December 26, 2024 5:03pm

Who’s paying attention; I am for you!

I say today what others won't, so you can do what others can't by sticking to the FACTS!

Never leave an investor uninformed!  

 

 

On point, short on words, long on facts and being judicious!

Never above you, never below you, always beside you!

 

Thursday: The Dow closed UP +28.77 points or +0.07%, the S&P closed DOWN -2.45 points or -0.04% while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -10.77 points or -0.05%

  • Trading was thin largely muted after a holiday

Henry’omics: We need to more than consider the economic environment - rising rates and inflation to comprehend the micro re “our” universe of cell and gene therapy companies

  • jobless claims for the week ended Dec. 21 totaled 219,000, compared to the 225,000-consensus forecast. Continuing claims, or recurring applications for unemployment benefits, rose to 1.91 M, reaching the highest level since Nov. 13, 2021.

Thursday’s advance/decline line at the open was negative with 7 incliners, 25 declined and 3 flats; ending with a positive close at the close of 28 incliner, 6 decliners and 1 flat

  • From much less enthusiasm to a positive close

Metrics:  Thursday, the IBB was up +0.72%, the XBI was up +0.67% while the VIX was up +0.46 points or +3.22% at 14.73

 

Ebb and flow of MY covered sector cell and gene therapy session daily “endings”: 

Q4/24 – 1 holiday, 5 positive and 12 negative closes

  • November – 1 holiday, 10 negative and 10 positive closes              
  • October: 8 positive and 15 negative sessions

 

Thursday’s Closing Down (6 of 6): Wednesday was holiday and Tuesday was not recorded

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$0.75 after Monday’s -$3.18),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS -$0.20 after Monday’s +$0.45),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM -$0.11 after Monday’s -$0.31),
  • Cellectis SA (CLLLS -$0.05
  • Precigen (PGEN -$0.0465),
  • Fate Therapeutics (FATE -$0.02),

Flat (1)

  • Homology Medicine (FIXX)

Thursday’s Closing Up (10 of 28): Wednesday was holiday and Tuesday was not recorded

  • Mesoblast (MESO +$1.27 after Monday’s +$2.60),
  • Blueprint Medicine (BPMC +$1.16 after Monday’s +$0.19),
  • bluebird bio (BLUE +$0.99 after Monday’s -$0.84),
  • Verve Therapeutics (VERV +$0.53 after Monday’s +$0.16)
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ +$0.51 after Monday’s -$1.33),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX +$0.47 after Monday’s -$0.24),
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$0.47 after Monday’s +$1.55),
  • Vericel (VCEL +$0.36),
  • Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM +$0.28)
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN +$0.28 after Monday’s $0.00)

 

The BOTTOM LINE: I hope all had a great Christmas …

  • Quote, “Markets looked to be struggling in a bid to extend the start of the "Santa Claus" rally, which kicked off with a bang on Tuesday as the S&P 500 notched its best Christmas Eve performance since 1974. The broader index and Nasdaq Composite moved to within striking distance of their records after clawing back gains from a Fed-fueled dive last week.” <Bespoke>

 

As the year ends, it is not quite yet necessary to surmise any indicatation for how January and February might go.

  • Month to date, the S&P 500 is up by 0.1%, the Nasdaq+ 4.2%, while the Dow is down about 3.6%, on track for its worst month since Aprill.
  • While econ’s data will be a non-event until we move into the new year.
  • As small cap stocks rose today with the Russell 2000 (^RUT) gaining more than 0.9%.

 

The cell and gene therapy sector stocks is about to end the 4th week of December, the final month of 2024 with …

  • Monday of the last week of December closed negative … Tuesday closed positive, Wednesday was a holiday and Thursday closed negative
  • Last Monday’s positive close with a Tuesday barely positive close followed by a Wednesday’s deeply negative with yet another Thursday negative close … followed by a positive close
  • The previous week, ended with 5 negative closes
  • December’s 1st week ‘s Monday positive close was followed by negative closes on Thursday and Wednesday, Tuesday’s and then Friday’s positive close

 

As I have written “Many sector companies are engaged in cost realignment programs, which won’t be realized consequences over the next few Qs where the operating expense levels; spending on SG&A (selling, informational, and administrative) and R&D (research and development) facilitate the need to extend runways and enable expectation of clinical innovations.”

  • They had better, capital markets have been floundering on follow-on offerings.

 

Why do I keep repeating, so investors can make the connection …

The top three (3) performing in the session:    

  • Thursday: Mesoblast (MESO), Blueprint Medicine (BPMC) and bluebird bio (BLUE)
  • Wednesday: holiday
  • Tuesday: not recorded
  • Monday: Mesoblast (MESO), AxoGen (AXGN) and Vericel (VCEL)

The worst three (3) in the session: 

  • Thursday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Vericel (VCEL) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE)
  • Wednesday: holiday
  • Tuesday: not recorded
  • Monday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ) and bluebird bio (BLUE)

Welcome to my world of defining the “grey’ in our universe!

  • Right up front, “I also hate to be so negative or contrarian but, this is a NO spin zone and facts are its product; I can always be WRONG but … I am mostly EARLY!”

 

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.