January 7, 2026 4:47pm

After econs, indexes lose momentum while the C&GT’s sector pops

Wednesday and positive Tuesday set against Monday’s sliding share pricing

Pre-open Signal Results: 1 Hit and 4 Miss

RMi collects, curates, interprets and disseminates cell and gene therapy sector (C&GT) fact-based news, trustable and verified intel of share pricing data bridging the gap to an investment decision

Never leave a retail investor uninformed!  It’s not always time to buy or sell; but it is time to KNOW why! 

This week features a wide-ranging economic data calendar building to Friday's December jobs report, which will provide the final employment snapshot of 2025 and potentially influence Fed bank’s policy expectations after the hawkish December meeting

Wednesday’s RMi Pre-opening: New highs, say BYE? … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14257

 

I chose to speak-up when many analysts, brokers and commentators have shut-up!

Wednesday: The Dow closed DOWN -466.00 points or -0.94%, the S&P closed DOWN -23.89 points or -0.34% while the Nasdaq closed UP +37.102 points or +0.16%

  • Theme of the session: pulling-back from record highs

Henry’omics: We need to more than consider the macro-economic environment to comprehend the micro re “our” universe of cell and gene therapy (C&GT) sector

  • Private sector job creation turned positive in December though at a bit softer pace than expected, ADP reported. Companies added 41,000 hires for the month, a reversal from the loss of 29,000 in November, providing a positive sign to a labor market that otherwise struggled as 2025 came to a close. Private company payrolls had declined in three of the four months prior to the December release. The final tally was slightly less than the Dow Jones consensus estimate for 48,000
  • Service sector activity hit its highest level of the year in December, boosted by gains in orders and employment, the Institute for Supply Management reported Wednesday. The ISM services index rose to 54.4%, up 1.8% points from November and above the consensus forecast for 52.2. The survey measures the percentage of companies reporting growth, so anything above 50 represents expansion. Within the survey, the new orders index rose 5 points, new export orders were up 5.5 points and employment gained 3.1 points, hitting a 52% reading that put it back in growth territory
  • The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey put openings at 7.15 M, down 303,000 from October to the lowest level since September 2024. Leisure and hospitality (-160,000) and government (-89,000) both posted sizeable declines. The drop put the hiring rate as a share of the labor force at 4.3%, down 0.2% point from October and one half a point lower than a year ago. At the same time, quits, a measure of labor market mobility, rose to 3.16 M, up 188,000 monthly.

Wednesday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened positive with 36 incliners, 3 decliners and 1 flat ending with a positive close of 33 incliners, 5 decliners and 2 flats

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Wednesday closed at 15.34 after Tuesday’s 14.77, Monday closed at 14.91, Friday’s 14.46, Thursday was closed New Years Day and last Wednesday at 15.03

Metrics: Wednesday …

  • The RUT was down -7.70 points or -0.30%,
  • The XLV was up +1.57 points or +0.99%,
  • The NBI was up +175.88 points or +3.05%;
  • The XBI was up +4.31 points or +3.53%
  • The IWM was down -0.61 or -0.24%;
  • The IBB was up +5.50 points or +3.21%,
  • The VIX was up +0.58 points or +3.99% at to 15.34`

 

Q1/26 – 1 holiday, 1 negative and 3 positive closes

Q4/25 …

  • December – 1 holiday, 8 positive and 14 negative closes
  • November – 1 holiday, 8 positive and 11 negative closes
  • October -1 neutral, 11 positive and 12 negative closes

 

Wednesday Closing UP (10 of 33) 

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$16.10 after Tuesday’s +$8.57 after Monday’s -$2.34),
  • Vertex (VRTX +$15.77 after Tuesday’s +$19.58 after Monday’s -$3.33),
  • IQIA Holdings (IQV +$3.70 after Tuesday’s +$5.91 after Monday’s +$9.27),
  • BioNTech (BNTX +$1.99),
  • Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN +$1.98 after Tuesday’s -$0.14),
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$1.90 after Tuesday’s -$0.71 after Monday’s +$0.76),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$1.68 after Tuesday’s +$2.96 after Monday’s -$1.14),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE +$1.66 after Tuesday’s -$0.57 after Monday’s -$0.49),
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT +$1.11),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX +$1.06),

Flat (2)

  • Adverum Biotechnologies ADVM) – acquired
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN)

Wednesday’s Closing DOWN (5 of 5): 

  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR -$5.12 after Tuesday’s +$5.93 after Monday’s -$3.91),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS -$0.94),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ -$0.56),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$0.20 after Tuesday’s +$3.03 after Monday’s +$1.38),
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI -$0.0530),

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … WHY

US stocks ended mixed Wednesday as investors absorbed jobs data.

  • Labor data took focus on Wednesday. ADP's December update on private sector employment showed 41,000 jobs added in December, slightly missing expectations.
  • Also, the JOLTS report showed the number of job openings slid in November, while the pace of hiring slowed to an "anemic" rate. <Yahoo Finance>

 

For all my … <some say> … RANTINGS, I say TRUTH … Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR) closed up +$0.20 – their I Banks are executing the “PUMP” to protect the offering share pricing – LOT of volume … 1.668 M share traded, institution driven … DON’T be distracted – Make a buck, CONTINUE the SELL of the overbought.

 

Some good for the biotech industry: Lilly (LLY) might be nearing a deal for shares of Ventyx Biosciences (VTYX) popped more than 60% in extended trading on a report that LLY’s agreement to buy the clinical-stage company for more than $1 billion.

  • VTYX is developing treatments for inflammatory diseases as well as cardiovascular diseases associated with obesity.
  • LLY’s stock has risen more than 39% over the past year, buoyed up by the strength of its obesity drug Zepbound. < The Wall Street Journal>

 

The recent profit-taking could also foreshadow some of the volatility ahead and …

  • RISK is always a factor remaining and … will boil-up under the surface until or as slight shocks rock the C&GT sector and markets!

As I had also written, cash is king for investors who want to keep some liquidity and avoid having to sell in a down market,

  • I would be following share pricing’s ascension on current biotech, cell and gene therapy sector upsides; so, some profiteering can be “situated” while maintaining a position, less elevated!

 

January – 2nd week’s session

  • 1/7 – Wednesday closed positive with 33 incliners, 4 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/6 – Tuesday closed positive with 27 incliners, 11 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1 /5 - Monday closed negative with 18 incliners, 21 decliners and 1 flat

January - 1st week:

  • 1 /2 - Friday closed positive with 18 incliners, 17 decliners and 5 flats
  • 1/1 -Thursday was a holiday, New Years Day

Last week of December, Q4 and FY25

  • 12/31 -Wednesday closed negative with 18 positive, 22 negative and 5 flats
  • Tuesday closed negative with 7 positive, 31 negative and 2 flats
  • Monday closed negative with 12 positive, 24 negative and 4 flats

 

As the leading voice of cell and gene therapy investors; I am NOT always a doom and gloom analyst/journalist but a man who has been “there” (BUY, SELL, VC and multiple operating roles) with the gray hair and a readership following with real numbers to prove it!

 

Why do I keep repeating, framed in a different para, so investors can make the connection

The top three (3) performing in the session:    Winners

  • Wednesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Vertex (VRTX) and IQVIA Holdings (IQV),
  • Tuesday: Vertex (VRTX), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR)
  • Monday: IQVIA Holdings (IQV), BioLife Solutions (BLFS), and Vericel (VCEL)

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Wednesday: Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR), BioLife Solutions (BLFS) and LENZ Therapeutics (LENZ)
  • Tuesday: AxoGen (AXGN), Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) and Entrada Therapeutics (TRDA)
  • Monday: Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR), Vertex (VRTX) and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR)

 

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.