December 23, 2020 8:13am
Leaving the sector, market and virus aid politics behind if one can …
Pre-open indications: 2 BUYs and 5 SELLs
What I provide is a trusted source of share pricing intelligence that ensures that investors are kept apprised of “our” universe, the RegMed/cell and gene therapy sector and its surrounding markets
A pre-open briefing on what you need to know in the session ahead!
Dow futures are UP +0.17% (+51 points), S&P futures are UP +0.18% (+7 points) and NASDAQ futures are UP +0.07% (+10 points)
U.S. stock futures were little higher early Wednesday;
European markets opened higher as investors hoped for a Brexit trade deal,
Asia Pacific markets were higher despite Trump’s remarks. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose +0.6%.
Data Docket: Last week’s jobless claims numbers come out at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists expect 888,000 Americans filed for unemployment last week, more than the previous week’s 885,000. EIA reports, mortgage bankers’ indexes, U. Michigan consumer index, new home sales, Personal spending, personal income
Henry’omics:
Stock futures stood little changed in overnight trading, largely recovering from earlier declines after Trump expressed concerns with the new COVID-19 relief package.
President Trump, in last night’s tweet, called the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress an unsuitable “disgrace” and urged lawmakers to make a number of changes to the measure, including bigger direct payments to individuals and families. <CNBC>
Also, on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 200 points and the S&P 500 slipped 0.2% for its third day of losses while the Nasdaq was the outperformer on Tuesday, closing up 0.5% at a new record.
Tuesday’s night’s recap: RegMed Investors’ (RMi) closing bell:” hi, ho the sector hurdles any downside barriers as Nasdaq reaches a record high after Congress approves virus aid package” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/11690
- The Nasdaq closed UP +65.40 points (+0.51%);
- The IBB closed up +0.19% and XBI closed up +0.85%;
- Sector volume STAYED-UP with 13 of the 23-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with the increased volume of 5 of 11-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume;
- The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) was down -0.93 points or -3.70% at 24.23
- Tuesday’s percentage (%) of the 23-upside were +1.10% (ADVM) to +18.89% (SGMO) while the 11-downside ranges from -0.19% (BCLI) to -13.29% (BSTG);
Q4:
- Q4’s December, so far: 2 neutral, 3 negative and 11 positive closes
- Q4’s November: 16 positive and 3 negative closes
- Q4’s October: 1 neutral, 11 positives with 1 negative closes
- Q3: July through September: 1 neutral, 28 positive and 34 negative closes with 2 holidays
Companies in my headlights – It’s your decision; I provide an idea and context:
Maintaining Sell:
Biostage (BSTG) closed down -$0.20 to $1.25 with 1,398 shares traded after Monday’s +$0.09 to $1.45 with 7,282 shares traded, Friday’s -$0.12 to $1.36 with 110 shares traded, Thursday’s +$0.08 to $1.48 with 3,593 shares traded and last Wednesday’s -$0.0285 to $1.39 with 786 shares traded. Continuing the questions …
- Question#1: WHAT is the “game plan” for the nine (9)-month-old IND to start clinical trials?
- Question#2: is there an exit, endpoint or different reasons neyond this scenario as the share price pops and dives or "propped or pumped" to support the last $4.00 private placement?
- Question#3: Could there also be a … VISA involvement issue here - the United States EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program offers foreign nationals and their unmarried children under 21 the ability to receive permanent residency to the USA. The minimum investment amount for EB-5 is $900,000 USD in a USCIS approved regional center’s project. Could this be another reason behind BSTG’s investment?
- Question#4: HOW many of BSTG’s green card funders, board members and employees are educating their children in the U.S.?
Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) closed up +$3.25 to $58.59 after Monday’s $55.34, Friday’s $54.33, Thursday’s $51.19 and last Wednesday’s $49.79 with a NEGATIVE -$0.9 or -0.84% aftermarket indication
BUY from Sell:
bluebird bio (BLUE) closed down -$0.55 to $45.64 after Monday’s +$1.47 to $46.19, Friday’s $44.72, Thursday’s $4.76 and last Wednesday’s $44.45 with a POSITIVE +$0.56 or +1.23% aftermarket indication;
Mesoblast (MESO) closed down -$0.38 to $8.21 after Monday’s $8.59 following Friday’s $9.27, Thursday’s $13.57, and last Wednesday’s $13.57 with a POSITIVE +$0.29 or +3.53% aftermarket indication;
Gene editing companies are retreating: exit strength …
CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) closed up +$3.24 to $170.08 after Monday’s +$18.23 or +12.27% to $166.84 with a NEGATIVE -$0.08 or -0.05%;
Editas Medicine (EDIT) closed down -$2.60 to $81.06 after Monday’s +$19.25 or +29.89% to $83.66 with a POSITIVE +$0.14 or +0.17% aftermarket indication;
Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) closed up +$0.80 to $63.53 after Monday’s +$7.32 or +13.215 to $62.73 with a NO aftermarket indication;
The BOTTOM LINE: Investors should be profit taking the last few month’s rebound in stock pricing in 2020 as yearend approaches. The small-cap benchmark Russell 2000 rose 0.99% to a close at a record as small caps are up 105.94%, more than doubling off their March lows.
Reiterating, the remainder of the 2020 will be choppy trading and economic results of previous months as many relive their portfolio of risk and add new positions.
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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.
