December 23, 2020 6:11pm

Calling a loud and sincere audible, Happy Holiday to all

Pre-open indications: 6 HITs and 1 MISS

An “intelligence newspaper” for smart investing in the RegMed, gene and cell therapy sector.  I track the numbers, so there’s no question re my opinion; so, you can do what others can't.

There are winners and losers heading into the closing month of 2020

Closing explanations on what you need to know for the next session!

The Dow closed UP +114.32 points (+0.38%); the S&P closed UP +2.75 points (+0.07%) while the Nasdaq closed UP +36.80 points (+0.29%)

 

Henry’omics:

U.S. stocks climbed on Wednesday even after President Donald Trump criticized the new Covid-19 relief package … no end has come forth?

  • Trump did not threaten to veto the legislation but he asked to be sent a “suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID-19 relief package.

While, the S&P 500 erased most of its gains and closed little changed amid year-end profit-taking.

Amid the coronavirus stock market rally, the Nasdaq was up 42.2% for the year to date, the S&P 500 is up 14.8%, while the DJIA is up 5.7% year to date (through 12/18's close).

 

From this a.m.’s Data Docket: U.S. jobless claims totaled 803,000 during the week ending Dec. 19, better than an estimate of 888,000 according to economists. From another data release, core durable goods and personal income both fell short of expectations in November.

 

All-time or 52-week highs:

  • Precigen (PGEN) also reached a 52-week high of $10.75, Sage Therapeutics (SAGE) reached a 52-week high of $88.97, Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) reached a 52-week high of $177.66, Cellectis SA (CLLS) reached a 52-week high of $32.66.

Hammered in today’s market:

  • uniQure NV (QURE), BioLife Solutions (BLFS), Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY), MiMedx (MDXG), Precigen (PGEN) to name 5 of the 14 declining of the 35 covered

Jumping with share pricing momentum:

  • Ultragenyx (RARE), ReNeuron (RENE.L), CRISPER Therapeutics (CRSP), Ionis Pharmaceuticals  (IONS), Cellectis SA (CLLS) to name 5 of the 20 inclining of the 35 covered

 

Pre-open indication: 6 HITs <BUY: Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$1.68), bluebird bio (BLUE +$0.37), Mesoblast (MESO +$0.72); EXIT/SELL in Strength: CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$3.15), Editas Medicine (EDIT +$0.54), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA -$0.18): 1 MISS < Maintaining SELL: Biostage (BSTG +$0.20) with 159 shares traded;

 

This morning, I stated in this a.m.’s newsletter – RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: “time to enjoy the holidays and stay alive. Leaving the sector, market and virus aid politics behind if one can” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/11691

 

RegMed/Cell and Gene therapy 35 covered equities’ Advance/Decline (A/D) lines: progressions and regressions …

  • Wednesday opened negative at 11/21 and 3 flats, flipped positive at the mid-day at 20/14 and 1 flat, closing positive at 20/14 and 1 flat;
  • Tuesday opened positive at 29/5 and 1 flat, stayed positive at the mid-day at 26/8 and 1 flat, closing positive at 23/11 and 1 flat;
  • Monday opened negative at 7/24 and 4 flats, stayed negative at the mid-day at 15/18 and 2 flats, closing positive at 23/10 and 2 flats;

 

Key metrics:

  • Sector volume was MODERATE with 12 of the 20-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with the increased volume of 6 of 14-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume;
  • Wednesday’s percentage (%) of the 20-upside were +0.22% (ALNY) to +16% (BSTG) while the 14-downside ranges from -0.15% (FATE) to -7.77% (ATHX);

 

The iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology (IBB) and the SPDR S&P ETF (XBI) indicators:

  • Wednesday, the IBB closed up +0.45% and XBI closed up +0.01%
  • Tuesday, the IBB closed up +0.19% and XBI closed up +0.85%
  • Monday, the IBB closed down -0.07% and XBI closed up +1.07%

 

Wednesday’s (10 of 20) incliners:

  • Ultragenyx (RARE +$4.39 after Tuesday’s +$5.60 and Monday’s -$0.64);
  • ReNeuron (RENE.L +$4.00 after Tuesday’s -$3.50);
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$3.15 after Tuesday’s +$3.24 and Monday’s +$18.23);
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$1.68 after Tuesday’s +$3.25 and Monday’s +$1.01);
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS +$1.60 after Tuesday’s +$2.42 and Monday’s +$0.92);
  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE +$0.87 after Tuesday’s +$3.81 and Monday’s +$2.21);
  • Mesoblast (MESO +$0.72 after Tuesday’s -$0.38 and Monday’s -$0.68);
  • Vericel (VCEL +$0.63);
  • Editas Medicine (EDIT +$0.54 after Tuesday’s -$2.60 and Monday’s +$19.25);
  • bluebird bio (+$0.37 after Tuesday’s -$0.55 and Monday’s +$1.47);

Wednesday’s (14 of 14) decliner:

  • uniQure NV (QURE -$1.27 after Tuesday’s +$1.17 and Monday’s -$7.44);
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS -$1.10);
  • Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY -$0.97);
  • MiMedx (MDXG -$0.67);
  • Precigen (PGEN -$0.59);
  • Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR -$0.59 after Tuesday’s -$0.25);
  • Regenxbio (RGNX -$0.57 after Tuesday’s +$2.76 and Monday’s +$1.66);
  • Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM -$0.42);
  • Homology Medicine (FIXX -$0.37);
  • Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT -$0.18);
  • Athersys (ATHX -$0.16 after Tuesday’s -$0.18);
  • Fate Therapeutics (FATE -$0.15 after Tuesday’s +$6.89);
  • Verastem (VSTM -$0.01);

Closing 1 - Stemline Therapeutics (STML – acquired)

 

Percentage (%) movement/range statistics: a 360 degrees comparison of % and pricing

  • Wednesday’s percentage (%) of the 20-upside were +0.22% (ALNY) to +16% (BSTG) while the 14-downside ranges from -0.15% (FATE) to -7.77% (ATHX);
  • 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);
  • Monday’s percentage (%) of the 23-upside were +0.40% (GBT) to +29.89% (EDIT) while the 10-downside of -0.27% (SLDB) to -16.19% (QURE);

 

Sentiment and a few daily indicators:

The U.S. so far has vaccinated more than 1 million people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The federal government’s goal is to inoculate 20 million Americans by the end of the year.

Infection cases <Million>:

  • Wednesday 18.25 M cases
  • Tuesday 18.16 M cases
  • Monday 17.86 M cases

Wednesday’s day’s death rate totaled 323,274 after Tuesday’s 322,611, Monday’s 317,749, Friday’s 311,010, Thursday’s 307,770 and last Wednesday’s 304,094 <Johns Hopkins University>

 

Stats:

Upside volume:

  • Wednesday: 12 out of the 20-upside had higher than the 3-month average volume;
  • Tuesday: 13 out of the 23-upside had higher than the 3-month average volume;
  • Monday: 17 out of the 23-upside had higher than the 3-month average volume;

The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) tracked:

  • Wednesday was down -0.92 points or -3.80% at 23.31
  • Tuesday was down -0.93 points or -3.70% at 24.23
  • Monday was up +3.59 points or +16.64% at 25.16

Downside volume:

  • Wednesday: 6 out of the 14-downside had higher than the 3-month average volume;
  • Tuesday: 5 out of the 11-downside had higher than the 3-month average volume;
  • Monday: 5 out of the 10-downside had higher than the 3-month average volume;

 

December, the 3rd month of Q4 …

Wednesday closed positive with 20 advancers, 14 decliners and 1 flat

Tuesday closed positive with 23 advancers, 11 decliners and 1 flat

Monday (12/23) closed positive with 23 advancers, 10 decliners and 2 flats

Friday closed positive with 21 advancers, 11 decliners and 3 flats

Thursday closed positive with 28 advancers, 5 decliners and 2 flats

Wednesday closed neutral with 16 advancers, 16 decliners and 3 flats

Tuesday closed positive with 20 advancers, 14 decliners and 1 flat

Monday (12/14) closed positive with 23 advancers, 12 decliners and 1 flat

Friday closed negative with 13 advancers, 20 decliners and 2 flats

Thursday closed positive with 22 advancers, 9 decliners and 4 flats

Wednesday closed negative with 10 advancers, 22 decliners and 3 flats

Tuesday closed positive with 19 advancers, 14 decliners and 2 flats

Monday (12/7) closed negative with 14 advancers, 20 decliners and 1 flat

Friday closed positive with 25 advancers, 9 decliners and 2 flats

Thursday closed neutral with 16 advancers, 16 decliners and 3 flats

Wednesday closed positive with 20 advancers, 14 decliners and 1 flat

Tuesday (12/1) closed positive with 20 advancers, 15 decliners and 1 flat

 

The Bottom Line: I believe, investors should continue to use the stock market's strength to SELL into 52-week and all-time highs.   

Year end is approaching and investors need to de-risk their portfolio … investors could should be taking chips off the table of those who have registered upside gains in 2020.

With less than two weeks left, the S&P 500 is up nearly 14% for the year, while the Dow has gained more than 5%. The Nasdaq has soared more than 41% this year during the pandemic.

My soapbox is still in place as I re-emphasize volatility will remain elevated into the New Year.

 

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.