December 30, 2015 5:50pm

There are fewer and fewer places to hide from profit taking as some ups will more than probably be hit tomorrow

Wednesday is the 3nd day of a shortened trading week, the last of the year. Markets are closed Friday for New Year's Day.

 

Time is running-out, 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 sank in the final hour of trading Wednesday to finish with moderate losses.  The NASDAQ fell 0.8%, while the S&P 500 and the Dow dropped 0.7% each. The small-cap Russell 2000 tumbled 0.9%. Volume was lower on both the NYSE and NASDAQ.

The NASDAQ closed DOWN -42.09 or -0.82% to 5,065.85 and the DOW closed DOWN -117.11 or -0.66% to 17,603.87.

 

 

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).

  • Trade volume in the last few sessions has been among the lightest of the year;
  • As of Wednesday's close, the S&P 500 was up 0.22% year-to-date, while the Dow was down 1.23% for the year so far. The NASDAQ composite was up 6.96% for 2015.

My fear gauge or the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) was UP on Wednesday near 17 after Tuesday’s 16 from Monday’s 17. The end of the year has been relatively quiet, but the “Fear Index” may be warning of a shaky market ahead. 

  • The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) has calmed down from its peak at 53.29 in late August. And after another run-up to 24.39 in early December ahead of the FED’s decision to start raising rates;
  • However, since November, short-term highs on the VIX have gotten higher. What’s more, the VIX remains elevated from where it was in early August, when it traded at 10.88, near record lows.

The VIX is likely to jump higher in 2016.

 

 

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 20/19 and 4 flats as the mid-day flipped negative with an A/DL of 17/24 and 2 flats closing negative in Wednesday’s session with an A/DL of 18/23 and 2 flat.

 

 

Wednesday’s trading response to the morning indications - 3 hits, 3 miss:

  • Aduro Biotech (ADRO) closed DOWN – hit;
  • Bellicum Pharma (BLCM) closed UP +$0.11 – miss;
  • Capricor (CAPR) closed UP +$0.46 – miss;
  • Kite Pharma (KITE) closed DOWN -$1.37 – hit;
  • MiMedx (MDXG) closed DOWN -$0.31 – hit;
  • Spark Therapeutics (ONCE) closed UP +$0.56 – miss;

 

 

Riding the indexes and ETFs roller-coaster:

  • The iShares Biotechnology Stocks ETF (IBB) closed DOWN on Wednesday -2.25 or -0.66% after Tuesday’s advance of +5.89 or +1.75% following Monday’s decline of -2.57 or -0.76%;
  • The NASDAQ Biotechnology index (NBI) closed DOWN on Wednesday -24.16 or -0.67% after Tuesday’s +64.13 or +1.82% following Monday’s decline of -29.09 or -0.82%;
  • The Russell 2000 (IWM) closed DOWN on Wednesday -1.16 or -1.01% after Tuesday’s advance of +1.27 or +1.11% following Monday’s decline of -0.53 or -0.46%;
  • The SPDR SD&P Biotech ETF (XBI) closed DOWN -0.79 or -1.10% after Tuesday’s +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 19 decliners, 20 advancers and 4 flats;
  • Mid-day (12:30 pm): NEGATIVE with 24 decliners, 17 advancers and 2 flat;
  • Closing bell: NEGATIVE with 23 decliners, 18 advancers and 2 flats

 

 

Who was UP – top 5:

  • Intrexon (XON) closed UP +$0.72 to $31.50;
  • uniQure (QURE) +$0.64 to $16.12;
  • Cellectis (CLLS) +$0.62 to $31.09;
  • Spark Therapeutics (ONCE) +$0.53 to $46.49;
  • VistaGen (VSTA) closed UP +$0.50 to $8.00

 

 

Who closed down – top 5:

  • bluebird bio (BLUE) closed down -$1.41 to $64,76;
  • Kite Pharma (KITE) -$1.37 to $62.59;
  • Juno Therapeutics (JUNO) -$0.82 to $44.31;
  • Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC) -$0.59 to $20.27;
  • Regenxbio (RGNX) closed down -$0.40 to $17.621 even with news;

 

 

Flat:

  • Athersys (ATHX) at $1.04;
  • Cytori (CYTX) at $0.19;

 

 

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.