January 22, 2026 4:43pm

As inflation oriented econs kept the windsock flying full

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.

 

As earnings evolve, I think it's important to focus on fundamentals, advancing clinical catalysts, “runways” and sector company’s capacity/ability to finance

RMi Pre-opening: Risks linger … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14277

 

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

Thursday: The Dow closed UP +306.78 points or +0.63%, the S&P closed UP +37.73 points or +0.55% while the Nasdaq closed UP +211.195 points or +0.91%

  • Theme of the session: easing geopolitical fears

Thursday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened positive with 34 incliners, 4 decliners and 2 flats ending with a positive close of 33 incliners, 6 decliners and 1 flat

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

  • Gross domestic product (GDP) rose at a 4.4% annualized pace for the July-through-September period, up 0.1 percentage point from the prior estimate and better than the 3.8% in the second quarter, according to numbers adjusted for seasonality and inflation.
  • The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, showed inflation at 2.8% for the month, in line with the consensus.  In addition, the department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the rate for October was 2.7% on both a headline and core basis, the latter excluding volatile food and energy prices.
  • Consumer spending, which accounts for more than 2/3rds of all U.S. economic activity, rose at a 3.5% rate for the quarter. Final sales to domestic purchasers, a proxy for demand across the $31 trillion economy, accelerated at a 6.3% rate, the highest since Q3 of 2023.
  • Initial jobless claims were little changed last week. First-time filings for unemployment benefits totaled a seasonally adjusted 200,000 for the week ended Jan. 17, up 1,000 from the prior week and below the consensus estimate for 208,000. On a 4-week moving basis, claims have averaged 201,500, the lowest since Jan. 13, 2024. Continuing claims, which run a week behind, edged lower to 1.85 million, down 26,000 from a week ago. The FactSet consensus was for 1.89 M.

 

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Thursday closed 15.65, Wednesday’s 16.99, Tuesday’s 20.17, Monday was a holiday, Friday closed at 15.86 and last Thursday’s 15.95

Metrics: Thursday … another reversal

  • The RUT was up +20.60 points or +0.76%,
  • The XLV was UP +0.03 points or +0.02%,
  • The NBI was up +96.02 points or +1.62%;
  • The XBI was up +3.39 points or +2.64%
  • The IWM was up +2.01 or +0.75%;
  • The IBB was up +2.48 points or +1.42%,
  • The VIX was down -1.25 points or -7.39% at to 15.65

 

Q1/26, January – 2 holidays, 2 neutral, 4 negative and 5 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

 

Thursday Closing UP (10 of 33) Monday was a holiday 

  • Vertex (VRTX +$5.21 after Wednesday’s +$19.06 after Tuesday’s +$0.72 after Friday’s +$2.44),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$6.07 after Wednesday’s +$2.12 after Tuesday’s -$0.90 after last Friday’s -$0.70),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$4.54 after Wednesday’s +$9.93 after Tuesday’s -$3.46 after last Friday’s -$0.33),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM +$3.14),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$2.35 after Wednesday’s +$1.91 after Tuesday’s +$1.20 after last Friday’s -$0.88),
  • Moderna (MRNA +$2.06 after Wednesday’s +$6.81 after Tuesday’s +$1.16 after Friday’s +$2.48),
  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR +$1.99 after Wednesday’s +$2.32 after Tuesday’s +$1.44 after last Friday’s -$2.41),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$1.87 after Wednesday’s +$1.20 after Tuesday’s +$0.33 after Friday’s +$0.61),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ +$1.79),
  • Vericel (VCEL +$1.42 after Wednesday’s +$1.43 after Tuesday’s -$1.11 after last Friday’s -$1.17),

Flat (1)

  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI),

Thursday’s Closing DOWN (6 of 6): Monday was a holiday 

  • IQIA Holdings (IQV -$2.55 after Wednesday’s +$7.65 after Tuesday’s -$4.05 after Friday’s -$3.61),
  • AxoGen (AXGN -$1.01),
  • Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN -$0.42 after Wednesday’s -$0.30 after Tuesday’s -$0.18),
  • Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR -$0.14),
  • Wave Life Sciences (WVE -$0.12),
  • Agenus (AGEN -$0.02),

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … some WHY

Indexes rose on Thursday as investors breathed a continued sigh of relief that President Trump called off his threatened tariffs on European allies over his pursuit of Greenland.

  • A shutdown-delayed report on the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, the PCE price index, showed that consumer prices rose at a 2.8% annual pace in November.
  • Inflation data, coupled with initial jobless claims, which increased only marginally, COULD keep the Fed on course to hold rates steady at its next policy meeting.
  • In another economic reading, the US economy grew at the fastest pace in two years through the third quarter of 2025. GDP grew at an annual pace of 4.4% for the quarter in an upgrade from the government's first estimate.
  • Even so, unemployment benefits claims ticked up to 200,000 for the week ended Jan. 17, up just slightly from the previous week's 199,000 filings, according to Labor Department data. <Yahoo Finance>

The dramatic volatility could also foreshadow some of the profit-taking 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!

 

Interesting quote from CNBC, “Retail traders keep their hot streak going, buying Tuesday’s dip while Wall Street drove ‘Sell America’ trade,”

 

January – 4th week:

  • 1/22 – Thursday closed positive with 33 incliners, 6 decliners and 1 flat
  • 1/21 – Wednesday closed positive with 33 incliners, 6 decliners and 1 flat
  • 1/20 - Tuesday closed negative with 16 incliners, 22 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/19 – Monday was a market holiday, MLK Jr 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

  • Thursday: Vertex (VRTX), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY)
  • Wednesday: Vertex (VRTX), BioNTech (BNTX) and IQIA Holdings (IQV),
  • Tuesday: Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR), Ionis Therapeutics (IONS) and Moderna (MRNA)
  • Monday was holiday

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Thursday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), AxoGen (AXGN) and Supernus therapeutics (SUPN)
  • Wednesday: uniQure NV (QURE), Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE)
  • Tuesday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and BioNTech (BNTX),
  • Monday was holiday

 

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.