May 8, 2026 5:04pm

Sentiment bolstered, econ with favors - jobs added, better-than-expected April’s report with the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.3%

A real question: are we chasing momentum?

Been a tough week overcoming personal health scare

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.  I am more frequently right than consequentially wrong; thus, mostly EARLY in my prognostications!

RMi Pre-opening: None, recovering and better

 

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 UP +12.19 points or +0.02%, the S&P closed UP +61.82 points or +0.84% while the Nasdaq closed UP +440.88 points or +1.71%

Theme of the session: strong jobs report and Iran deal hopes

Friday (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened negative with 17 incliner, 20 decliners and 3 flats, ending with a positive close of 20 incliners, 18 decliners and 2 flats

  • Sector earnings have continue, I will catch-up the reporting 

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

  • Nonfarm payrolls added 115,000 jobs last month, more than the 55,000 that economists were expecting. The U.S. jobless rate also held steady at 4.3%, in line with expectations.
  • University of Michigan survey of Consumers posted a 48.2 preliminary reading, down 3.2% from April’s prior record swoon and off 7.7% from a year ago. Economists surveyed by had been looking for 49.7.
  • Oil prices were marginally higher, with West Texas Intermediate crude futures rising 1% to around $95 per barrel, after the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz.

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Friday closed at 17.15, Thursday at 16.88, Wednesday closed at 17.44, after Tuesday closed at 17.38,

Metrics: Friday …

  • The RUT was up +21.57 points or +0.76%,
  • The XLV was up +1.23 points or -0.85%,
  • The NBI was up +23.55 points or +0.40%;
  • The XBI was up +1.05 points or +0.79%.
  • The IWM was up +1.97 or +0.70%;
  • The IBB was down -0.16 points or -0.09%,
  • The VIX was up +0.07 points or +0.41% at to 17.15
  • The SPX was up + or +% to 7,388.59

 

Q2/26 – May – 5 positive and 1 negative close

April- holiday, 1 neutral, 10 negative and 9 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

 

Friday Closing UP (10 of 20)

  • Moderna (MRNA +$5.81),
  • Vertex (VRTX +$4.82),
  • uniQure NV (QURE+$3.51),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$2.41),
  • BioNTech (BNTX +$1.11),
  • BEAM Therapeutics (BEAM +$0.85),
  • Intellia therapeutics (NTLA +$0.85),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ +$0.34),
  • Solid Biosciences (SLDB +$0.20)
  • Regenxbio (RGNX +$0.13)

Flat (2)

  • Generation Bio (GBIO) – acquired
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN)

Friday’s Closing DOWN (10 of 18): 

  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR -$5.26),
  • Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR -$3.56).
  • Vericel (VCEL -$1.67),
  • AxoGen (AXGN -$1.35),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS -$1.09),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$0.86).
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT -$0.84),
  • Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN -$0.75),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS -$0.31),
  • MiMedx (MDXG -$0.10),

 

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

U.S. stocks rose to records following the latest sign that the nation’s job market is doing better than economists expected.

  • The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% Friday to an all-time high after a report said employers added more jobs last month than expected, even though the war with Iran is raising fuel costs and uncertainty.
  • The Dow edged up less than 0.1%, and …
  • The Nasdaq rose 1.7% to its own record.

For the week:

  • The S&P 500 is up 168.81 points, or 2.3%.
  • The Dow is up 109.89 points, or 0.2%.
  • The Nasdaq is up 1,132.63 points, or 4.5%.
  • The Russell 2000 is up 48.39 points, or 1.7%.

May:

  • May 8 - Friday closed positive with 20 incliners, 18 decliners and 2 flats
  • May 7 - Thursday closed positive with 29 incliners, 10 decliners and 1 flat
  • May 6 - Wednesday closed positive with 30 incliners, 7 decliners and 3 flats
  • May 5 -Tuesday closed negative with 17 incliners, 20 decliners and 3 flats
  • May 4 - Monday closed positive with 33 incliners, 5 decliners and 2 flats
  • May 1 -   Friday opened+ positive with 28 incliners, 11 decliners and 1 flat

 

Q1/26 Earnings Release Dates: to be caught-up

  • Moderna (MRNA) - Friday, 5/1
  • IQVIA Holdings (IQV), uniQure NV (QURE), Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) and Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN) – Tuesday, 5/5
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) – Wednesday, 5/6
  • Vericel (VCEL) – Thursday, 5/7

 

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: Moderna (MRNA), Vertex (VRTX) and uniQure NV (QURE)

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers’

  • Friday: Arrowhead Therapeutics (ARWR), Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR) and Vericel (VCEL)

 

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.