Update-6 11/10/25…SMID Biotechs in a romp!…Cogent Biosciences (COGT) up 130% on Phase 3 Study. XBI up 1.5% at $110 level.
Update-5…11:11a 11/7/25…XBI slices thru support of 20 day down 2.4% to $106 level-a red screen day. Moreover all SMID biotech indices are down: IWM down 1.3% to $237, ARKG down 4.5% to $27, IBB down 1.83% to $155.
So for a recovery for better momentum and RSI we need to hold the IBB which has more large caps and fewer speculative accounts and now is a $155 still up about 3.5% MTD. RSI remains good for XBI at 67.
Look at this daily chart 11/7 for XBI from low of $106 level to near $109 quite a swing!
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Healthcare Stocks for the week ending 10/31/25
XLV down 1.22%, IBB up 2.72%, XBI up 3.99%, IHI down 2.72%, PPH up 0.12%. Biotechs were strong.
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Update-4 11/6/25…SMID Biotechs have been a bit choppy with the XBI down 2.34% over 5 days to the $109 level, but bounced back a bit yesterday. Just a frothy market with a lot of speculative traders. The IBB is less volatile down 0.71% over five days now at $158 level. And a nice recovery from the $154 level on Monday. But the big news today came with BIG GOV making a deal with Lilly and Novo to make GLP-1 Obesity and diet drugs more affordable via Medicare.
- Many stocks on our trading list are near their highs: IBB,LGND, GH, NBIX, RZLT,
- As we have mentioned before the Chinese are active in business development doing a Major R&D deal with Lilly.
Update -3 11/2/25… Our Large Cap Biopharma picks did well although ABBV lost a little ground as forecasted by their earnings guidance although JNJ is bringing strong competition in Immunology to Abbvies’s Rinvoq and Skyrizi. JNJ products competing are Tremfya and Icotrokinra. Amgen also reports this week.
- Overall sector performance YTD by SPDRs technology is the standout leader as we repeatedly report, but biotechs are doing well. Top 3 sectors YTD are: Comm services up 23.41%, Technology up 21.88%, Industrials up 18.31%.
- Large cap performance YTD (VRTX reports this week, REGN a new pick last week): ABBV up 22.7%, GILD up 29.68%, LLY up 11.75% REGN down 8.5%, VRTX up 5.68%.
Update-2 10/31/25 Many large cap biopharmas were mixed today because of previous gains and currency fluctuations. Vertex reports on Monday with EPS est of $4.56 share.
- Gilead Sciences was up today and for the week despite mixed product sales results, but overall revenues increased 3% to 7.8B; EPS was up 2.43 compared to 1.00 ; cash flow was $4.1B. HIV and Liver product sales strong. Strong pipeline.
- Ilumina is up 22% to $121 level on financial results and sequencing momentum. A new buy prior to earnings at $100.
- Abbvie WW net revenues grew 9.1% to $15.770B with Immunology products Rinvoq and higher than expected Skyrizi sales from psoriasis demand and total immunology sales forecasted to grow to $31M by 2027. Full year income was lifted to a range of $10.61-10.65 from $10.38-10.58. Net Revenue from Neuroscience were $2.84B a 20.2% increase. The stock peaked in September at $244 but is still up 22% YTD.
- Lilly beats on revenues up 54% to $17.6B and earnings EPS up to 6.21 from $5.41, raises guidance EPS $23 to $23.70. Strong R&D pipeline momentum/
Update-1 10/28… Earnings Update:
- UNH beats Q3, raises guidance full year e $14.90, revenue of $113B misses with YoY 12% growth, but looks like a safe hold.
- Regeneron beats earnings and Revenue Q3 $3.75B, EPS $13.62.. New FDA approval- Libtayo,s, a new dividend, a turnaround play with stock up 11% today..
- Lilly partners with Nvidia for drug development using AI models; A 1000 GPU deal.
Healthcare Stocks Are Coming Back, Boosted by BIOtech
- Biotech stocks lead the Healthcare comeback, up 17-25% YTD.
- LIfe science tools and diagnostics coming on strong this past month. TMO up 10% YTD, 22% MTD.
- MEDtech improving but less momentum. IHI up 6% MTD; ISRG up 4.7% YTD, 23% MTD.. Watch BSX and SYK .
Headlines you should continue to see in healthcare market, “Biotech Stock Momentum is Strong”, “SMID Biopharma Stocks lead gains in Healthcare” ; and read the bottom of this page. Here are some numbers and trends to follow with healthcare and biotech investing. In the meantime the iShares Healthcare Select Sector (XLV) at $146 is up 6.15% YTD and up 7% MTD; as you might expect the US Healthcare providers ETF (IHF) at $51 is up about 6% YTD.
Breaking down healthcare stocks into three main subsector : Biopharma, Tools and diagnostics and MEDtech. Here are funds and ETFs I’ve traded over the years.
The strongest momentum Is with SMID biopharma which start reporting next week 11/1.
Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutical Tracking ETFs
iShares Biotechnology (IBB) at $155, up 17% YTD. SMID and large caps.
SPDR S&P Biotech (XBI) at $108.60, up 20.35% YTD. Tracks momentum and SMID caps.
Van Eck Pharmaceutical (PPH) at $92.43, up 7.13% YTD, Tracks Large caps.
Here is a detailed review of large cap biopharmas from 6/29/25 with our picks : ABBV, GILD, LLY, and VRTX. Later we mentioned REGN as a new long trade pending earnings this month now at $570.
Well known Mutual Funds we have covered tracking biotech , MEDtech and Health Science stocks.
Fidelity Biotechnology Fund (FBIOX) P $23.30, up 23% YTD. Large cap focus.
Fidelity Medical Technology and Devices (FSMEX) P $62.93, up 1.19 % YTD up 9.22% MTD.
Janus Henderson Life Science Fund (JFNAX) P $74.31, up 12.18% YTD up 8.9% MTD
T.Rowe Price Health Sciences (PRHSX) P $86.93,, up 8.93% YTD, up 8.53% MTD.
iShares U.S. Medical Devices ETF (IHI) P $61.87, up 6.03% YTD, up 3.2% MTD, ABT and JNJ already reported earnings, watch BSX and SYK on 10/30.