Rising in Ohio – (QCOR, ARNA, GILD, PPHM, ABT)

Columbus-based BioOhio, a nonprofit industry proponent, recently released a report showing that Ohio has hired 8,500 bioscience-related workers in a little more than a decade. The report disclosed that jobs rate in the biotech industry rose 16.5 percent from 2000 to 2011, while the number of overall jobs in Ohio moved down.

There were 1,491 employees added or retained in the Dayton region in just the last four years alone, driving to a large gain in local biotech employment at hundreds of companies in the region. Among the biggest latest projects in the region is the new Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) nutrition plant at the location of Tipp City that will have a total cost of $270 million and will add 240 workers when operational.

Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOR) bounced back a day after the third-largest U.S. health insurers said it was cutting back on coverage for Questcor’s H.P. Acthar gel, which contibutes about all of its revenue.

To have a quick look on this stock’s price history, beta used to measure the volatility or systematic risk in comparison to the market as a whole was 1.66 and the percentage change in the price over the last fifty two weeks remained at +20.60%. The price range in those 52 weeks had a highest hit of $58.91 on Jul 19, 2012 while lowest level during that period was $22.26 on Sep 19, 2012.

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARNA) declined sharply after getting defeated by VIVUS, Inc. (NASDAQ:VVUS) with the release of its Obesity Drug Qsymia. The stock moved up 368.98% in this year and its price history showed most recently beta was at -0.30. Overall during the last 12 months, the percentage change in the price was 480.80%, hitting the highest of $13.50 on Jun 27, 2012 while lowest level in that period was $1.23 on Oct 04, 2011.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) traded near 52-week high after Deutsche Bank lifted its price target on the stock to $75.  Its shares rallied 64.48% so far in 2012. The stock most recently had a beta value at 0.61 and the percentage change in the price over the last fifty two weeks remained at 75.18%. The price range in that 1-year period had a best hit of $67.55 on Sep 18, 2012 while lowest level in the same period was $34.45 on Nov 21, 2011.

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ PHM) shares also traded near 52-week peak level and is set to present today at the 3rd Annual Credit Suisse 2012 Small & Mid Cap Conference. So far, the share price of this stock jumped 388.35% in this year and stock’s price history revealed that beta was maintained at 1.29 and the percentage change in the price over the last fifty two weeks remained as 341.23%.