January 20, 2026 5:08pm

Markets slip as C&GT sector sloped while some investors rushed-in late afternoon to buy the dip

Pre-open Indications: 6 Hits and 1 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!

 

No Don Quixote as I continually ask, what do all these stock sources, I-Banks and brokers do for you in providing daily information? Availability of data have made intel both complex; I see myself as a collector and my responsibility is to further identify and interpret data to bridge some gaps in an investment decision.

RMi Pre-opening: Sticks and stones break bones … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14273   

RMi Research Note: Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR) Provides Regulatory Update on Deramiocel BLA… https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14249

RMi Research Note: Harvard Apparatus GT (OTCQB: HRGN): A new financing attempt? … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13812

 

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

Tuesday: The Dow closed DOWN -870.74 points or -1.76%, the S&P closed DOWN -143.15 points or -2.06% while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -561.065 points or -2.39%

  • Theme of the session: intensified his rhetoric on Greenland

Tuesday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened negative with 8 incliners, 31 decliners and 1 flat ending with a negative close of 16 incliners, 22 decliners and 2 flats

  • Special Circumstance:  Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR -$0.15 <was -$0.64> after Friday’s +$0.31, Thursday’s -$0.75, Wednesday $0.00, Tuesday’s +$0.28 and Monday’s +$0.67

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Tuesday closed at 20.17, Monday was a holiday, Friday closed at 15.86, Thursday’s 15.95, Wednesday’s 16.74 and last Tuesday’s 15.98,

Metrics: Tuesday …

  • The RUT was down -32.38 points or -1.21%,
  • The XLV was down -0.34 points or -0.22%,
  • The NBI was up +25.67 points or +0.45%;
  • The XBI was up +1.11 points or +0.89%
  • The IWM was down -3.13 or -1.18%;
  • The IBB was up +0.76 points or +0.45%,
  • The VIX was up +1.33 points or +7.05% at to 20.17

 

Q1/26 – 2 holidays, 2 neutral, 4 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

 

Tuesday Closing UP (10 of 16) Monday was a holiday

  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR +$1.44 after Friday’s -$2.41),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$1.20 after Friday’s -$0.88),
  • Moderna (MRNA +$1.16 after Friday’s +$2.48),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ +$1.09 after Friday’s +$0.15),
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$0.85),
  • Vertex (VRTX +$0.72 after Friday’s +$2.44),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX +$0.48),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS +$0.34),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$0.33 after Friday’s +$0.61),
  • Wave Life Sciences (WVE +$0.16 after Friday’s -$0.41),

Flat (2)

  • Rocket Therapeutics (RCKT)
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN $0.00)

Tuesday’s Closing DOWN (10 of 22): Monday was a holiday

  • IQIA Holdings (IQV -$4.05 after Friday’s -$3.61),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$3.46 after Friday’s -$0.33),
  • BioNTech (BNTX -$3.44 after Friday’s +$2.93),
  • Vericel (VCEL -$1.11 after Friday’s -$1.17),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$0.90 after Friday’s -$0.70),
  • Mesoblast (MESO -$0.62),
  • uniQure NV (QURE -$0.44 after Friday’s +$0.84),
  • Entrada Therapeutics (TRDA -$0.38 after Friday’s +$0.18),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM -$0.25 after Friday’s -$0.83),
  • Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN -$0.18),

 

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … WHY

Markets were shocked by the word tug-of- war over Greenland as indexes and C&GT equities sold off, with the Nasdaq now down for the year.

  • In a stream-of-consciousness speech at the Detroit Economic Club, the US president delivered his gold-tinted view of how the economy has fared on his watch.
  • Prices were down, he claimed, despite official data showing otherwise, and productivity was “smashing expectations”
  • Even as he touted achievements during the first year of his second term, Trump has started to acknowledge concerns over affordability across the US, with November’s midterm elections creeping closer.
  • The White House has moved to roll out a series of policy proposals in recent days that aspire to address affordability. 
  • Inflation has come down slightly since the fall, but remains significantly above typical levels.
  • While GDP growth unexpectedly surged last summer, it came amid a turbulent year for the US economy.
  • Annualized inflation went down to a four-year low in April at 2.3% before crawling up to 3% by September.
  • GDP contracted in Q1/25, for the first time since 2022. <all 3 from Yahoo Finance>

 

For all my … <some say> … RANTINGS, I say TRUTHS …

Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR) Monday closed down -$0.15 <was -$0.64 at a low>Friday closed up +$0.31 <look at the volume 974,340 shares trading <”someone’s” covering downslide (?) after Thursday down -$0.75 or -3.03% with 1.586 M shares traded <was as low of -$1.11> after Wednesday neutral ($0.00) < was at a low of -$0.45> post Tuesday’s +$0.28 (having opened -$0.26) after Monday closed up +$0.67 after being DOWN Friday -$1.71 or -6.69% to $23.84 after Thursday’s -$0.76 or -2.89% to $25.55 after Wednesday’s +$0.20 …

  • CAPR’s I-Banks seemed to be executing the “PUMP” to protect the offering share pricing – LOT of daily volume, institution driven … DON’T be distracted – Make a buck, CONTINUE the SELL of the overbought.
  • Right again after again and yet another again … downward!

Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN) closed flat again on Monday and Friday after Thursday’s +$0.0270 with 1100 shares traded after Wednesday -$0.08 or -5.235 to $1.45 with 6,980 shares traded after Tuesday’s -$0.38 after Monday’s +$0.01 after Friday’s $0.00) after writing this a.m. 

  • As I wrote…
  • Financing on Deck: Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN (Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities); who or what US institution would invest in this “entity” – broke, no patient data in 4 years, questionable management, serious unpaid bills in hundreds of thousands – partners and employees past and present.
  • An adjunct, who has the lipstick for this pig!

 

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 – 4th week:

  • 1/20 - Tuesday closed negative with 16 incliners, 22 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/19 - Monday was a market holiday, MLK Jr day

January – 3nd week:

  • 1/16 – Friday closed negative with 11 incliners, 28 decliners and 1 flat
  • 1/15 - Thursday closed negative with 8 incliners, 30 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/14 – Wednesday closed positive with 27 incliners, 11 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/13 – Tuesday closed neutral with 19 incliners, 19 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/12 – Monday closed neutral with 19 incliners, 19 decliners and 2 flats

January 2nd week

  • 1/9 - Friday closed negative with 10 incliners, 28 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/8 – Thursday closed negative with 7 incliners, 30 decliners and 3 flats
  • 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’s 1st week:

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

 

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

  • Tuesday: Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR), Ionis Therapeutics (IONS) and Moderna (MRNA)
  • Monday was holiday
  • Friday: BioNTech (BNTX), Moderna (MRNA) and Vertex (VRTX)

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Tuesday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and BioNTech (BNTX),
  • Monday was holiday
  • Friday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR) and Vericel (VCEL)

 

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.