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Amid the testing regional security situation, Qatar's pharmaceutical manufacturers are pushing back with a show of resilience — running factories around the clock, sitting on months of strategic reserves, and rerouting supply chains through Saudi Arabia and Oman to keep medicines flowing without interruption.Such measures aim to ensure the stability of the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain and reassure the healthcare sector and the public. Some industry representatives said the local pharmaceutical plants are running round-the-clock under pre-established crisis management plans designed to guarantee uninterrupted production and the steady flow of medicines to the domestic market. Additionally, coordination is underway with healthcare authorities, particularly Hamad Medical Corporation, to ensure that hospitals and health centres maintain adequate supplies.Further, manufacturers noted that their current priority is meeting domestic demand, and exports have been temporarily suspended until regional conditions become clearer. Emergency logistics plans are also in place to secure the arrival of raw materials via alternative routes, including land transport through Saudi Arabia and Oman.Dr Ahmed al-Sulaiti, chairman of Qatar Pharma, said the factory continues operating 24 hours a day at full production capacity. The company manufactures more than 580 pharmaceutical products registered with the Ministry of Public Health, covering a wide range of essential medicines including antibiotics, pain relievers, intravenous fluids, ampoules, dialysis solutions, eye, ear and nasal drops, and medical creams.He added that the company holds substantial stocks of manufactured medicines and raw materials to cover demand for extended periods. Some shipments have already been rerouted to alternative regional ports and airports, including routes through Oman, as part of previously established contingency logistics systems. He stressed that expanding local pharmaceutical manufacturing is a key pillar of Qatar’s drug security strategy and reduces reliance on international supply chains during crises.QLife Pharma deputy CEO Ali Mohamed al-Muhannadi said the plant’s three production lines are operating normally at full capacity. The factory currently produces more than 150 pharmaceutical products while maintaining a strategic stock of manufactured medicines sufficient for six months to one year, with some products having shelf lives of up to three years.Al-Muhannadi noted that the company has also secured enough raw materials to sustain production for at least six months without additional supplies. The plant maintains supply contracts with Hamad Medical Corporation and several private hospitals, and all deliveries are continuing as scheduled. Emergency logistics plans include the option of transporting shipments by land through Saudi Arabia or Oman if necessary. 

Business confidence among major Japanese manufacturers improved for the second consecutive quarter after a deal to lower US tariffs, but the outlook was clouded by caution over the impact of the levies, the Bank of Japan's Tankan survey showed Wednesday. The sentiment index measuring confidence among companies such as those in the auto and electronics sectors rose to 14 in September from 13 three months earlier, falling slightly short of the average market forecast of 15. The index for large nonmanufacturers, including the service sector, was unchanged from the previous survey in June at 34, as they benefited from passing higher costs on to customers but were pressured by rising prices that prompted consumers to tighten their belts. Looking ahead, however, big manufacturers' sentiment is projected to worsen to 12, and that of large nonmanufacturers is expected to fall to 28, according to the central bank's quarterly survey. The latest Tankan was the first released since US President Donald Trump eased duties on Japanese goods after a bilateral trade deal in July, with the auto tariff reduced to 15 percent from 27.5 percent in mid-September. Among manufacturers, sentiment in the motor vehicle sector climbed to 10 from 8 in June, but is forecast to return to 8. Confidence among shipbuilding and heavy machinery makers jumped to 36 from 27, as they were able to pass rising costs on to customers through higher prices, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) said.