July 14, 2025 4:32pm

Key question, will earnings, be solid and overshadow the tariff “bluff”?

Biggest query, what will emanate from the rift between President Trump and Fed chair Powell over the probe of renovation costs of the Fed’s building in Washington, D.C?

Econs are also flashing their “six”, adding uncertainty into the week/month’s equation ahead of the June CPI report for signs of how earlier rounds of tariffs are impacting prices across the US economy.

I say what others won’t, so you can do what others can’t!

I also try to answer as many whys, as I can … while providing the metrics to validate my thesis

Never leave an investor uninformed!  

My perspective is retail investors should roll-the-dice until earnings season kicks-in and momentum wains in the cell and gene therapy sector. NO all ins as historically “our” universe slips and slides as the “season’ resumes; so, hang-in with those with solid partners, lengthened runways and solid cash positions leveraged by solid/stable management teams!

 

Monday’s RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: Walking into a brick wall or another econ dimension … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13995

Friday night’s RegMed Investors (RMi) Closing Bell: the market and sector toed the trip wire … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13994

RegMed Investors (RMi) Research Note: Harvard Apparatus GT (OTCQB: HRGN): PONZI Scheme at its best or was convicted Bernie Madoff also resurrected … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13812

 

Monday: The Dow closed UP +88.14 points or +0.20%, the S&P closed UP +8.81 points or +0.14% while the Nasdaq closed UP +54.80 points or +0.27%

  • Theme of the session, investors bet tariffs/duties will be negotiated down and looked ahead to Q2 earnings season

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

  • A factor for investors to monitor is the rift between the Trump administration and the Federal Reserve

Monday’s advance/decline line opened positive with 22 incliners, 11 decliners and 2 flats ending with a positive close of 20 incliners, 11 decliners and 4 flats      

Metrics:  Monday, the IBB was up +0.30%, the XBI was up +1.25% while the VIX was up +0.78 points or +4.76% at 17.18

 

Q3 – 7/25 – 1 market holiday, 7 positive and 2 negative closes

Q2/25:

  • June – 1 market holiday, 1 neutral, 9 negative and 11 positive closes
  • May – 1 market holiday, 10 negative and 11 positive closes
  • April – 11 positive and 10 negative closes

 

Monday Closing UP (10 of 20) 

  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.82 after Friday’s -$0.65),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$0.81 after Friday’s -$7.70),
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS +$0.56),
  • Prime Medicine (PRME +$0.455),
  • Intellia Therapeutics NTLA +$0.41 after Friday’s -$0.62),
  • Compass Therapeutics (CMPX +$0.22),
  • Solid BioSciences (SLDB +$0.21),
  • Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM +$0.19),
  • uniQure NV (QURE +$0.15 after Friday’s -$0.48),
  • MiMedx (MDXG +$0.14),

Flat (4)

  • bluebird bio (BLUE) P/E acquired
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI)
  • Homology Medicine (FIXX)
  • Verve Therapeutics (VERV)

Monday’s Closing DOWN (11 of 11): 

  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ -$0.96 after Friday’s +$0.43),
  • Moderna (MRNA -$0.77 after Friday’s -$0.64),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$0.38 after Friday’s -$2.20),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE -$0.28 after Friday’s -$1.52),
  • Agenus (AGEN -$0.23 after Friday’s +$1.14),
  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE -$0.12 after Friday’s +$0.06),
  • Vericel (VCEL -$0.11 after Friday’s -$1.30),
  • Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR -$0.06),
  • Editas Medicine (EDIT -$0.03),
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN -$0.015)
  • Fate Therapeutics (FATE -$0.01)

 

The BOTTOM LINE:  The Dow and other major indexes showed modest gains Monday afternoon after President Trump shook ... his fist at Russia’s Putin … to hit Russian trade partners with huge tariffs as a punishment for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

  • Small caps on the Russell 2000 bumped up 0.4% in recent action.
  • Volume was modestly higher on both the Nasdaq exchange and the NYSE compared with Friday.
  • On the Nasdaq, rising stocks edged out falling ones slightly; on the NYSE, losers slightly outpaced gainers.

The June's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, due Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET, comes as investors closely monitor whether President Trump's tariffs are starting to filter through to what consumers pay, even as inflation data has so far remained more resilient than expected.

  • CPI is expected to have increased 2.6% year over year in June, up from a 2.4% rise in May. On a monthly basis, prices are forecast to climb 0.3%, marking an acceleration from the 0.1% gain the prior month.
  • On a "core" basis, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, the annual inflation rate for June is expected to come in at 2.9%, a slight pickup from May’s 2.8%. Core prices are also projected to climb 0.3% month over month, outpacing the previous 0.1% rise seen in May. < Bloomberg data>

 

Cell and gene therapy sector equities popped on Monday ..

  • After Friday's negative close, as Thursday and Wednesday continued the upside after Tuesday positive close post diving on last Monday ….
  • After last week popping multiple positive closes (Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday and Monday) in this new month, July and Q3.

 

Some bad but fixable: Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE +$0.27) took another hit when the FDA rejected its gene therapy for patients with a rare, genetic disorder called Sanfilippo Syndrome. The FDA noted problems in the chemistry, manufacturing and controls section of the application for the drug called UX111. UX111 aims to treat some patients with Sanfilippo Syndrome. In this condition, the body can't break down specific sugars. These leads to a buildup in various tissues and organs, causing progressive neurological damage.

 

As I also wrote, the “June Swoon” is over … however, July will be no better or worse than any other month. Although, I consider the so-called summer rally after the peripatetic or wandering.”

  • There are always some big ifs, especially given some of the headlines that could emanate after a past few months of news flatulence.

Last session of June as July evolves ‘25: understand the “flow” …

  • 7/14 - Monday closed positive with 20 positive, 11 negative and 4 flats
  • 7/11 - Friday closed negative with 5 positive, 28 negative and 2 flats
  • 7/10 - Thursday closed positive with 19 positive, 14 negative and 2 flats
  • 7/9 – Wednesday closed positive with 28 positive, 5 negative and 2 flats
  • 7/8 - Tuesday closed positive with 22 positive, 10 negative and 3 flats
  • 7/7 – Monday closed negative with 6 positive, 27 negative and 2 flats
  • 7/4 – Friday market holiday
  • 7/3 – Thursday closed positive with 23 positive, 6 negative and 6 flats
  • 7/2 - Wednesday closed positive with 24 positive, 7 negative and 4 flats
  • 7/1 – Tuesday closed positive with 21 positive, 11 negative and 3 flats

 

“I 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!”

  • If I have learned one thing as a former research analyst in a venture and public fund, operating executive, x-FBI, x-military officer and an adjunct (MBA) business school professor now a journalist; my life and your portfolio are largely tied to knowledge of price movements and questioning pricing targets and more.
  • I was once told by a “very” prominent figure early in my career, “write it right, keep it tight without hype and never lose the stride to guide the reader” – they were pretty simple instructions to follow!

 

Why do I keep repeating, so investors can make the connection …

The top three (3) performing in the session:   

  • Monday: Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Cellectis SA (CLLS)
  • Friday: Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ), Agenus (AGEN) and Mesoblast (MESO)

The worst three (3) in the session: 

  • Monday: Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ), Moderna (MRNA)and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP)
  • Friday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE)

Welcome to my world of defining the “grey’ in our universe!

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

 

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 it’s 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.