December 30, 2020 8:00am

Three (3) sessions and counting, rebounding or another sector retreat

Pre-open indication: 1 SELL

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 +0.23% (+70 points), S&P futures are UP +0.28% (+10 points) and NASDAQ futures are UP +0.29% (+38 points)

 

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Wednesday;

European stocks traded higher amid more positive vaccine news in the region;

Asia-Pacific stocks were mixed, the final trading day in 2020 for stocks in Japan and South Korea as their markets will be closed on Thursday.

 

Henry’omics:

AstraZeneca (AZN) shares were up (initially +3.3% to close +1.05%) in today’s trading as Britain’s FTSE became the first country to approve the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use. The UK government said the decision to approve the vaccine follows rigorous testing, with 100 million initially ordered for the first phase of their immunization plan, and another 40 million due to be rolled out by March next year.

Yesterday, the major averages closed lower, with the Dow diving -0.22% and S&P 500 -0.22% while the Nasdaq slid 0.38%.

With just two trading days left in the year, the major averages are on track to end 2020 higher. The Dow is up 6.3% for the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 15.36%, the Nasdaq has gained +0.43% while the Russell 2000 is still up 17.4% for the year.

 

Tuesday’s evening’s recap: RegMed Investors’ (RMi) closing bell: “rotation cracks momentum; It’s all about trading dynamics in last days of 2020 and the fiscal aid debate ramps-up’

  • The Nasdaq closed DOWN -49.20 points (-0.38%);
  • The IBB closed down -1.15% and XBI closed down -2.93%;
  • Sector volume was BALANCED with 2 of the 7-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with the increased volume of 15 of 26-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume;
  • The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) was up +1.38 points or +6.36% at 23.08;
  • Tuesday’s percentage (%) of the 7-upside were +0.04% (ADVM) to +6.79% (MDXG) while the 26-downside of -0.91% (SAGE) to -13.21% (RARE);

Q4:

  • Q4’s December, so far: 1 holiday, 2 neutral, 6 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 +$0.01 to $1.22 with 552 shares traded after Monday’s -$0.20 to $1.21 with 1,700 shares traded after Thursday’s $1.25 with 17,600 shares traded after Wednesday’s +$0.20 to $1.45 with 200 shares traded after last Tuesday’s -$0.20 to $1.25 with 1,400 shares traded.  Continuing the questions …

  • Question#1: WHAT’s with the $75 million raised and all but spent on getting to an IND and NO clinical trial initiation;
  • Question#2: WHAT is the reasoning Mr. William Fodor, chief scientific officer – you “promised” to advance and protect the technology?
  • Question#3: The timing and promise of this technology has been “ruined” by your part in NOT delivering a clinical trial initiation to INVESTORS, by NOT speaking up or out against the Chinese board of directors and management; even though you were part of the conceiving group of executives and consultants in the then “new” strategic plan named “forward motion” which you deserted?

 

The BOTTOM LINE: Investors profits should be “pulled” from many equities within a stem, cell and gene therapy portfolio holdings.

Reiterating, the remainder of the week and year, 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.