December 24, 2020 8:26am

The market will close early at 1 p.m. ET and will be closed on Friday

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 +0.12% (+35 points), S&P futures are UP +0.14% (+5 points) and NASDAQ futures are UP +0.11% (+14 points)

 

U.S. stock index futures point to a positive Thursday open ahead of the final trading day of the holiday-shortened week;

European stocks traded higher in a light trading session as traders grew optimistic a Brexit trade deal would be reached;

Asia-Pacific stocks were mostly higher, with shares of Chinese tech giant Alibaba in the spotlight following reports that Chinese regulators will probe the firm for anti-trust i.e., suspected monopolistic behavior. Markets in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore are also closing early for Christmas Eve.

 

Henry’omics:

A grumpy pre-Christmas and fiscal aid mess … after President Trump called-out  Congress’ long-delayed $900 billion coronavirus relief package an unsuitable “disgrace” – no bucks to help the holidays!

Some have forgotten the spirit of giving, Democrats will attempt to pass $2,000 direct payments on Thursday, but Republican Minority Leader McCarthy will object planning to offer a new temporary spending bill separating the “pork” built into the aid plan, “State Department and foreign aid funding from the broader spending package — a plan Democrats would likely oppose.”

 

Wednesday’s night’s recap: RegMed Investors’ (RMi) closing bell: “countdown, the sleigh is full and about to leave; calling a loud and sincere audible, Happy Holiday to all” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/11692

  • The Nasdaq closed UP +36.80 points (+0.29%);
  • The IBB closed up +0.45% and XBI closed up +0.01%;
  • 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;
  • The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) was down -0.92 points or -3.80% at 23.31;
  • 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);

Q4:

  • Q4’s December, so far: 2 neutral, 3 negative and 12 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 up +$0.20 to $1.45 with 159 shares traded after Tuesday’s -$0.20 to $1.25 with 1,398 shares traded, Monday’s +$0.09 to $1.45 with 7,282 shares traded, Friday’s -$0.12 to $1.36 with 110 shares traded and last Thursday’s +$0.08 to $1.48 with 3,593 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 or endpoint to this scenario as the share price pops and dives to justify or prop 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.?

 

The BOTTOM LINE: Investors should be celebrating the share pricing uprisings but, the yearend approaches.

Reiterating, the remainder of the 2020 will be choppy trading and the mostly upside results of previous months should cause many to 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.