Stocks Rebound from Rate Hike Blues 🎷

Stocks fell after the Federal Reserve announced a 0.25% rate hike for March. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all lost 1.6%, and the small-cap Russell 2K plummeted 2.8%.

This morning, futures are on the rise, with S&P 500 contracts showing a 0.4% gain in early premarket trading.

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💵 Fed Hikes Rates Despite Banking Crisis

The Federal Reserve announced a 0.25% interest rate increase in yesterday's session. Previously, the central bank had set expectations for a 0.5% hike, but policymakers softened their stance in light of the recent crisis sweeping through the banking system.

During a post-announcement press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said a pause was considered, but central bankers ultimately decided they needed to implement some kind of rate cut to continue the fight against inflation, which is still running very hot despite signs of improvement.

Regeron is moving higher after unveiling some promising drug data.

The Pharma giant and its clinical partner, Sanofi [SNY], announced a Phase 3 trial investigating dupixent to treat COPD met all primary and secondary endpoints.

Dupixent exhibited a 30% reduction in moderate or severe acute exacerbations compared to the placebo.

The drug could become the first new COPD treatment in over a decade. A JPMorgan analyst said he saw the data exceeded all expectations.

The companies said full efficacy and safety results will be presented in a scientific forum sometime in the near future.

REGN is up 6.4% on the news and leading the S&P 500. SNY is also up 6.3% on the heels of the announcement.

My Take: This is a very notable move for such a large stock. SNY is facing stiff resistance at $50 per share, and this rally could help it break through. REGN is also hoping to breakout of a narrow trading range its been locked in since Feb.

Generation Bio just landed a huge deal with a Big Pharma giant.

The genetic medicines company announced a licensing deal with Moderna [MRNA] for its genetic medicines that could be worth up to $2.56 billion.

Under the terms of the deal, Generation Bio will receive $40 million in cash and up to $1.8 billion in potential milestone payments.

Moderna has also agreed to invest $36 million in Generation Bio so it can develop genetic medicine targeting the immune system and liver disease.

In exchange, Moderna gets access to Gen Bio's proprietary drug delivery systems and DNA technology for use in its drug development efforts.

Moderna will also fund all research and development under the arrangement.

GBIO is up 17.0% in response to the news.

My Take: I'm a little surprised how modest this rally is. GBIO is trading near it's 52-week low, and a potential $2.56 billion deal seems like a big catalyst for a company worth only $231.5 million. I think this stock could have notable upside at this price point.

An early-morning announcement is boosting shares of Advent Technologies.

The advanced materials firm has entered into a joint development agreement with Hyundai Motor Company to develop sustainable energy solutions.

An earlier technology assessment studied Advent's proprietary Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) for supplying Hyundai's fuel cell needs.

Under the terms of the deal, Hyundau and Advent will develop Ion Pair MEA, and evaluate the technology for heavy-duty and stationary applications.

Advent's CEO said they're "committed to contributing to Hyundai's goal of building innovative, high-performance fuel cell solutions."

Shares of ADN are up 31.4%, and it's this morning's most actively-traded stock.

My Take: ADN is facing staunch resistance at $2 per share, and it's unclear if this rally will give it enough momentum to break through.

A new bout of drug data is sending shares of SQZ Bio higher.

Late Wednesday, the tiny biotech said the first patient in the lowest-dose cohort of a Phase 1 trial of SQZ-AAC-HPV showed a confirmed complete response.

SQZ-AAC-HPV is an investigational cancer therapy. The patient in question had a history of HPV16+ rectal squamous cell carcinoma.

SQZ Bio said it has enrolled two additional patients in the trial, and it has concluded dose-limiting toxicity period for the lowest-dose group.

The company expects to receive initial data from the highest-dose group by Q4.

News of the promising clinical results lifted SQZ to a 27.6% gain in today's premarket.

My Take: This could be a good set-up for a long-shot trade. It sounds like this tiny stock could encounter more rally catalysts as this trial unfolds. SQZ could be worth watching.

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