January 24, 2019 7:45am

… In most of the 45 companies covered; yet there are some I’d also avoid until post the quarterly result’s reporting cycle

Today’s buzz words: choppy indications and chaotic efforts in sector visibility

Pre-open indication: 5 BUYs, 1 TRADE and 0 SELLs  

“Wherefore art thou” … is occasionally used in retellings of Romeo and Juliet but, in our sector; traders are the buyers for downtrodden equities. Deny thy pricing and refuse thy orders; or if thou wilt not, be but sworn its sentiment and I’ll no longer be a depreciated sector share holder <my play on wording>.

 

I answer one question, in which company should investors put, keep and commit their money!


I make a commitment to provide need-to-know “facts in evidence” as equity’s volatility is one tactical signal for stocks.

 

U.S. stock index futures are fluctuating to the upside

Dow futures are UP +0.16% (+40 points) and NASDAQ futures are UP +0.53% (+35 points)

 

US futures point to a muted open, as major earnings loom

European markets traded lower as uncertainty continues to dominate investor sentiment.

Asian markets mostly gained DESPITE uncertainties surrounding the global economic outlook as well as the ongoing U.S.-China trade fight.

 

Data docket: At 8:30 a.m. ET, jobless claims are scheduled to be released, followed by the U.S. composite purchasing managers' index figures at 9:45 a.m. ET, and the Kansas City Fed survey at 11 a.m. ET.

 

Thursday’s indications:

The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology (IBB) is NOT indicating

The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) is indicating a POSITIVE +1.44% UPSIDE

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is NOT indicating

The iShares Russell 2000 (IWM) is indicating a POSITIVE +0.13% UPSIDE

 

Henry’omics:

In these past cold days in the east coast, the sector and chilliness in this market – restraint should be considered as a sector factor!

Volatility delivers sensitivity to keeping the finger away from the SELL and BUY buttons!

Politics specifically the shut-down of government continues to add jitters to markets; whether that's international woes surrounding Brexit or more domestic concerns such as trade talks with China.

On Thursday, the Senate is slated to vote on a pair of bills, which could lead to terminating the month-long partial shutdown – that is, if they are passed – yet another maybe!

 

Tuesday’s evening post, “oversold with a lack of volume, absent momentum and no retest of bottoms as algorithms call the “ball” of the sector so, which set of “rules” as they “machined” … buyer’s capitulation!”

Wednesday’s night’s percentage (%) indicators:  squeaky

  • Review the range of the 8 upside from +0.12% (VYGR) to +14.39% (ATHX) while the 36 downside ranged from -0.03% (AST) to -10.39% (SLDB) with 1 flat close (RENE.L).

Volume stat:  low

  • 2 out of the 8 upside had higher (than the 3 month average) volume
  • 6 out of the 36 downside experienced greater volume (than the 3 month average) volume

Running the month:

In 15 sessions in January – there was 9 positive closes, 1 holiday and 6 negative closes – so far!

 

Companies in my headlights – It’s your decision; I provide an idea and context:

Asterias Biotherapeutics (NYSEMKT: AST) closed down -$0.0002 to $0.70 has provided top-line 12 month data from the Company’s P1/2a SCiStar study designed to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of OPC1 in the treatment of severe cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). All 25 subjects from the SCiStar study have now completed 12-months of follow-up as part of the study’s protocol.   AST also held a Type B meeting with the FDA late last year where FDA agreed with their plan to initiate a randomized, controlled P2 study to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of OPC1 – BUY;

Cellectis (CLLS) closed down again -$0.19 to $15.69 after Tuesday’s -$0.86 to $15.88 – Maintaining BUY;

CRISPRS Therapeutics (CRSP) closed down again -$1.68 to $31.40 after Tuesday’s -$4.05 to $33.0-8 following Friday’s +$1.25 to $37.13 TRADE;

Editas Medicine (EDIT) closed down -$0.85 to $20.10 after Tuesday’s -$5.19 to $20.95 (after news of their CEOs resignation following the CFO and CMO leaving), last Friday’s -$0.07 to $26.14 and the previous Thursday’s -$0.13 to $26.21. There is a positive +$0.10 or +0.52% pre-market indication –Maintaining BUY;

Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) closed down again -$0.38 to $13.68 after Tuesday’s -$1.04 to $14.16, last Friday’s +$0.28 to $15.20 and the previous Thursday’s -$0.10 to $14.92 and last Wednesday’s +$0.77 to $15.02. There is a positive +$0.08 or +0.58% aftermarket indication – TRADE;

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (RARE) closed down -$1.93 to $49.22. RARE announced positive top-line data from an ongoing long-term safety and efficacy study of UX007 in patients with long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorder (LC-FAOD). Patients with this disorder are unable to properly break down fatty acids into energy, leading to serious liver, muscle and heart issues. The long-term extension study showed sustained reductions in the duration and frequency of major clinical events (MCE), after an additional 78 weeks of treatments with UX007. The study had a long-term safety profile similar to what has previously been seen with UX007 in its P2 study. Results from the P2 study enrolling 29 patients had shown that the UX007-treated patients had fewer illness-related visits to the hospital and fewer days in the hospital per year. The current P3 study had 75 patients enrolled, out of which 24 patients were previously enrolled in the company-sponsored 2 study, 20 naïve patients who had not previously been treated with UX007 and 31 patients from expanded access or investigator-sponsored studies. The 20 patients’ naïve to UX007 also demonstrated meaningful reductions in major clinical events – BUY;

uniQure (QURE) closed down again -$0.09 to $31.08 after Tuesday’s -$0.22 to $31.14 and last Friday’s +$0.13 to $31.36. QURE starts a short week with the U.S. FDA has completed its review of an IND application for AMT-130, and the IND is now effective allowing uniQure to begin its planned P1/2 study.  AMT-130 comprises a recombinant AAV5 vector carrying a DNA cassette encoding a micro-RNA that non-selectively lowers or knocks-down human huntingtin protein in Huntington’s disease patients. There is a positive +$0.03 or +0.08% aftermarket indication – Maintaining BUY;

 

Opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change, and not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results, nor investment advice.

Whether information or intelligence is good, bad or somewhere in between; I put into context what is relevant and useful for investors.  All investments are subject to risks. Investors should consider investment objectives.

Henry McCusker, the editor and publisher of RegMed Investors does not hold or have positions in securities referred to in this publication.