Author: Editor

The cybersecurity issue is getting out of hand.

Not only is the U.S. still unprepared for future attacks, but cities, hospitals, schools, and a good deal of companies aren’t ready. In fact, according to FireEye, as noted by Cybersecurity Insiders, about 29% of organizations haven’t even bothered to test their cyber defenses in over a year. Considering the constant threat, and the cost of cyberattacks, that shouldn’t be.

Major companies, like Colonial Pipeline were taken down by a remote account with compromised VPN, or virtual private network password.

According to Tech Radar, “Based on input from cybersecurity firm Mandiant, Bloomberg reports that the threat actors were able to compromise the VPN account because it didn’t use multi-factor authentication, which would’ve added another layer of security on top of the password.”

In addition, according to Reuters, “The head of Colonial Pipeline told U.S. senators on Tuesday that hackers who launched last month’s cyber attack against the company and disrupted fuel supplies to the U.S. Southeast were able to get into the system by stealing a single password.”

Even the world’s biggest meatpacker, JBS was hit with a ransomware attack.

More Attacks Are Likely

These aren’t the only companies to be hit. Plenty of companies have been attacked. Plenty more could be attacked. All because many still aren’t prepared.

You almost want to bang your head against the wall it’s become so ridiculous.

Even more ridiculous, “Roughly 85% of America’s critical infrastructure is privately owned, and the private sector is not required to follow the strict cybersecurity guidelines set by the government,” says CNBC.

“We’ve got electric grids in this country, we have water systems, we have pipelines. We have a lot of critical infrastructure that is really open to some of these ransomware attacks and cyberattacks,” said Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., as also quoted by CNBC. “And we need to do a much better job than that.”

How to Invest in the Threat

As we noted on May 21, 2021:

For investors, while you can always buy stocks like FireEye (FEYE), Palo Alto (PANW), and Fortinet (FTNT), you can also pick up ETFs, which offer solid diversification at less cost, such as:

Global X Cybersecurity ETF (BUG)

“The Global X Cybersecurity ETF (BUG) seeks to invest in companies that stand to potentially benefit from the increased adoption of cybersecurity technology, such as those whose principal business is in the development and management of security protocols preventing intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices,” says Global X.

iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF (IHAK)

According to iShares, “The iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of developed and emerging market companies involved in cyber security and technology, including cyber security hardware, software, products, and services.”

 

The post This is Why Cybersecurity Threats are Still Far From Over appeared first on Morningology.

Markets are bizarre.

Consumer prices were up 5% in May — the fastest pace since the summer of 2008. Core inflation rate was up 3.8%, the biggest increase in about 30 years. Even food companies say their costs are on the rise, forcing many to pass the cost on to the consumer. “The inflation pressure we’re seeing is significant,” General Mills Chief Executive Jeff Harmening as quoted by The Wall Street Journal. “It’s probably higher than we’ve seen in the last decade.”

Yet, the markets are flying high today.

All because the Federal Reserve is still dismissive of the inflationary threat.

In fact, “Central bank officials believe the current rise is due to temporary factors that will abate as the year goes on and look higher because of comparisons to the year-ago period, when much of the economic activity remained restricted due to pandemic precautions,” says CNBC. Even Goldman Sachs says inflation is transitory, added CNBC.

What’s amazing is that markets have been terrified of this number.

The Dow even dropped 150 points yesterday on the fear. Now that the number is out, no one cares it was far worse than expected. That’s amazing.

 

The post Why Markets Are Shrugging Off a 5% Jump in Consumer Prices appeared first on Morningology.

There’s plenty of growth in store for biotech and pharmaceuticals.

For one, by 2025, the sector could explode to a value of $727.1 billion, says Grand View Research.

Two, the sector is still one of the safest, most recession-proof investments around. Three, an aging population is demanding more treatments in an effort to live longer lives.

In addition, there’s also incredible new innovation in genetics and technology, creating new life-saving and life enhancing opportunities. Plus, big pharmaceutical companies are buying hot biotech companies to keep their pipelines full to avoid revenue shortfalls created by patent expirations.

As the sector heats up, here are two top favorites investors may want to keep an eye on.

Fate Therapeutics (FATE)

Oversold, Fate Therapeutics (FATE) could be a big winner.

While the stock has already run from nearly $12 to $76, there’s plenty to get excited about here. Most recently, the company announced “encouraging interim Phase 1 data from the Company’s off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived natural killer (NK) cell programs in relapsed / refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).”

According to Scott Wolchko, President and CEO, “We are highly encouraged by these Phase 1 data in patients with relapsed / refractory AML, which clearly indicate that off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived NK cells administered as monotherapy in the outpatient setting were well-tolerated, and have the potential to induce complete leukemic blast clearance in the bone marrow and confer durable remissions without further therapeutic intervention.”

TG Therapeutics (TGTX)

Oversold, TG Therapeutics is another hot biotech to consider.

“The company just announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted the Biologics License Application for ublituximab, the Company’s investigational glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, in combination with UKONIQ, the Company’s once-daily, oral, inhibitor of PI3K-delta and CK1-epsilon, as a treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL),” as noted in a recent press release.

The post Two of the Best Biotech Stocks to Consider appeared first on Morningology.

Lithium is running into a severe supply-demand situation.

All thanks to electric vehicle (EV) demand growing much faster than anyone expected.

“By 2030, the world will see 125 million EVs on the road, which will only drive further demand for lithium supply. In fact, “It is anticipated demand for vehicle battery metal will increase sharply over the next several years as automakers abandon internal combustion engines for EVs,” says Resource World.

To help, the Biden Administration just announced new steps to strengthen critical U.S. supply chains, which will include large capacity lithium batteries.

In fact, according to a U.S. Department of Energy Fact Sheet:

“With the global lithium battery market expected to grow by a factor of five to ten by 2030, it is imperative that the United States invests immediately in scaling up a secure, diversified supply chain for high-capacity batteries here at home. That means seizing a critical opportunity to increase domestic battery manufacturing while investing to scale the full lithium battery supply chain, including the sustainable sourcing and processing of the critical minerals used in battery production all the way through to end-of-life battery collection and recycling.”

That could help boost related lithium stocks, like Albemarle (ALB) and Lithium Americas (LAC), in addition to ETFs such as the Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (BATT), and the Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (LIT).

The post Biden Administration Unveils Plans to Boost Lithium Supply Chain appeared first on Morningology.

Hurricane season is underway.

With NOAA predicting another above-normal season, it’s time to invest in top hurricane stocks.

“For 2021, a likely range of 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher) is expected. NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence,” says NOAA.

Some of the top stocks to keep an eye on include:

Generac Holdings (GNCR)

GNRC is a $20.6 billion leader in power generation equipment and other light-motor equipment for residential and industrial customers. The company is the market leader in home standby generators and the leading global manufacturer of mobile generators for industrial use. Beyond the physical damage to homes and businesses, one of the biggest inconveniences of a powerful storm is electrical outages.

GNRC has a history of running higher around the beginning of the hurricane season. For the 2019 hurricane season, for example, it ran from about $54 to $100. For 2020, it ran from about $125 to $363. Now, as it consolidates around $326, it could move higher again.

Home Improvement Stocks

Typically, investors bid up Home Depot (HD) and Lowe’s (LOW) since they historically stand to benefit from increased sales of plywood and other home improvement goods. This segment is “naturally positively exposed to preparation and recovery efforts,” says Morgan Stanley. These “typically see a boost in sales post-storm as damaged property is repaired.”

Xylem Inc. (XYL) is another one to watch.

It’s a global leader in water services, including testing, treating and transportation. When a massive storm hits, floodwaters can overwhelm public drinking water and mean large government contracts for making the water safe again.

 

The post The Top Hurricane Stocks to Consider Right Now appeared first on Morningology.

For the first time in nearly two decades, the US FDA approved a new therapy for Alzheimer’s with Biogen’s aducanumab drug.

According to CNBC, “The FDA’s decision was highly anticipated as U.S. regulatory approval would make aducanumab the first drug approved to slow cognitive decline in people living with the disease and the first new medicine for Alzheimer’s in nearly two decades. The drug is also expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue for the company.”

All despite the controversy over mixed clinical trial results.

In fact, according to Fierce Pharma, “In a trial called Emerge, patients who got the highest dose of aducanumab had a 22% statistically significant improvement on a clinical dementia scale over placebo after 78 weeks on the treatment, the company said. Yet the same patient group in the ENGAGE study did worse than placebo patients on that same measure, as well as on a test of cognitive function.”

They added, “Physicians may be unsure who should get it and for how long, while payers may balk at its lofty price tag and erect barriers that could limit reimbursement, analysts warn.”

While the US approval is certainly exciting news, some still have their doubts. From here, we’ll have to see just how many physicians prescribe the treatment before judging success.

“This should not be approved, because substantial evidence of effectiveness hasn’t been shown,” said Dr. Lon Schneider, director of the California Alzheimer’s Disease Center at the University of Southern California, as quoted by The New York Times. “There’s very little potential that this will address the needs of patients.”

At the moment, BIIB is pulling back from its morning high of $295.35 to $286.43.

The post US FDA Approves Alzheimer’s Treatment, But… appeared first on Morningology.

Gene-editing has become one of the top investing buzzwords.

All as gene editing show progress in identifying and potentially curing diseases.

Even more impressive, according to Interesting Engineering, “researchers have already identified DNA errors as the cause of nearly 7,000 diseases. Thankfully, the growing world of genome editing could be the ‘spell-checker’ needed to detect and eventually fix these.”

In short, everyone should be excited about the potential here.

Editas Medicine (EDIT)

Editas Medicine is one of the top names in gene-editing with several trials. It’s working on treatments for ocular diseases such as Leber Congenital Amaurosis 10, Usher Syndrome, neurological diseases, B-Thalassemia, and cancer. It’s also working on EDIT-301 for sickle cell disease. In fact, Editas Medicine just filed a request with the US FDA to begin a Phase 1/2 study of EDIT-301 for sickle cell disease, which could be a winner given the success of preclinical data.

Global X Genomics and Biotechnology ETF (GNOM)

One of the best ways to diversify your gene editing portfolio is with an ETF such as the Global X Genomics and Biotechnology ETF.

According to Global X, it “seeks to invest in companies that potentially stand to benefit from further advances in the field of genomic science, such as companies involved in gene editing, genomic sequencing, genetic medicine/therapy, computational genomics, and biotechnology.”

Better, at less than $26 a share, it offers diversification among top stocks like CRISPR Therapeutics, Editas Medicine, Intellia Therapeutics, PTC Therapeutics, Agilent Technologies, Sorrento Therapeutics, and dozens more. If you were to buy 100 shares of each stock in the ETF, it would cost you thousands of dollars. To buy 100 shares of GNOM costs $2,600.

Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA)

Intellia Therapeutics, Inc., a genome editing company, focuses on the development of therapeutics. It utilizes a biological tool known as the Clustered, Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR associated 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system.

This year, the company expects to submit Investigational New Drug applications to the US FDA. One is an IND for NTLA-5001 for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, mid-year. The other is an IND for NTLA-2002, as a possible treatment for hereditary angioedema in the second half of the new year. Approval could send the stock to higher highs.

 

The post The Top 3 Gene-Editing Stocks to Consider appeared first on Morningology.

The cybersecurity issue is getting way out of hand.

In fact, after all of the attacks, we’re still not ready for them.

For example, “The U.S. is currently not designed to act with the speed and agility necessary to defend the country in cyberspace. Our country has lost hundreds of billions of dollars to nation-state-sponsored intellectual property theft using cyber espionage,” as noted by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, as reported by Fox Business.

Hospitals, schools, and financial institutions aren’t ready. “Nearly 29% of organizations haven’t tested their cyber defenses for a year and out of them more than half weren’t confident about whether their plans will work as per the expectations,” says FireEye, as reported by Cybersecurity Insiders.

Many times, those committing cyberattacks, are allowed to just walk in the front door. All because an intern created a simple, hackable password.

Look at SolarWinds.

“The SolarWinds breach earlier this year, considered the largest in the world to date, is said to have resulted from an intern using an incredibly simple and easily guessable password: “solarwinds123”. The hackers didn’t have to do any “hacking” to execute their breach. They just walked in the metaphorical front door and sat in the living room for 18 months without anybody knowing they were there,” says Business Insider.

How ridiculous is that?

Worse, Cybersecurity Ventures expects global cybercrime costs to grow by 15 percent per year over the next five years, reaching $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015.”

Hopefully, we can get a handle on the attacks.

In the meantime, we can profit from the higher need for security.

For investors, while you can always buy stocks like FireEye (FEYE), Palo Alto (PANW), and Fortinet (FTNT), you can also pick up ETFs, which offer solid diversification at less cost, such as:

Global X Cybersecurity ETF (BUG)

“The Global X Cybersecurity ETF (BUG) seeks to invest in companies that stand to potentially benefit from the increased adoption of cybersecurity technology, such as those whose principal business is in the development and management of security protocols preventing intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices,” says Global X.
At $26.80 a share, BUG offers exposure to cyber stocks such as Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, Check Point Software, Cyberark Software, and FireEye Inc.

iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF (IHAK)

According to iShares, “The iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of developed and emerging market companies involved in cyber security and technology, including cyber security hardware, software, products, and services.”
At less than $40 a share, the ETF offers exposure to Fortinet, Proofpoint, Juniper Networks, VMWare Inc., Palo Alto Networks, Okta Inc., and Check Point Software.

 

The post With Cyber Threats Mounting, These are the Two Stocks to Own appeared first on Morningology.

Cannabis stocks could see higher highs.

All after Amazon.com threw its support behind federal legalization efforts.

According to Amazon’s CEO, Worldwide Consumer, Dave Clark in a company blog:

“Our public policy team will be actively supporting The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021 (MORE Act)—federal legislation that would legalize marijuana at the federal level, expunge criminal records, and invest in impacted communities. We hope that other employers will join us, and that policymakers will act swiftly to pass this law.”

In addition, more states are just starting to legalize its use.

Some in Congress are even pushing for legalization at the federal level.

In fact, we could soon see a federal legalization bill from Chuck Schumer. According to Marijuana Moment, “Schumer for months has signaled that he and Democratic colleagues Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) intend to bring legislation this session to legalize cannabis nationwide, though the group has not yet revealed their proposal.”

Meanwhile, Americans are overwhelmingly supportive of its use, with 91% of U.S. adults saying cannabis should be legal, according to the Pew Research Center. A Gallup poll even shows support for legalization is up to a new high of 68%.

From here, it may only be a matter of time before we see federal legalization, and sky-high cannabis stocks. In, fact keep an eye on Canopy Growth (CGC), Tilray (TLRY), Aurora Cannabis (ACB), Curaleaf (CURLF), and ETFs such as ETFMG Alternative Harvest (MJ).

 

The post Amazon May Have Just Sparked the Next Cannabis Boom appeared first on Morningology.

This could be groundbreaking news for millions suffering with Alzheimer’s disease.

In just days, the US FDA will decide whether to approve Biogen’s Alzheimer’s disease therapy, aducanumab. If approved, the stock could pop about 70%, says Jefferies analyst Michael Yee, as noted by Barron’s, and fall as much as 40% if it’s rejected.

While approval would be great news for the nearly six million Americans dealing with the disease, “An FDA advisory committee said in November that the data Biogen gathered didn’t prove the drug’s efficacy.” With the US FDA often following the advice of the committee, that could be a potential negative. But there’s still some hope.

In addition, according to BioPharmaDive:

“Called aducanumab, Biogen’s medicine is the latest in a long line of would-be treatments that bind to a type of plaque found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.”

“In 2015, early study results showed the drug dramatically cleared plaques from the brain and, in a first, suggested treatment slowed patient’s cognitive decline. Biogen and its development partner Eisai proceeded to invest more than $1 billion in testing over the next five years.”

Here’s hoping something great happens for Alzheimer’s patients.

The post All Eyes Will be on this Biotech June 7, 2021 appeared first on Morningology.