December 29, 2015 4:58pm

The short version:  low volume, flattening-out of short positions and increased resistance while traders chase profits into the year-end ...

 

Tuesday is the 2nd day of a shortened trading week, the last of the year. Markets are closed Friday for New Year's Day.

 

Subscribe for access in the New Year or take your losses without complaining …

 

 

I say what others won't, so you can do what others can't!

 

 

Stocks continued to march higher going into the final hour of trading Tuesday. The NASDAQ rose; the S&P 500 gained and the Dow climbed. The three major indexes climbed decisively above their 50-day moving averages.  The small-cap Russell 2000 lagged with a 0.5% gain. Volume was tracking higher than Monday’s on the NASDAQ index, but lowers on the NYSE.

The NASDAQ closed UP +66.95 or +1.33% to 5,107.94 and the DOW closed UP +102.64 or +1.10% to 17,528.27.

 

 

Henry’omics:

  • The stem, cell and gene therapy RegMed (SCGT&RM) sector opened positive, straying negative at the mid-day to close barely positive (of 43 covered companies);
  • My fear gauge or the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is DOWN at 16 from Monday’s 17.

 

 

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

  • The opening bell rang positive with an A/DL of 26/13 and 4 flats through the mid-day flipping negative with an A/DL of 18/23 and 2 flats closing barely negative in Tuesday’s session with an A/DL of 21/20 and 2 flat.

 

 

Tuesday’s trading response to the morning indications - 5 hits, 2 miss:

  • Aduro Biotech (ADRO) closed UP +$0.58 – miss;
  • Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC) closed DOWN -$0.49 – hit;
  • Bellicum Pharma (BLCM) closed UP +$0.90– hit;
  • Capricor (CAPR) closed DOWN -$0.14 - hit;
  • Cellectis S.A> (CLLS) closed UP +$0.61 - hit;
  • Juno Therapeutics (JUNO) closed UP +$1.30 – hit;
  • MiMedx (MDXG) closed UP +$0.22 – miss;

 

 

Riding the indexes and ETFs roller-coaster:

  • The iShares Biotechnology Stocks ETF (IBB) closed UP on Tuesday +5.89 or +1.75% following Monday’s decline of -2.57 or -0.76%;
  • The NASDAQ Biotechnology index (NBI) closed UP on Tuesday +64.13 or +1.82% following Monday’s decline of -29.09 or -0.82%;
  • The Russell 2000 (IWM) closed UP on Tuesday +1.27 or +1.11% following Monday’s decline of -0.53 or -0.46%;
  • The SPDR SD&P Biotech ETF (XBI) closed UP on Tuesday +1.82 or +2.61% following Monday’s decline of -1.16 or -1.64% …

 

 

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

  • Opening bell: POSITIVE with 13 decliners, 26 advancers and 4 flats;
  • Mid-day (12:30 pm): NEGATIVE with 23 decliners, 18 advancers and 2 flat;
  • Closing bell: NEGATIVE with 21 decliners, 20 advancers and 2 flats

 

 

Who was UP – top 5:

  • Kite Pharma (KITE) closed up +$2.34 to $63.96;
  • Spark therapeutics (ONCE) +$1.85 to $45.96;
  • Juno Therapeutics (JUNO) +$1.46 to $45.13;
  • VistaGen (VSTA) +$1.25 to $7.50;
  • Aduro Biotech (ADRO) closed up +$0.95 to $29.12;

 

 

Who closed down – top 5:

  • Mesoblast (MESO) closed down -$0.49 to $5.95;
  • Regenxbio (RGNX) -$0.29 to $17.61;
  • Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC) -$0.28 to $20.86;
  • Intrexon (XON) -$0.24 to $30.78;
  • Capricor (CAPR) closed down -$0.18 to $2.65

 

 

Flat:

  • Caladrius Bioscience (formerly NeoStem (NBS) at $1.10;
  • Pluristem (PSTI) at $1.04;

 

 

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.