March 10, 2021 5:19pm

House passes $1.9 trillion coronavirus/fiscal aid/ stimulus relief bill

Pre-open indication results: 11 HITs and 0 MISS, how do you like those “tomatoes” another session in a row

News: in February, bluebird bio (BLUE) suspended two (2) clinical trials evaluating LentiGlobin, an experimental gene therapy, after a trial patient was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a blood and bone marrow cancer. The possibility that a lentiviral vector used in BLUE's drugs caused the cancer called into question the viability of its genetic program, causing a sharp sell-off in its shares. From its internal investigation, suggesting it's unlikely the AML case reported in its P1/2 (HGB-206) study of LentiGlobin for sickle cell disease (SCD) was caused by its lentiviral vector.

Numbers based facts speak better then opinion as I see answers in numbers to speak truth over opinion!

Who is defining the metrics for investors and keeping you notified of the sector and market fluctuations?  What I provide is a trusted source of share pricing intelligence

The Dow closed UP +464.282 points (+1.46%); the S&P closed UP +23.37 points (+0.60%) while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -4.99 points (-0.04%)

 

Henry’omics:

The Dow and the S&P jumped as the Nasdaq soured on Wednesday after falling bond yields and a new stimulus package.

The anticipated stimulus and rise in rates have divided this market, largely favoring stocks that were shocked by and during the pandemic.

 

Data Docket: The Labor Department said consumer prices increased 0.4% in February, matching expectations from economists. The Consumer Price Index gained 1.7% on a year-over-year basis, also in line with estimates.

  • The widely watched 10-year Treasury auction of $38 billion in notes Wednesday was met with adequate demand. The result eased concern among traders that the country’s growing debt burden would be too much for the market to bear, which would hit bond demand and force yields even higher.
  • The 10-year yield remained slightly lower following the auction. The benchmark rate topped the 1.6% threshold again on Monday. Bond prices move in opposite direction to yields. <CNBC>

 

RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: “hanging in or getting out. A little bit of both, don’t be swayed by optimism or even expectation, a storm is coming – lessen exposure to risk indications.” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/11804

 

Pre-open indication results:  11 HITs <SELL: Biostage (BSTG -$0.00 with 1505 shares – “pumped”); SELL into Strength: Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC -$0.03), Athersys (ATHX -$0.00), Cellectis SA (CLLS -$0.10), Fate Therapeutics (FATE +$1.33), Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT -$0.31), uniQure NV (QURE +$0.15), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$1.48), Editas Medicine (EDIT +$1.33); BUY:  bluebird bio (BLUE +$2.44), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$2.23) and 0 MISS

 

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

  • Wednesday opened positive at 29/4, 1 flat and 1 acquired, strayed negative at the mid-day to 12/21, 1 flat and 1 acquired, closing neutral at 15/14, 4 flat and 1 acquired;

 

There are clear winners and losers

Jumping with share pricing momentum:

  • bluebird bio (BLUE), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA), Fate Therapeutics (FATE), Editas Medicine (EDIT), Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY) to name 5 of the 15 inclining of the 35 covered

Hammered in today’s market:

  • Ultragenyx (RARE), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Sage Therapeutics (SAGE), Cellectis SA (CLLS), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) to name 5 of the 15 declining of the 35 covered

 

Key metrics:

  • Sector volume was LOW with 2 of the 15-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with the volume of 2 of 15-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume;
  • Wednesday’s percentage (%) of the 15-upside were +0.43% (VSTM) to +8.12% (BLUE) while the 15-downside ranges from -0.26% (VCEL) to -7.26% ();

 

Wednesday’s (10 of 15) incline

  • bluebird bio (BLUE +$2.44);
  • ‘Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$2.23 after Tuesday’s +$10.55 and Monday’s -$5.22);
  • Fate Therapeutics (FATE +$1.33 after Tuesday’s +$9.36 and Monday’s -$4.49);
  • Editas Medicine (EDIT +$1.33 after Tuesday’s +$4.79 and Monday’s -$1.09
  • Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY +$0.70);
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS +$0.45 after Tuesday’s +$2.94 and Monday’s -$2.37);
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$0.45);
  • Precigen (PGEN +$0.41);
  • Mesoblast (MESO +$0.26);
  • Pluristem (PSTI +$0.15);

Wednesday’s (10 of 15) decliners:

  • Ultragenyx (RARE -$4.26 after Tuesday’s +$9.22 and Monday’s -$3.50);
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$3.00 after Tuesday’s -$0.94 and Monday’s -$4.77);
  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE -$2.58 after Tuesday’s +$2.98 and Monday’s -$2.08);
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS -$1.52 after Tuesday’s +$3.37 and Monday’s +$0.05);
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$1.48 after Tuesday’s +$12.01);
  • Regenxbio (RGNX -$1.32 after Tuesday’s +$2.54);
  • Solid Bioscience (SLDB -$0.77);
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS -$0.44);
  • MiMedx (MDXG -$0.36 after Tuesday’s -$0.97);
  • Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM -$0.33);

Closing 4 – ReNeuron (RENE.L), Homology Medicine (FIXX), Biostage (BSTG), Athersys (ATHX) and 1 -Stemline Therapeutics (STML – acquired)

 

Sentiment and COVID-19 infections:

More than 60 million people in the U.S., or 18% of the population, have received at least one shot of a Covid vaccine, - I got mine, a Pfizer vaccine shot, second booked …

Infection cases <Million>: never to forget …

  • Wednesday 29.09 M cases,
  • Wednesday’s death rate totaled 527,720 <Johns Hopkins University>

 

Stats:

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

  • Wednesday, the IBB closed up +0.03% and XBI closed up +0.20%

The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) tracked:

  • Wednesday was down -1.47 points or -6.12% at 22.56

Upside volume: low

  • Wednesday: 2 out of the 15-upside had higher than the 3-month average volume;

Downside volume: low

  • Wednesday: 2 out of the 15-downside had higher than the 3-month average volume;

Percentage (%) movement/range statistics: % and pricing drop

  • Wednesday’s percentage (%) of the 15-upside were +0.43% (VSTM) to +8.12% (BLUE) while the 15-downside ranges from -0.26% (VCEL) to -7.26% ();

 

March, the 3rd month of Q1/21:

Wednesday closed neutral with 15 advancers, 15 decliners, 4 flat and 1 acquired

 

The BOTTOM LINE: What went down, went up, then left the sector half -empty (from the title)

Sustainability is the real issue in “this” market!

Markets are scary, frightening investors – volatilities basis is pure speculation i.e., gambling.

NOT for me - I am STILL sending up a red flag on stock pricing until earnings’’ season completes its run.

There is always a shift going-on however, these last two (2) months and one (1) week continues to leave me … QUESTIONING each WEEK as I have said recently - my horizon on Monday is to meet on Friday.

As to earnings’ season: “Again, “forewarned … earnings LPS (loss-per-share) season is upon us – my advice has been … trim and skim … if one can!”

 

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.