April 8, 2026 4:38pm

As indexes gain and C&GT stocks pulled back somewhat off the highs of the session heading into the final hour of trading

With a very “fragile” truce and econs still looming; CPI, PCE and their cores

As the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) fear indicator tumbled to 21.03 after Tuesday’s 25.92 and Monday’s 24.16, following the conflicts start (3/27/26) of 31.05

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!

 

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: Ding, dong, we didn’t bomb … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14375

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!

 

Wednesday: The Dow closed UP +1,325.46 points or +2.85%, the S&P closed UP +165.96 points or +2.51% while the Nasdaq closed UP +617.146 points or +2.80%

  • Theme of the session: pausing a 5-week conflict with prejudice

Wednesday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened positive with 33 incliners, 4 decliners and 3 flats, ending with a positive close of 27 incliner, 8 decliners and 5 flats

  • military operation’s pause still presents uncertain outcomes as Iran lies and deceits

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

  • Oil pricing falls

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Wednesday closed at 21.03, after Tuesday’s 25.92, Monday’s 24.16, Friday was a market holiday, Thursday closed at 24.04 and last Wednesday’s 24.61

Metrics: Wednesday …

  • The RUT was up +75.52 points or +2.97%,
  • The XLV was up +3.10 points or +2.12%,
  • The NBI was up +108.77 points or +1.87%;
  • The XBI was up +1.79 points or +1.39%
  • The IWM was up +7.60 or +3.01%;
  • The IBB was up +3.36 points or +1.99%,
  • The VIX was down -4.75 points or -18.43% at to 21.03

 

Q2/26 – 1 holiday, 1 neutral, 1 negative and 3 positive closes

  • Q1 -March – 9 positive and 13 negative closes
  • February – 1 holiday, 8 negative and 11 positive sessions
  • January – 2 holidays, 2 neutral, 9 negative and 9 positive closes

 

Wednesday Closing UP (10 of 27) 

  • Vertex (VRTX +$12.06 after Tuesday’s -$2.44 after Monday’s -$4.41),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$7.73 after Tuesday’s -$10.82 after Monday’s +$11.49),
  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR +$3.18),
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$3.01 after Tuesday’s -$1.65 after Monday’s -$1.80),
  • BioNTech (BNTX +$2.46 after Tuesday’s -$1.66 after Monday’s +$0.10),
  • IQVA Holdings (IQV +$2.08),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$2.06 after Tuesday’s +$0.55 after Monday’s +$0.36),
  • Moderna (MRNA +$1.99 after Tuesday’s +$1.34 after Monday’s -$0.43),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$1.09 after Tuesday’s -$0.44 after Monday’s -$0.46),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM +$0.95 after Tuesday’s +$0.26 after Monday’s -$0.43),

Flat (5)

  • Generation Bio (GBIO) – acquired
  • Harvard Apparatus TR (OTCQB: HRGN),
  • Precigen (PGEN),
  • Wave Life Sciences (WVE),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE)

Wednesday’s Closing DOWN (8 of 8): 

  • uniQure NV (QURE -$1.25 after Tuesday’s -$0.25 after Monday’s +$0.23),
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT -$1.18 after Tuesday’s +$0.28 after Monday’s -$0.43),
  • Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR -$0.37 after Tuesday’s +$0.29 after Monday’s -$0.43),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ -$0.26),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX -$0.13),
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI -$0.07),
  • Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR -$0.04),
  • Sangamo Therapeutics (SGMO -$0.0014),

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … WHY and a lot of what ifs …

Indexes “wheeled” Wednesday after suspension of attacks on Iran for 2 weeks, pausing a 5-week conflict that closed a crucial Staits of Hormuz.

  • West Texas Intermediate crude futures tumbled more than 17% to $93.42 a barrel following Trump’s declaration. International benchmark Brent for June delivery lost more than 16% to $91.65 per barrel.

Stock pricing is still below where they were before the war. And oil prices are still higher because the threat remains that the war could continue.

Uncertainty remains around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

  • As the rally was led by stocks that have come under the most pressure since the start of the conflict. Semiconductor makers vulnerable to supply chain disruptions climbed.

Small caps rallied in midday trading, with the Russell 2000 higher by more than 3.2%.

  • The small cap benchmark burst out of the gates to start the year, but has since floundered following the start of the U.S.-Iran war given its greater exposure to cyclical sectors. It was the first of the major U.S. benchmarks to fall into a correction, quickly followed by the Nasdaq and the Dow. It has since recouped some of its losses, last roughly 4% off its recent high. The Russell 2000 remains higher this year by more than 5%, while the Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 are negative. <CNBC>

 

April – 2nd week

  • 4/8 – Wednesday closed positive with 27 incliners, 8 decliners and 5 flats
  • 4/7 – Tuesday closed negative with 15 incliners, 21 decliners and 4 flats
  • 4/6 - Monday closed positive with 20 incliners, 18 decliners and 2 flats

April – 1st week

  • 4/2 - Thursday closed neutral with 19 incliners, 19 decliners and 2 flats
  • 4/1 – Wednesday closed positive with 29 incliners, 8 decliners and 3 flats

March – 5th week

  • 3/31 – Tuesday closed positive with 36 incliners, 2 decliners and 2 flats
  • 3/30 - Monday closed negative with 12 incliners, 26 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 less and 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: Vertex (VRTX), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR)
  • Tuesday: Moderna (MRNA), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) and Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN)
  • Monday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Entrada Therapeutics (TRDA) and Agenus (AGEN)
  • Friday: markets closed

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Wednesday: uniQure NV (QURE), Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) and Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR)
  • Tuesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Vertex (VRTX) and BioNTech (BNTX)
  • Monday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), AxoGen (AXGN) and Vertex (VRTX)
  • Friday: markets closed

 

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.