April 9, 2026 4:54pm

Relating to market and sector share pricing moves; oil pushes …

Econs and their cores: the (PCE) core personal consumption expenditures price index showed a 3% expansion for February; consumer spending up 0.5% on the month, while personal income fell 0.1%. Gross domestic product (GDP) rose just 0.5% on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, down from the prior reading of 0.7% along with a rise in jobless claims

The real question, will the fragile 2-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran be sustained?

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: knew markets would drift and thought the C&GT sector would be down, not quite but dripping

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!

 

Thursday: The Dow closed UP +275.88 points or +0.558%, the S&P closed UP +41.85 points or +0.62% while the Nasdaq closed UP +187.422 points or +0.83%

  • Theme of the session: optimism among traders that a solution to the conflict in the Middle East, not me!

Thursday (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened negative with 16 incliners, 21 decliners and 2 flats, ending with a positive close of 24 incliner, 13 decliners and 3 flats

  • military operation’s pause still presenting 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

  • The (PCE) core personal consumption expenditures price index rose a seasonally adjusted 3% in February. The all-items headline inflation measure increased 2.8%. the report also showed consumer spending up 0.5% on the month, while personal income fell 0.1%. The core personal consumption expenditures price index, which excludes food and energy, rose a seasonally adjusted 3% in February. The all-items headline inflation measure increased 2.8%.
  • Consumer spending up 0.5% on the month, while personal income fell 0.1%. Economists had expected spending to rise 0.6% with income up 0.4%.
  • Gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of all goods and services produced, rose just 0.5% on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, down from the prior reading of 0.7% and the initial estimate of 1.4%. The full-year growth rate held at 2.1%.
  • A rise in jobless claims to a seasonally adjusted 219,000, was up 16,000 from the prior period. The total was higher than the 210,000 estimate but largely in line with recent trends.
  • U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for May rose more than 6% to $100.27 per barrel by 9:51 a.m. ET. International benchmark Brent crude futures for June delivery added nearly 4% to $98.26.

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Thursday closed at 19.57, after Wednesday’s 21.03, after Tuesday’s 25.92, Monday’s 24.16, Friday was a market holiday and last Thursday’s 24.04

Metrics: Thursday …

  • The RUT was up +15.85 points or +0.60%,
  • The XLV was down -0.34 points or -0.23%,
  • The NBI was up +22.93 points or +0.39%;
  • The XBI was up +1.17 points or +0.90%
  • The IWM was up +1.52 or +0.68%;
  • The IBB was up +0.30 points or +0.17%,
  • The VIX was down -1.47points or -6.99% at to 19.57

 

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

 

Thursday Closing UP (10 of 23) 

  • Vertex (VRTX +$2.82 after Wednesday’s +$12.06 after Tuesday’s -$2.44 after Monday’s -$4.41),
  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR +$1.87 after Wednesday’s +$3.18),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$1.45 after Wednesday’s +$1.09 after Tuesday’s -$0.44 after Monday’s -$0.46),
  • Dyne Therapeutics (DYN +$0.98),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM +$0.89 after Wednesday’s +$0.95 after Tuesday’s +$0.26 after Monday’s -$0.43),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS +$0.77),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE +$0.76),
  • Mesoblast (MESO +$0.63),
  • uniQure NV (QURE +$0.41 after Wednesday’s -$1.25 after Tuesday’s -$0.25 after Monday’s +$0.23),
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT +$0.33 after Wednesday’s -$1.18 after Tuesday’s +$0.28 after Monday’s -$0.43),

Flat (3)

  • Generation Bio (GBIO) – acquired
  • Harvard Apparatus TR (OTCQB: HRGN),
  • Rocket Therapeutics (RCKT)

Thursday’s Closing DOWN (13 of 13): 

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$2.97 after Wednesday’s +$7.73 after Tuesday’s -$10.82 after Monday’s +$11.49),
  • IQVA Holdings (IQV -$3.53 after Wednesday’s +$2.08),
  • AxoGen (AXGN -$0.98 after Wednesday’s +$3.01 after Tuesday’s -$1.65 after Monday’s -$1.80),
  • Moderna (MRNA -$0.82 after Wednesday’s +$1.99 after Tuesday’s +$1.34 after Monday’s -$0.43),
  • Vericel (VCEL -$0.44),
  • Entrada Therapeutics (TRDA -$0.27),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ -$0.16 after Wednesday’s -$0.26),
  • Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN +$0.11),
  • BioNTech (BNTX -$0.105 after Wednesday’s +$2.46 after Tuesday’s -$1.66 after Monday’s +$0.10),
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS -$0.05),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA -$0.04),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$0.04 after Wednesday’s +$2.06 after Tuesday’s +$0.55 after Monday’s +$0.36),
  • Prime Medicine (PRME -$0.03),

 

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

Indexes and C&GT equities rose, moving modestly a day after surging on optimism about a ceasefire in the war with Iran.

  • Even as oil prices pared some of their earlier gains but nevertheless remained higher.

After beginning Thursday with C&GT share pricing losses following Wednesday’s “pops in the stocks”.

For the week, so far:

  • The S&P 500 is up 241.97 points, or 3.7%.
  • The Dow is up 1,681.13 points, or 3.6%.
  • The Nasdaq is up 943.24 points, or 4.3%.
  • The Russell 2000 is up 106.27 points, or 4.2%.

More thoughts on econs:

  • After-tax wage growth is accelerating faster among higher-income households as lower- and middle-income households trail behind …  a new Bank of America Institute report shows.
  • Pay for higher-income households in March grew by 5.6% from a year ago, while lower- and middle-income households saw after-tax wage growth of 1% and 2%, respectively, according to David Tinsley, a senior economist at the Bank of America Institute. That’s the biggest gap recorded since the bank began tracking the data in 2015.
  • In a mostly stuck labor market with little payroll growth, employers generally have the upper hand. Average hourly earnings by one measure rose by just 3.4% on an annual basis in March, government data shows, the slowest wage growth since 2021.
  • And as prices rise — particularly at the gas pump — workers might feel more squeezed than usual.

 

April – 2nd week

  • 4/8 - Thursday closed positive with 24 incliners, 13 decliners and 3 flats
  • 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 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), Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR) and Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS)
  • 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

  • Thursday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), IQIA Holdings (IQV) and AxoGen (AXGN)
  • 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.