March 17, 2022 7:48am

It's still unclear whether the market is changing its character or if this is a bull trap

Pre-open indications: 5 SELLs and 3 BUYs indications and 1 pimp/pump/promote

NEWS: Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.22 pre-open) published positive P 2 data for donidalorsen (formerly IONIS-PKK-LRx) in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Donidalorsen is an investigational antisense medicine Ionis is evaluating for treating patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE). In the P2 study, donidalorsen demonstrated a 90% reduction in angioedema attacks compared with placebo at the 80 mg monthly dose.

RMi outlines a daily bell weather of “indications” about what you need to know; it’s what could happen or materialize after the opening and what might happen during the session.

Just the facts … I ask questions and note the indications of what could happen …

Remember that overnight and pre-open actions in futures don't necessarily translate into actual trading in the coming day’s session.

 

Dow futures are DOWN -0.29% (-97 points), S&P futures are DOWN -0.31% (-13 points) and NASDAQ futures are DOWN -0.37% (-51 points)

 

U.S. stock futures fell Thursday morning, following back-to-back days of sharp gains,

European markets were mixed as investors react to U.S. Fed rate hike,

Asia-Pacific markets were up as Chinese markets rebound after yesterday’s bound, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surging more than 6% to erase heavy losses earlier in the week.

 

Henry’omics:

The war in Ukraine is also dominating headlines…

Yesterday, the stock market rallied on Wednesday starting off strong, then largely erased gains on the Fed rate hike and hawkish signals before rebounding again.

The stock market responded bullishly to the Fed's plan to raise rates seven times this year, but history shows that bear markets and recessions tend to follow tightening. <Barron’s>

 

Economic Data docket: initial jobless claims numbers from last week. Housing starts, Philadelphia Fed manufacturing data and industrial production

 

RegMed Investors’ (RMi) closing bell: “A cell and gene sector topper while stepping through the carnage of war and Fed dithering i.e., indecisive or hesitant.” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/12344

Ebb and flow –

·         March – 7 negative and 5 positive closes

·         February stats: 11 negative, 8 positive closes and 1 holiday

·         January stats: 2 holidays, 1 neutral, 13 negative and 6 positive closes

 

Research Notes:

RegMed/Cell and Gene Therapy Earnings Scorecard Q4/21 and FY21 Results … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/11628 ...  26 total

 

Companies in my headlights – It’s your decision; I provide ideas and context:

Maintaining BUY

Beam Therapeutics (BEAM) closed up $4.60 to $59.84 after Tuesday’s +$1.51 to $55.24, Monday’s -$7.18 to $53.73, Friday’s -$4.81 to $60.91 and last Thursday’s +$0.61 with a positive +$0.66 or +1.10% pre-open indication.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) closed up +$1.28 to $33.98 with news and has a positive +$0.22 or +0.65% pre-open indication

Sangamo Therapeutics (SGMO) closed up +$0.01 to $5.24 with a positive +$0.15 or +2.70% pre-open indication.

 

SELL into any Strength:

Sage Therapeutics (SAGE) closed up +$2.09 to $33.46 with a positive +$1.54 or +4.60% pre-open indication.

Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR) closed up +$0.79 to $7.34 with a negative -$0.19 or -2.59% pre-open indication

BioLife Solutions (BLFS) closed up +$0.15 to $21.50 with a negative -$0.65 or -3.02% pre-open indication.

CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) closed up $5.50 to $65.54 after Tuesday’s +$1.98 to $60.04, Monday’s -$3.36 to $58.06, Friday’s -$1.01 and last Thursday’s +$0.01 with a negative -$0.89 or -1.36% pre-open indication.

Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) closed up +$7.65 to $65.92 after Tuesday’s -$0.53 to 458.27, Monday’s -$2.49 to $58.80, Friday’s-$4.62 to $61.29 and last Thursday’s -$0.08 with a negative -$1.53 or -2.32% pre-open indication.

Mesoblast (MESO) closed up +$0.20 to $4.57 with a negative -$0.22 or -4.81% pre-open indication

 

Pimp/Pump and Promote:

Biostage (OTCQB: BSTG) closed flat with 765 shares traded after Tuesday’s -$0.30 to $4.00 with 380 shares traded, Monday’ 28 shares traded, Friday’s +$0.39 to $4.30 with 1,602 shares traded and last Thursday’s -$0.63 with 488 shares traded …

  • WHO is BUYING these shares of a company with a 3-year-old IND, NO clinical trial initiation, a terminal death lawsuit overhang and a dwindling cash position?
  • Also, by use of the pump/promote process; is BSTG preparing to register the outstanding private placement (PP) shares for a reverse to initiate an offering …
  • BSTG is NOT going ANYWHERE without a cash infusion.
  • Proposing an offering in the near futuer, is based on WHAT - FAILURE?

 

The BOTTOM LINE: This market remains at the mercy of the latest headline, lifting or sinking the major indexes.

But is this a short-term bounce or something more meaningful?

The 21-day line is a key indicator, but the major indexes have poked above that level a couple of times in 2022 only to immediately reverse lower.

There are still plenty of hurdles i.e., further earnings releases (another ten (10) coming); ahead for the major indexes, including the 50-day versus the 200-day “lines”.

Negative news is the bane of these days of March with everything that has been written and shown on the TV.

It’s St. Patrick’s Day (driving the many snakes into multiple interest rate hikes) … the Fed raised rates by a quarter point on Wednesday afternoon, and signaled several more rate hikes.”

I believe many of the oversold show buy signals but very likely will reverse lower.

There is no clear trend, and no reason to make any BUYS - however, the better way of saying but … short-term pops are (to me) clearly evident.

As I have stated yesterday, “bounce, baby, bounce”.

Earnings’ reporting on the horizon:

·         Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI), Monday, 3/28

Investors should focus on forward-looking guidance, last year’s operating losses i.e., spending and cash positions or runways!

RMi’s daily report is a primer that may say little or a lot; yet it serves as insurance that all indications are being examined and evaluated.

 

 

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 their investment objectives.

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.

Henry McCusker, the editor and publisher of RegMed Investors does not hold or have positions securities referred to in this publication.

WHY do I keep reporting on Biostage (BSTG): I WAS there to experience what occurred and saw the decay of transparency and more; it defines purpose that takes courage, resolve and patience to stay the course of asking the questions without response!