July 7, 2023 4:52pm

Any buys that lift the cell and gene therapy sector is good by me

Pre-open Indications: 6 Hits and 0 Miss

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End of week review, the numbers speak!

If I have learned one thing as a former research analyst in a venture and public fund, operating/communication executive, x-military and x-FBI followed by an adjunct (MBA) business school professor now a journalist; it is that your life and your portfolio are largely tied to your knowledge of price movements and questioning pricing targets.

 

The Dow closed DOWN -187.38 points (-0.55%), the S&P closed DOWN -12.64 points (-0.29%) while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -18.33 points (-0.13%)

 

Henry’omics:

We need to more than consider the economic environment - rising rates and inflation to comprehend the micro re “our” universe of cell and gene therapy companies …

Indexes got deflated on Friday as traders fought to overcome worries that the Fed may start hiking rates again; as all the major averages headed for a week of losses.

Jobs report shows the still resilience of labor market … “The data showed that while U.S. job growth slowed more than expected in June after surging in the previous month, labor market conditions remained tight, with the unemployment rate retreating from a seven-month high and strong wage gains continuing.” <Reuters>

Investors NEED to pay attention to inflation data in the week ahead, following this week’s hot jobs data, to further clarify the path of future monetary policy.

All three major averages are headed for a losing week. The S&P 500 is off by about 0.8%, while the Nasdaq is on pace for a 0.5% decline. The Dow is the underperformer of the three, tracking for a 1.5% loss.

Economic Data Docket: The Labor Department’s June jobs report showed payrolls increase less than expected and a cooldown in growth from May. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 209,000, while the unemployment rate came in at 3.6%. Economists had anticipated 240,000 positions added and a similar jobless level.

 

Friday (7/7) … RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: “time to bottom feed after a two session throw down. For equities, it’s a shot and a possible miss, hoping uncle algo comes for another short visit?” …  https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13034

 

Pre-open Indications: 6 Hits < Beam Therapeutics (BEAM +$0.05), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$0.23), Prime Medicine (PRME +$0.75), Sage Therapeutics (SAGE +$0.17), Verve Therapeutics (VERV +$0.10), Vericel (VCEL -$0.97)> and 0 Miss

 

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

  • Friday’s advance/decline line opened positive at 24 up/ 9 down and 2 flats, stayed positive with 21 up/ 14 down and 0 flat at the mid-day, ending with a positive close of 24 incliners, 11 decliners and 0 flat
  • Thursday’s advance/decline line opened negative at 3 up/ 30 down and 2 flats, stayed negative with 7 up/ 27 down and 1 flat at the mid-day, ending with a negative close of 11 incliners, 24 decliners and 0 flats
  • Wednesday’s advance/decline line opened negative at 10 up/ 23 down and 2 flats, stayed negative with 11 up/ 21 down and 3 flats at the mid-day, ending with a negative close of 12 incliners, 20 decliners and 3 flats
  • Tuesday was a holiday
  • Monday was a vacation day; advance/decline line opened positive at 20 up/ 14 down and 1 flat, stayed positive with 17 up/ 15 down and 2 flats at the mid-day, ending with a positive close of 20/213 and 1 flat

 

Key Metrics:

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

  • Friday the IBB was down -0.85% and the XBI was up +0.11%
  • Thursday the IBB was down -1.24% and the XBI was down -1.55%
  • Wednesday the IBB was up +0.17% and the XBI was up +0.10%
  • Tuesday, holiday
  • Monday, vacation; the IBB was down -0.12% and the XBI was down -0.31%

The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) tracked:

  • Friday was down -0.61point or -3.95% at 14.83
  • Thursday was up +1.26 point or +8.89% at 15.44
  • Wednesday was up +0.44 point or +3.21% at 14.14
  • Tuesday was holiday
  • Monday was vacation day, was down -0.02 point or -0.05% at 13.57

 

Closing Down (11 of 11):

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$1.71 after Thursday’s +$1.82 and Wednesday’s +$2.88),
  • Ultragenyx (RARE -$0.97 after Thursday’s -$0.91 and Wednesday’s -$0.23),
  • Vericel (VCEL -$0.97 after Thursday’s +$1.45 and Wednesday’s -$1.15),
  • Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR -$0.41),
  • uniQure NV (QURE -$0.29),
  • Compass Therapeutics (CMPX -$0.28),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS -$0.20 after Thursday’s +$0.17 and Wednesday’s -$1.10),),
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI -$0.04),
  • Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (BLCM -$0.0325 and Thursday’s +$0.009),
  • Solid Biosciences (SLDB -$0.02 after Thursday’s +$0.01 and Wednesday’s +$0.06),
  • Biostage (OTCQB: BSTG -$0.01 after Thursday’s +$0.03 and Wednesday’s $0.00),

Closing Up (10 of 24):

  • Caribou Therapeutics (CRBU +$1.32 after Thursday’s +$1.86),
  • Prime Medicine (PRMC +$0.75 after Thursday’s -$1.03 and Wednesday’s +$0.27),
  • Generation BIO (GBIO +$0.39),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$0.35 after Thursday’s -$2.76 and Wednesday’s +$0.53),
  • Blueprint Medicine (BPMC +$0.32 after Thursday’s -$2.14 and Wednesday’s -$1.29),
  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE +$0.17 after Thursday’s -$1.55 and Wednesday’s -$1.03),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$0.23 after Thursday’s -$1.33 and Wednesday’s -$0.26),
  • Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM +$0.16),
  • bluebird bio (BLUE +$0.16),
  • Verve Therapeutics IVERV +$0.10 after Thursday’s -$0.44 and Wednesday’s -$0.34),

 

Q2/23 – July

  • Friday closed positive with 24 incliners, 11 decliners and 0 flat
  • Thursday closed negative with 11 incliners, 24 decliners and 0 flat
  • Wednesday closed negative with 13 incliners, 22 decliners and 0 flat
  • Tuesday was a holiday
  • Monday closed positive with 20 incliners, 13 decliners and 2 flats

 

The BOTTOM LINE: I try to keep it simple … and short!

I follow the dictum, quoting Churchill that “short words are best, and the old words when short are best of all.”

The market and the cell and gene therapy sector closed positive after being lower on Thursday and Wednesday.

Friday popped with old uncle algorithms came to visit returned from the July 4 holiday break with renewed worries about potential interest rate increases from the Fed.

There's a lot of uncertainty right now about whether electronic trading and algorithms will react to falling share pricing!

The coming issue is Q2 reporting is weeks if not a month away.

 

Right up front, “I also hate to be so negative or contrarian but, this is a NO spin zone and truth is its product; I can always be WRONG but, I am mostly EARLY!”

 

Unresolved issues affecting our perception of markets and the factors controlling them --- who is in CONTROL of our government as a dime sized coke bag was found in the West Wing of the White House, political investigation of the White House and the Bidens, future rate increases, escalation of the Ukraine war, a Russia uncertainty after a on mercenary versus Russia fight and the major issue - recession - US and global could freezing investors' mood.

 

The top three (3) performing in the session:

·         Friday: Caribou Biosciences (CRBU) - again, Prime Medicine (PRME) and Generation BIO (GBIO)

·         Thursday: Caribou Biosciences (CRBU), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) – again and Vericel (VCEL)

·         Wednesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP)

·         Tuesday was a holiday

·         Monday: was a vacation day

While The worst three (3) in the session:

·         Friday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Vericel (VCEL) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE)

·         Thursday: CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP), Blueprint Medicine (BPMC) – again and Sage therapeutics (SAGE)

·         Wednesday: Blueprint Medicine (BPMC), Vericel (VCEL) and BioLife Solutions (BLFS)

·         Tuesday: was a holiday

·         Monday: was a vacation day

 

WHY (?) do I keep posting, so investors can get a daily update of the sector's share pricing and some individual companies TRUTHS while electronic trading chews on our portfolio edges.

I am definitely considered a contrarian depending on the session – one has to be a watcher of the ups and downs as well as measurer of sentiment. I am also a NO trust investor but, a validate and verify journalist/analyst.

 

The NO spin zone! U.S. public shareholders deserve accountability …

 

Biostage (OTCQB: BSTG) … so many issues from the past as many of those “miscreant management” members are still employed!

Friday closed down -$0.01 after Thursday closed down -$0.01 with 100 shares traded, Thursday’s +$0.03 with 185 shares traded and Wednesday closed flat to $3.97 with1 share traded, Tuesday was a holiday, <3-month average = 763 shares>

·         Question: is OTCQB: BSTG a Ponzi scheme (with their pump/promote buy and sell agenda) as shares are bought to replace those sold?

·         Accumulated deficit:  $85,901 M – still NO product in sight – a 4-to-5-year clinical trial BEFORE they can evolve to a pediatric protocol!

·         OTCQB: BSTG is holding their annual meeting on 7/19, to vote the Beijing, China designated directors …??? Certainly NOT a US company ANYMORE!

·         How many chairman, executives, board and audit members, CFOs and employees has BSTG EATEN since it spun out of Harvard BIO (HBIO) which STILL carries the financial (millions) burden from its spin-out by a BSTG chairman as he “shuffled” debt from individual named management!

 

My question that resounds, that should be asked is how many companies are at the end of sentiments …  leash?

 

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.