July 12, 2023 8:20pm

How long will it last after four (4) positive sessions

Subscription is coming, it is not conscription but, an offer to join our collective of like-minded investors!  Join me … in the NO spin zone.

Never leave an investor uninformed! 

If I have learned one thing as a former research analyst in a venture and public fund, operating executive, 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 UP +35 points (+0.11%), the S&P closed UP +6.50 points (+0.14%) while the Nasdaq closed UP +30.75 points (+0.20%)

 

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 jumped after a cooler-than-expected June consumer price index report easing some worries that the Fed may tip the economy into a recession as it fights to bring down sticky inflation. 

Economic Data Docket: The monthly Consumer Price Index showed that prices rose 3% year over year in June, falling further than analysts expected from 4% in May. Stocks rose across the board, with the Nasdaq rising 1.3% and the S&P 500 up 0.8%.

  • In the 12 months through June, the CPI advanced 3.0%. That was the smallest year-on-year increase since March 2021 and followed a 4.0% rise in May.

 

Wednesday (7/12) … RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: “the June consumer price index (CPI) inflation reveal. Troubles sector’s share pricing increasing risk trepidation.” …  https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13040

 

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

Wednesday’s advance/decline line opened positive at 31 up/ 2 down and 2 flats, stayed positive with 27 up/ 7 down and 1 flat at the mid-day, ending with a positive close of 22 incliners, 10 decliners and 3 flats

 

Key Metrics:

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

  • Wednesday the IBB was up +0.98% and the XBI was up +1.13%

The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) tracked:

  • Wednesday was down -1.30 point or -8.76% at 13.54

 

Closing Down (10 of 10):

  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE -$1.25 after Tuesday’s +$1.66 and Monday’s +$1.56),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX -$0.52 after Tuesday’s +$0.09),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$0.25 after Tuesday’s +$2.34 and Monday’s +$7.13
  • uniQure NV (QURE -$0.19 after Tuesday’s -$0.18),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$0.14 after Tuesday’s -$0.04 and Monday’s +$3.29),
  • Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR -$0.13 after Tuesday’s -$0.33 and Monday’s -$0.05),
  • Solid Biosciences (SLDB -$0.12 after Tuesday’s -$0.09 and Monday’s -$0.01),
  • Biostage (OTCQN: BSTB -$0.09 after Tuesday’s and Monday’s $0.00),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS -$0.09 after Tuesday’s +$1.67 and Monday’s +$0.92),
  • Compass Therapeutics (CMPX -$0.01 after Tuesday’s -$0.12),

Flat (3):

  • Homology Medicine (FIXX),
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI),
  • Precigen (PGEN)

Closing Up (10 of 22):

  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$2.28 after Tuesday’s +$0.59 and Monday’s +$3.55),
  • Vericel (VCEL +$1.42 after Tuesday’s -$0.28 after Monday’s +$1.20),
  • Blueprint Medicine (BPMC +$1.33 after Tuesday’s -$0.82 after Monday’s -$0.73),
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$0.82),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.42 after Tuesday’s +$0.32),
  • Verve Therapeutics (VERV +$0.37),
  • Ultragenyx (RARE +$0.32 after Tuesday’s -$0.52 after Monday’s -$0.40),
  • Mesoblast (MESO +$0.25 after Tuesday’s +$0.24 after Monday’s -$0.07),
  • Generation Bio (GBIO +$0.21 after Tuesday’s +$1.01),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM +$0.18 after Tuesday’s -$0.06 after Monday’s +$1.56),

 

Q3/23 – July

  • Wednesday closed positive with 22 incliners, 10 decliners and 3 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.”

My one concern is that the Nasdaq is back to 6.6% above its 50-day line, with the Nasdaq 100 is 7% above that key level.

Is a pullback in the cards?

While macroeconomic headwinds are waning for the moment, Q2 earnings season is about to start ramping up.

Trying to take a few days/sessions off but, all it should entail is fewer words -- never losing the impact of the daily action.

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

Coming issue, “The Nasdaq said it plans to rebalance the Nasdaq 100 index to "address overconcentration in the index by redistributing the weights." The changes will be announced on Thursday and will come into effect on July 24.” <IBD>

 

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 Bidens, future rate increases, the Ukraine war, Russia’s economic and political uncertainty and the major issue - recession - US and global could freezing investors' mood.

 

The top three (3) performing in the session:

·         Wednesday: Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA), Vericel (VCEL) and Blueprint Medicine (BPMC),

·         Tuesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) - again, BioLife Solutions (BLFS), Sage Therapeutics (SAGE)

·         Monday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP)

While The worst three (3) in the session:

·         Wednesday: Sage Therapeutics (SAGE), Regenxbio (RGNX) and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY)

·         Tuesday: Blueprint Medicine (BPMC), Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) and Prime Medicine (PRMC)

·         Monday: Blueprint Medicine (BPMC), Caribou Biosciences (CRBU) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) - again

 

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!

Wednesday closed down -$0.09 with 1750 shares traded after Tuesday closed flat with 45 shares traded and Monday closed flat with 7 shares traded <3-month average = 754 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, CMOs, 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!

·         Interesting SEC filing … re Biostage (OTCQB: BSTG) <SEC Form 8-K/A and SEC Form 4/A> their NEW Chairman/CEO has his employment agreement AMENDED … REDUCING his “number of milestone-based options granted to Mr. He”

 

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.