thursday that repairs to its facilities could take between six months and one year after the strikes.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202604015564#202604027962

Senior IRGC special unit commander killed in strikes - state media

 

Iranian media reported that a commander of a special unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed in strikes on Wednesday.

They said Mohammad Ali Fathalizadeh, commander of the Fatehin special unit, was among those killed.

No further details were immediately available.

The Fatehin unit is part of the IRGC and its members receive advanced military training and have previously been deployed in conflicts such as Syria.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202604015564#202604023811

RBI Clampdown on Rupee Speculation Triggers Market Dislocation

 

The Reserve Bank of India’s crackdown on speculation against the rupee has come at the cost of a broader market disruption.

After the central bank imposed a $100 million cap on banks’ onshore currency bets on Friday, lenders rushed to unwind arbitrage trades — buying dollars abroad and selling them locally. That pushed speculative activity into overseas markets, which the RBI quickly shut off late Wednesday by barring banks from offering non-deliverable forwards.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-02/rbi-clampdown-on-rupee-speculation-triggers-market-dislocation

Walgreens’ Private Equity Owner Plans to Double Pharmacy Chain’s Profits

 

The private equity firm that acquired Walgreens as part of a $10 billion deal plans to double the pharmacy chain’s profitability over the next several years, according to people familiar with the matter.

Sycamore Partners, a New York-based buyout firm, wants to grow the retailer’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization to $4 billion, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. That’s up from about $2 billion that the US drugstore chain earned in 2024.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-02/walgreens-private-equity-owner-plans-to-double-chain-s-profits

Lipocine Phase 3 trial of LPCN 1154 in postpartum depression misses primary endpoint

 

 post hoc analysis shows benefit signals

• Lipocine is evaluating next steps for LPCN 1154 in postpartum depression after the failed Phase 3.
• The company plans to seek FDA breakthrough therapy and fast track designations for LPCN 1154.

https://finviz.com/quote.ashx?t=LPCN&p=d

FDA grants Fast Track designation to Cocrystal Pharma

 For oral antiviral CDI-988 for norovirus treatment and prevention

https://finviz.com/quote.ashx?t=COCP&p=d