February 19, 2026 4:48pm

That flipped in the mid-day, the C&GT sector back to a positive upside after today’s econs mostly better than expected though the trade deficit showed an unexpected spike to close out 2025.

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

Pre-open Indications: 1 Hits and 5 Miss

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

 

I write this blog/newsletter to inform investors with facts and supporting numbers focused on what they need to hear that others will not say or write about – facts in evidence!  I’m NOT at all writing a doom-and-gloom predictions as I am more frequently right than consequentially wrong; I am mostly EARLY in my prognostications!

RMi Pre-opening: Resistance … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14319

 

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

 

Thursday: The Dow closed DOWN -267.50 points or -0.54%, the S&P closed DOWN -19.42 points or -0.28% while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -70.905 points or -0.31%

  • Theme of the session: indexes dived, C&GT sector revives as investors shifted away from financials and monitored simmering tensions between the U.S. and Iran

Thursday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened negative with 4 incliners, 34 decliners and 2 flats, ending with a positive close of 25 incliners, 12 decliners and 3 flats

  • Supported by “uncle algo and his electronic trading dwarfs”

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

  • Initial jobless claims totaled a seasonally adjusted 206,000 for the week ending Feb. 14, tumbling 23,000 from the prior week and below the consensus estimate for 223,000. Continuing claims, which run a week behind, edged higher to 1.87 M.
  • The trade deficit jumped to $70.3 B in December, up $17.3 B from the prior month and much higher than the $55.5 B forecast. However, for the full year, the deficit fell just 0.2%, despite the Trump administration’s tariffs aimed at easing the trade imbalance.
  • The Philadelphia Fed’s manufacturing index climbed to 16.3, it’s highest since September and better than the 10.0 estimate. However, the employment index slumped to -1.3, its first negative reading since June 2025. The prices paid index hit its lowest since January 2025.

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Thursday closed at 20.28, after Wednesday’s 19.64, after Tuesday’s 20.35, Monday was a market holiday, Friday’s 20.69, and Thursday’s 20.90

Metrics: Thursday …

  • The RUT was up +6.48 points or +0.24%,
  • The XLV was down -0.41 points or -0.26%,
  • The NBI was up +13.81 points or +0.23%;
  • The XBI was up +1.14 points or +0.91%
  • The IWM was up +0.64 or +0.24%;
  • The IBB was up +0.27 points or +0.15%,
  • The VIX was up +0.66 points or +3.37% at to 20.28

 

Q1/26 February – 6 negative and 7 positive sessions

  • January – 2 holidays, 2 neutral, 9 negative and 9 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 25) Monday was a market holiday 

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$6.69),
  • Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR +$3.62 after Wednesday’s +$2.,50 after Tuesday’s +$0.58 after Friday’s -$1.22),
  • Moderna (MRNA +$3.10 after Wednesday’s +$2.67 after Tuesday’s +$1.70 after Friday’s +$2.12),
  • BioNTech (BNTX +$2.47 after Wednesday’s +$0.96 after Tuesday’s +$1.12),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE +$1.38),
  • Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN +$1.15 after Wednesday’s -$1.42 after Tuesday’s +$0.78 after Friday’s +$1.44),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$1.12),
  • uniQure NV (QURE +$0.97 after Wednesday’s +$1.68 after Tuesday’s +$1.25 after Friday’s -$1.87),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.92 after Wednesday’s +$0.86 after Tuesday’s +$0.76 after Friday’s -$1.18),
  • Vericel (VCEL +$0.76 after Wednesday’s +$0.59 after Tuesday’s +$0.86 after Friday’s +$1.99),

Flat (3)

  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI)
  • Generation Bio (GBIO) – acquired
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN $0.00),

Thursday’s Closing DOWN (12 of 12): Monday was a market holiday 

  • IQIA Holdings (IQV -$1.81 after Wednesday’s +$6.64 after Tuesday’s -$2.45 after Friday’s -$1.94),
  • Vertex (VRTX -$1.04 after Wednesday’s -$7.01 after Tuesday’s -$14.15 after Friday’s +$26.45),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ -$0.72 after Wednesday’s -$0.27),
  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR -$0.52 after Wednesday’s +$0.69 after Tuesday’s -$0.13 after Friday’s +$1.44),
  • Precigen (PGEN -$0.37 after Wednesday’s -$0.33),
  • AxoGen (AXGN -$0.24 after Wednesday’s +$0.61 after Tuesday’s +$1.41 after Friday’s +$0.62),
  • Mesoblast (MESO -$0.13),
  • Dyne Therapeutics (DYNE -$0.13),
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS -0.13$),
  • Compass Therapeutics (CMPX -$0.08),
  • Solid Biosciences (SLDB -$0.04).
  • MiMedx (MDXG -$0.02)

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … WHY

Healthcare’s XLV (XLV) has been printing higher lows into a flat ceiling, lining up with the August 2024 high — a classic breakout setup from a clear cup and handle chart formation.

  • A decisive break above $160 opens a measured-move target near $190 (about 20% from the current price). Lose $150 and the pattern breaks, with a potential return to the cup's bottom at $130.

Indexes drifted lower on Thursday, while oil prices rise with worries about a potential conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

  • Treasurys were set for their longest run of losses in a month amid oil-driven inflation concerns.
  • Price pressures were already in focus as investors parsed minutes from the Fed's January policy meeting, which revealed deep divides over the future path of rates.
  • The December PCE inflation reading on Friday could help adjust expectations. <Yahoo Finance>

Sectors hard-hit by sell-offs seem to be pushing back against the "Ai scare."

  • As stocks sank on fears that AI will shrink margins and disrupt business models from software to logistics, insiders are arguing that AI integration will benefit rather than detract from their businesses.

For the week, to date:

  • The S&P 500 is up 25.72 points, or 0.4%.
  • The Dow is down 105.77 points, or 0.2%.
  • The Nasdaq is up 136.06 points, or 0.6%.
  • The Russell 2000 is up 18.39 points, or 0.7%.

 

More earnings next week …

Earnings release dates:

  • Tuesday - 2/24 – AxoGen (AXGN)
  • Wednesday – 2/25 – MiMedx (MDXG), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) and Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT)
  • Thursday – 2/26 – Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA), Wave Life Sciences (WVE), Vericel (VCEL) and BioLife Solutions (BLFS)

 

RISK is always a factor remaining below the surface …  boiled-up as slight shocks of profiteering on upsides shook but not rocked 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,

 

February – 3rd week

  • 2/19 – Thursday closed positive with 25 incliners, 12 decliners and 3 flats
  • 2/18 - Wednesday closed positive with 30 incliners, 8 decliners and 2 flats
  • 2/17 – Tuesday closed positive with 27 incliners, 11 decliners and 2 flats
  • 2/16 – Monday was market holiday

February – 2nd week

  • 2/13 - Friday closed positive with 24 incliners, 14 decliners and 2 flats
  • 2/12 – Thursday closed negative with 7 incliners, 33 decliners and 2 flats
  • 2/11 - Wednesday closed negative with 12 incliners, 25 decliners and 3 flats
  • 2/10 - Tuesday closed negative with 19 incliners, 20 decliners and 1 flat
  • 2/9 - Monday closed positive with 23 incliners, 14 decliners and 3 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

  • Thursday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Moderna (MRNA) and Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR)
  • Wednesday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Moderna (MRNA) and Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR)
  • Tuesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Moderna (MRNA) and AxoGen (AXGN)
  • Monday: holiday
  • Friday: Vertex (VRTX), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) 

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Thursday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Lenz Therapeutics (LENX) and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals ARWR)
  • Wednesday: Vertex (VRTX), Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN) and Precigen (PGEN)
  • Tuesday: Vertex (VRTX), IQIA Holdings (IQV) and Solid Biosciences (SLDB)
  • Monday: holiday,
  • Friday: Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE), and uniQure NV (QURE)

 

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.