February 4, 2022 5:19pm

Showing strength after a tumbling seek with a stronger Friday  

Pre-open Indications: 2 Hits and 1 Miss

If I have learned one thing as a former research analyst, venture and public fund investor then a journalist; it is that your life and your bank account are largely tied to your knowledge of price movements and questioning targets.

Who else is tracking a broad grouping of cell and gene therapy equities – with facts supported by real numbers?

The week in review …

The Dow closed DOWN -21.42 points (-0.06%); the S&P closed UP+23.09 points (+0.52%) while the Nasdaq closed UP +219.19 points (+1.58%)

 

Henry’omics:

Friday’s upside (S&P and Nasdaq) moves came as traders weighed a much stronger-than-expected jobs report and its potential impact on U.S. monetary policy going forward.

Also, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq climbed Friday to finish their best week of the year, as continued strength in earnings reports extended the rebound from the January rout.

“For markets, the jobs report is all about the Fed, and today’s upside surprises in both job creation and wage growth keep the Fed on track to begin raising rates in March and hike four or more times this year,” said Barry Gilbert, asset allocation strategist at LPL Financial.” <CNBC>

 

Economic Data Docket: The U.S. economy added 467,000 jobs in January and hiring was much stronger at the end of 2021 than originally estimated, the government reported Friday. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4% from 3.9%.

  • ISSUE: January reading served to reinforce expectations the Fed will be aggressive in lifting rates and taking other steps to pullback on monetary stimulus as it attempts to rein in the highest inflation in decades.

 

RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: “picking through the fallen. Pointing to a reversal of some cell and gene therapy equity losses” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/12286

 

52-week lows:

  • Precigen (PGEN) reached $2.16
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS) reached $5.75
  • bluebird bio (BLUE) reached $6.68

 

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

  • Friday opened negative at 14 up/18 downs, 2 flats and 1 acquired, flipped positive at the mid-day at 24/9, 1 flat and 1 acquired, ending with a positive close of 30/4 and 1 acquired;
  • Thursday opened negative at 7 up/26 downs, 1 flat and 1 acquired, stayed negative at the mid-day at 7/26, 1 flat and 1 acquired, ending with a negative close of 5/27, 2 flats and 1 acquired;
  • Wednesday opened negative at 4 up/30 downs and 1 acquired, stayed negative at the mid-day at 2/32 and 1 acquired, ending with a negative close of 1/33 and 1 acquired;
  • Tuesday (2/1) opened negative at 12 up/21 downs, 1 flat and 1 acquired, flipped positive at the mid-day at 27/7, 3 flats and 1 acquired, ending with a positive close of 26/7, 1 flat and 1 acquired;
  • Monday opened positive at 28 up/3 downs, 2 flats and 1 acquired, stayed positive at the mid-day at 31/2, 1 flat and 1 acquired, ending with a positive close of 32/1, 1 flat and 1 acquired;

 

Pre-open indications: 2 Hits < Precigen (PGEN +$0.03), Verastem (VSTM +$0.03)> 1 MISS <Biostage (BSTG +$0.22)>

 

The Biostage (BSTG) Chronicles: shows how the “pimp/pump and promote” works with the shares trading up+$0.22 with 305 shares traded after Thursday’s flat ($0.00) with 3 shares traded after Wednesday’s down -$0.53 with 502 shares traded, Tuesday’s +$0.40 with 1,088 shares after Monday’s 11 shares traded after Friday’s +$0.05 with 3,225 shares traded after Thursday’s +$0.24 with 10,073 - double the mornings 5,030 shares traded after last Wednesday’s diving to -$0.00 with 7,796 shares trading after appreciating +$0.35 (after dropping mid-day -$0.07 – such sarcasm after miraculous jump) and the previous Tuesday’s +$0.31 with 2,794 shares traded.

 

Key Metrics:

  • Friday - Sector volume was LOW with 5 of the 30-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with LOW volume of 1 of 4-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume
  • Thursday - Sector volume was LOW with 1 of the 5-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with LOW volume of 6 of 27-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume
  • Wednesday - Sector volume was LOW with 1 of the 1-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with LOW volume of 9 of 32-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume
  • Tuesday - Sector volume was LOW with 9 of the 26-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with LOW volume of 1 of 7-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume
  • Monday - Sector volume was HIGH with 15 of the 32-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with NADA volume of 1 of 1-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume;

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

  • Friday the IBB closed up +0.32% and XBI closed up +1.51%
  • Thursday the IBB closed down -2.08% and XBI closed down -2.62%
  • Wednesday the IBB closed down -0.95% and XBI closed down -3.36%
  • Tuesday the IBB closed up +1.81% and XBI closed up +1.62%
  • Monday   the IBB closed up +3.04% and XBI closed up +5.58%

The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) tracked:

  • Friday was down -1.13 points or -4.64 at 23.22
  • Thursday was up +2.26 points or +10.23% at 24.35
  • Wednesday was up +0.13 points or +0.59% at 22.09
  • Tuesday was down -2.79 points or -11.24% at 22.04
  • Monday was down -2.95 points or -10.67% at 24.71

 

Jumping with share pricing momentum (10 of 30):

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$2.91 after Thursday’s -$2.75, Wednesday’s +$0.33, Tuesday’s +$7.33 and Monday’s +$5.51),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$1.49 after Thursday’s -$1.72, Wednesday’s -$3.41, Tuesday’s +$1.78 and Monday’s +$4.75),
  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE +$1.43 and Thursday’s +$0.37),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$1.43 after Thursday’s -$0.86, Wednesday’s -$4.40, Tuesday’s +$5.23 and Monday’s +$8.55),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX +$1.33),
  • Fate Therapeutics (FATE +$1.07 after Thursday’s -$1.75, Wednesday’s -$1.52, Tuesday’s -$0.40 and Monday’s +$4.88),
  • Ultragenyx (RARE +$1.01 after Thursday’s -$2.30, Wednesday’s -$2.13, Tuesday’s +$2.11 and Monday’s +$3.93),
  • Vericel (VCEL +$0.84 after -$11.06 after Wednesday’s -$1.57),
  • Editas Medicine (EDIT +$0.76),
  • uniQure NV (QURE +$0.54 after Thursday’s -$0.57),

Hammered in today’s market (4 of 4):

  • ReNeuron (RENE.L -$0.50 after Thursday’s +$0.50, Wednesday’s -$2.90, Tuesday’s +$0.50 and Monday’s -$0.50),
  • bluebird bio (BLUE -$0.04),
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS -$0.03),
  • Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (BLCM -$0.01),

Closing:

  • 1 - Stemline Therapeutics (STML) – acquired

 

February, Q1/2022:

  • Friday closed positive with 30 incliners, 4 decliners and 1 acquired
  • Thursday closed negative with 5 incliners, 27 decliners, 2 flats and 1 acquired
  • Wednesday closed negative with 1 incliner, 33 decliners and 1 acquired
  • Tuesday closed positive with 26 incliners, 7 decliners, 1 flat and 1 acquired

 

The BOTTOM LINE: The cell and gene therapy sector reversed the Wednesday and Thursday’s “curse” as it cruised to a positive close on Friday.

“Investors need patience and discipline right now, keeping exposure light while waiting to see if the confirmed market rally powers higher or breaks down.” <IBD>

Q4 and FY21 are about to numbers resound.”

Q4 and end-of-year earnings are about to be made aware of” more than even I thought.

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) reports Q4 and FY21 on Thursday, 2/10
  • AxoGen AXGN) – 2/22, Tuesday
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) - 2/10, Thursday

Algorithms, hedge funds and traders continue to punish and … then push the cell and gene therapy stocks as valuations “creep” up.

  • Early January 2022 has delivered fewer gains but also generated algorithmic based losses.

WHY do I keep analyzing Biostage (BSTG): I WAS there to experience the harassment and saw the decay of transparency and more; it takes courage, resolve and patience to stay the course of asking the questions without response!

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 – it’s more than opinion, I deal in the facts and numbers that back them up.

 

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.

Regulation Analyst Certification (Reg AC): The research analyst primarily responsible for the content of this report certifies the following under Reg AC: I hereby certify that all views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views about the subject company or companies and its or their securities. I also certify that no part of my compensation was, is or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed in this report.