November 24, 2020 7:55am

U.S. markets will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and will have a short session on Friday

Pre-open indications: 4 BUYs and 5 SELLs into Strength

News: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY – preopen indication +$3.10 or +2.52%). The FDA approved OXLUMO™ (lumasiran) injection for subcutaneous use, the first-ever therapy available for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) to lower urinary oxalate levels in pediatric and adult patients. ALNY is also in active discussions with leading payers and has reached an agreement in principle with Express Scripts, Harvard Pilgrim, and Highmark to pursue VBAs for OXLUMO.

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Dow futures are UP +0.93% (+274 points), S&P futures are UP +0.64% (+23 points) and NASDAQ futures are UP +0.26% (+31 points)

 

U.S. stock futures climbed after the Trump administration began the transition process;

European stocks advanced a U.K. grown vaccine has been declared effective as the pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed +0.7% in early trade;

Asia-Pacific shares mostly rise amid vaccine hopes; markets in Japan were closed on Monday for a holiday as MSCI’s index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose +0.36%.

 

Henry’omics:

Indexes kicked off a holiday laden week on a high note on Monday as investors piled into reopening trades amid vaccine optimism.

The Dow rose more than 300 points for its best day in a week, while the S&P 500 climbed 0.6% while the Nasdaq underperformed with just a 0.2% gain.

Even, the small-cap Russell 2000 recorded a new high of +1.9% amid the rotation into beaten-down companies.

 

An Update: RegMed/Cell and Gene Therapy Earnings Scorecard Q3/20 LPS Results https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/11628     

 

Monday’s day night’s recap: RegMed Investors’ (RMi) closing bell: “vaccine data drives sentiment” https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/11647

  • The Nasdaq closed UP +25.66 points (+0.22%);
  • The IBB closed up +0.21% and XBI closed up +0.36%
  • Sector volume was the usual LOW with 9 of the 17-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with the increased volume of 5 of 16-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume;
  • The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) was down -1.04 points or -4.39% at 22.66;
  • Monday’s percentage (%) of the 17-upside were +0.12% (VYGR) to +14.73% (MESO) while the 16- downside of -0.33% (BLCM) to -5.86% (PGEN);

Q4’s: November, so far: 13 positive and 3 negative closes

  • Q4’s October: 1 neutral, 11 positives with 1 negative closes
  • Q3: July through September: 1 neutral, 28 positive and 34 negative closes with 2 holidays

 

Companies in my headlights – It’s your decision; I provide an idea and context:

Maintaining Sell:

Biostage (BSTG) closed flat again at $1.40 with 2,082 shares traded after Friday’s 1,704 shares traded, Thursday’s +$0.09 with 6,351 shares traded), Wednesday’s $1.40 and last Tuesday’s +$0.05 to $1.40 with only 371 shares traded).

  • Question#1: WHY is BSTG a ZOMBIE company; WHAT motivates anyone to invest as concerns are haunting?

 

SELL into Strength:

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI) closed up +$0.47 to $4.81 with a NEGATIVE -$0.06 or -1.255 aftermarket indication;

CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) closed up +$0.30 to $110.00 after Friday’s +$0.46 to $109.70,  Thursday’s +$2.49 to $109.24, Wednesday’s -$1.82 to $106.75 and last Tuesday’s +$1.81 to $108.57 with a POSITIVE +$1.09 or +0.99% aftermarket indication, a “peaky” chart and a 52-week change of +67.05% and a short percentage (%) of float of -10.18%

Fate Therapeutics (FATE) closed up again +$1.64 to $54.29 after Friday’s +$2.94 to $52.65 99, Thursday’s $49.71, Wednesday’s $49.72 and last Tuesday’s $52.42 with NO aftermarket indication. A 52-week change of +248.44% and a short percentage (%) of float of -23%, There’s “room” to profit;

Mesoblast (MESO) closed up again +$2.03 to $15.81 after Friday’s +$1.99 to $13.78, Thursday’s $11.79, Wednesday’s $11.80 and last Tuesday’s $11.76 with a POSITIVE +$1.12 or +7.08% aftermarket indication

 

Maintaining BUY:

bluebird bio (BLUE) closed down again -$0.34 to $42.73 after Friday’s -$1.09 to $43.07, Thursday’s $44.16, Wednesday’s $44.43 and last Tuesday’s $46.36 with a POSITIVE +$0.17 or +0.40% aftermarket indication. A 52-week change of -42.45% and a 52-week high of $99.36 with a low of $38.95 – OVERSOLD;

 

BUY:

Editas Medicine (EDIT) closed up +$0.91 to $29.33 after Friday’s $28.42, Thursday’s $28.03, Wednesday’s $27.69 and last Tuesday’s $28.75 with a POSITIVE +$0.56 or +1.91% aftermarket indication

 

BUY on News:

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) closed down -$1.68 to $123.02 and will rest the spiral with a pre-market POSITIVE +$3.10 or +2.52% indication after news of the FDA approving OXLUMO™ (lumasiran) injection for subcutaneous use a new framework for value-based agreements (VBAs) designed to help people with primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) gain access to OXLUMO™ (lumasiran). Now approved by for the treatment of PH1 to lower urinary oxalate levels in pediatric and adult patients, OXLUMO is the first-ever approved targeted therapeutic that substantially curbs oxalate production in patients living with PH1, an ultra-rare genetic disease characterized by oxalate overproduction. Alnylam is also in active discussions with leading payers and has reached an agreement in principle with Express Scripts, Harvard Pilgrim, and Highmark to pursue VBAs for OXLUMO.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) closed up +$1.13 to $50.27 after Friday’s $49.14, Thursday’s $50.45, Wednesday’s $50.68 and last Tuesday’s $52.51 with a POSITIVE +$0.23 or +0.46% aftermarket indication. IONS has licensed ION455, an investigational antisense medicine being developed as a potential treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; NASH is the most severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is related to the epidemic of obesity, pre-diabetes and diabetes.

 

The BOTTOM LINE: The transition finally begins, eliminating some of the election uncertainty will lower the temperature and polarization of the country assisting a market driven economic forecast.

Which adds to the vaccine optimism, the question is WHAT will happen next … and WHEN do I feel the needle jab?

The best part of today is sector news flow!

 

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.