RegMed’s close: lower as traders cull any upside

December 28, 2015 4:57pm

With not much driving the stem, cell and gene therapy RegMed sector, its year-end cleaning up of portfolios.

All eyes continue to be on the flux and uncertainty with the real story being - when does “our” universe find a bottom and what additional pressures from tax selling are there …

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U.S. stocks closed lower in light volume trade Monday, the start to the last trading week of the year, as a renewed slide in oil prices weighed.

The NASDAQ closed DOWN -7.51 or -0.15% to 5,040.98 and the DOW closed DOWN -23.90 or -0.14% to 17,528.27.

Henry’omics:

The stem, cell and gene therapy RegMed (SCGT&RM) sector opened negative, stayed negative at the mid-day to close negative (of 43 covered companies).

• The NASDAQ composite also declined as the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) fell more than half a percent in afternoon trade.

I think a lot of investors, speculators and traders are more than happy to see this year come to an end.

• My fear gauge is UP at 17.

A day in the life of the stem, cell and gene therapy RegMed (SCGT & RM) sector:

• The opening bell rang negative with an A/DL of 13/28 and 2 flats staying negative through the mid-day with an A/DL of 13/28 and 2 flats closing negative in Monday’s session with an A/DL of 13/29 and 1 flat.

Monday’s trading response to the morning indications - 6 hits, 1 miss:

• Athersys (ATHX) closed UP +$0.02 – hit;
• Capricor (CAPR) closed DOWN -$0.13 – hit;
• Caladrius Biosciences (CLBS) closed DOWN -$0.06 – hit;
• Harvard Apparatus RT (HART) closed FLAT – hit;
• Northwest BIO (NWBO) closed DOWN - $0.21 – hit;
• StemCells (STEM) closed UP +$0.02 – miss;
• Vericel (VCEL) closed DOWN -$0.03 – hit;

Riding the indexes and ETFs roller-coaster:

• The iShares Biotechnology Stocks ETF (IBB) closed DOWN on Monday -2.57 or -0.76%;

• The NASDAQ Biotechnology index (NBI) closed DOWN on Monday -29.09 or -0.82%;

• The Russell 2000 (IWM) closed DOWN on Monday -0.53 or -0.46%;

• The SPDR SD&P Biotech ETF (XBI) closed DOWN on Monday -1.16 or -1.64% …

Dosing the sector – what a day for the 43 Patients:

• Opening bell: NEGATIVE with 28 decliners, 13 advancers and 2 flats;

• 1^st hour (10:30 am): NEGATIVE with 23 decliners, 18 advancers and 2 flat;

• Closing bell: NEGATIVE with 29 decliners, 13 advancers and 2 flats

Who was UP – top 5:

• Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC) +$0.80 to $21.14;
• Aduro Biotech (ADRO) +$0.44 to $28.16;
• MiMedx (MDXG) +$0.21 to $9.61;
• Histogenics (HSGX) +$0.11 to $3.05;
• ReNeuron (RENE.L) closed up +$0.12 at $3.00;

Who closed down – top 5:

• Juno Therapeutics (JUNO) closed down -$1.21 to $43.67;
• Bellicum (BLCM) -$1.10 to $19.79;
• uniQure (QURE) -$1.03 to $15.53;
• Cellectis S.A. (CLLS) -0.95 to $30.00;
• Intrexon (XON) closed down -$0.73 to $31.02

Flat:

• Harvard Apparatus RT (HART) at $2.07

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.