March 27, 2026 4:35pm

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) and fear gauge, closed at 30.87 after closing last Friday above 26.

As I wrote this a.m., the cell and gene therapy sector (C&GT) is “Stuck in the middle … of uncertainty, war and commodity pricing”

I have also been very specific to HOLD and to NIBBLE/BUY selectively

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!

TGIF

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; Stuck in the middle … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14363

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

 

What happened and some of the whys with the numbers behind …

It’s NOT always about BUYs/SELLs … it’s about knowing when and what!

 

Friday: The Dow closed DOWN -793.47 points or -1.73%, the S&P closed DOWN -108.31 points or -1.67% while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -459.724 points or -2.15%

  • Theme of the session: incidents in the Strait of Hormuz exacerbated investors’ energy supply concerns

Friday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened negative with 4 incliners, 34 decliners and 2 flats, ending with a negative close of 1 incliner, 36 decliners and 3 flats

  • Uncertainty remains for investors as Pentagon sends Marine and Army troops to the Middle East

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

  • The University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers for March saw a headline reading of 53.3, down 5.8% from February and 6.5% from a year ago. Economists had been looking for 54.0. Other parts of the survey saw the current conditions index fall 1.4% to 55.8 and the expectations index tumble to 51.7, down 8.7%. On inflation expectations, the 1-year outlook rose to 3.8%, up 0.4 percentage point from February but lower than the January reading. The 5-year outlook edged lower to 3.2%.
  • Richmond Fed President Barkin was noncommittal in a speech about where he sees interest rates heading, saying the economic “fog” has intensified.
  • International benchmark Brent crude futures rose 4.22% at settle at $112.57 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures gained 5.46% to settle at $99.64 a barrel after earlier hitting $100 a barrel. That marks its highest close since July 20, 2022.

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Friday closed at 30.87, after Thursday’s 28.31, Wednesday’s 25.40, Tuesday’s 26.94, Monday’s 26.46 and last Friday’s 26.78

Metrics: Friday …

  • The RUT was down -47.74 points or -1.75%,
  • The XLV was down -2.48 points or -1.70%,
  • The NBI was down -167.24 points or -2.93%;
  • The XBI was down -4.28 points or -3.45%
  • The IWM was down -4.46 or -1.80%;
  • The IBB was down -4.97 points or -3.01%,
  • The VIX was up +3.43 points or +12.46% at to 30.87

 

Q1/26 – March – 8 positive and 12 negative closes

  • February – 1 holiday, 8 negative and 11 positive sessions
  • January – 2 holidays, 2 neutral, 9 negative and 9 positive closes

 

Friday Closing UP (1 of 1)

  • Wave Life Sciences (WVE +$0.16 after Thursday’s -$6.10),

Flat (3)

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

Friday’s Closing DOWN (10 of 36):

  • Vertex (VRTX -$20.67 after Thursday’s -$1.23 after Wednesday’s +$6.35 after Tuesday’s -$2.61 after Monday’s +$2.85),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$10.80 after Thursday’s +$0.54 after Wednesday’s +$20.65 after Tuesday’s +$1.39 after Monday’s -$5.51),
  • IQVIA Holdings (IQV -$5.52 after Thursday’s +$3.82 after Wednesday’s -$0.43 after Tuesday’s +$0.74 after Monday’s +$0.93),
  • Moderna (MRNA -$4.01),
  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR -$2.99),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS -$2.09 after Thursday’s +$1.54 after Wednesday’s +$3.01 after Tuesday’s -$1.11 after Monday’s -$0.20),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics CRSP -$1.80 after Thursday’s +$0.46),
  • BioNTech (BNTX -$1.78 after Thursday’s -$1.31 after Wednesday’s +$1.96 after Tuesday’s -$1.60 after Monday’s -$0.86),
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT -$1.71 after Thursday’s -$2.09 after Wednesday’s +$6.16),
  • Vericel (VCEL-$1.48 after Thursday’s -$0.62 after Wednesday’s -$1.64 after Tuesday’s +$0.63),

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … WHY

Finally, the week is over with pessimism at its highest!!

I say there are HUGE … BUYING opportunities in the C&GT sector.

US stocks fell on Friday, as oil prices surged … as big Tech stocks accelerated losses on Friday amid fears of higher-for-longer interest rates, weighing on growth stocks…

  • The Nasdaq dropped 2.1%, sliding deeper into correction territory amid a broad sell-off in technology stocks.
  • The Dow fell 1.7%, also moving into a correction, or more than 10% off its all-time high.
  • The S&P 500 declined about 1.7%, marking its longest losing streak since 2022, with losses extending to a 5th consecutive week.

Bond yields rose on Friday amid expectations of higher inflation from surging oil prices, as investors anticipate the Fed will … NOT …  be able to cut rates this year.

March – 4th week:

  • 3/27 – Friday closed negative with 1 incliner, 36 decliners and 3 flats
  • 3/26 – Thursday closed negative with 15 incliner, 22 decliners and 3 flats
  • 3/25 – Wednesday closed positive with 30 incliners, 5 decliners and 5 flats
  • 3/24 – Tuesday closed negative with 11 incliner, 27 decliners and 2 flats
  • 3/23 - Monday closed positive with 26 incliners, 12 decliners and 2 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 – closed end funds” (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

  • Friday: Wave Life Sciences (WVE)
  • Thursday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Ionis Pharmaceuticals IONS) and Precigen (PGEN)
  • Wednesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Vertex (VRTX) and Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT)
  • Tuesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), AxoGen (AXGN) and Vericel (VCEL)
  • Monday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Vericel (VCEL) and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP)

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Friday: Vertex (VRTX), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and IQVA Holdings (IQV)
  • Thursday: Wave Life Sciences (WVE), Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) and BioNTech (BNTX)
  • Wednesday: Vericel (VCEL), IQVA Holdings (IQV) and Beam Therapeutics (BEAM)
  • Tuesday: Lenz therapeutics (LENZ), Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) and Vertex (VRTX)
  • Monday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), uniQure NV (QURE) and Wave Life Sciences (WVE)

 

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.