Oncology Funding Ignites, EU Approval Expands Reach, and Tech Volatility Pressures Chips

Fresh capital and pipeline expansion fueled a sharp rally in oncology-focused biotech, while a major European regulatory approval extended another cancer therapy’s global footprint.

On the downside, renewed volatility in the semiconductor space weighed on chip equipment names as investors rotated out of higher-beta tech.

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U.S. stocks rose on a rebound in tech shares and strong economic data that signaled ongoing economic strength.

Investors shifted from bonds into equities, supporting gains despite cautious Fed commentary.

Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) is working to secure direct purchase agreements with Venezuela's state oil company, bypassing the trading houses and intermediaries that have controlled the flow of Venezuelan crude into the U.S. since sanctions began to ease.

The company is seeking internal compliance clearance and plans to charter its own tankers to load crude at Venezuelan terminals once ready.

Heavy Crude Is the Advantage

Phillips 66 operates Gulf Coast refineries specifically designed to process heavy crude, which Venezuela produces.

Heavy crude trades at a steep discount to global benchmarks, and buying it directly instead of through middlemen makes the economics even more attractive.

You can see why this matters.

Every dollar saved per barrel on feedstock flows straight into refining margins, and direct access removes a layer of cost that has been baked into every Venezuelan cargo since trade reopened.

The Door Just Opened Wider

A new general license from the U.S. government has broadened who can buy Venezuelan oil, and the pool of buyers is expected to grow significantly in the coming months.

Phillips 66 already purchased Venezuelan crude through a trading house at roughly nine dollars below the global benchmark last month.

Several refiners are circling the same opportunity, but Phillips 66 is moving early and building the logistics to operate independently.

In a market where supply access determines whether you win or lose on margins, being first to establish a direct relationship with the source is a meaningful edge.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: BMRN) is weeks away from a shareholder vote that would finalize its $4.8 billion acquisition of Amicus Therapeutics, which would pick up two commercial rare disease drugs and a late-stage pipeline asset in one move.

The vote is set for March 3, and the deal is expected to close in the second quarter. This is BioMarin buying growth; it did not want to wait a decade to build internally.

The Drugs Are Already Selling

Amicus brings Galafold for Fabry disease and a two-component Pompe disease therapy. Together they generated nearly $450 million in nine months, with full-year revenue approaching $600 million.

These are not experiments but commercial products growing in markets with limited competition.

You look at that revenue line, and the deal price makes sense fast. BioMarin is paying for momentum that already exists.

The Pipeline Adds Another Layer

BioMarin also inherits DMX-200, an investigational kidney disease treatment in Phase 3 trials with data expected late 2026.

That means a potential new product lands right as integration wraps up.

If your understanding of this deal stops at the two marketed drugs, the pipeline changes the math entirely.

BioMarin already operates exclusively in the rare disease space. Adding Amicus deepens that focus by complementing products and expanding into new patient populations.

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Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is investing $5 billion in its next generation of electric vehicles, starting with a small electric pickup truck priced at $30,000, launching in 2027. 

The company is adopting a 48-volt electrical architecture, gigacasting, and a universal platform designed to make EVs cost the same to produce as gas-powered vehicles.

That has never been done at Ford's scale before.

This is not an incremental update. This is Ford rebuilding how it designs, assembles, and prices electric vehicles from scratch.

Stealing the Playbook, Building It Differently

Tesla commercialized the 48-volt system in the Cybertruck. Ford is now applying it across its entire next-generation EV lineup.

The system draws power from the main battery rather than a separate 12-volt unit, which reduces weight, simplifies wiring, and improves efficiency.

You look at a wiring harness that is 4,000 feet shorter and 22 pounds lighter than the current version, and the engineering ambition becomes obvious.

Fewer parts, fewer problems, lower costs.

Fewer Parts, Faster Assembly

Ford says the new EVs will use 20% fewer parts, 25% fewer fasteners, and assemble 15% faster.

Gigacasting replaces 146 structural front and rear components with just two pieces. That is a manufacturing revolution happening inside a 120-year-old company.

Ford is not just competing with Tesla anymore. Chinese EV brands are expanding globally with increasingly affordable, competitive vehicles.

A $30,000 electric truck built on a leaner platform is Ford's answer.

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Sensei Biotherapeutics Inc [SNSE] $26.25 (+187.51%)

Sensei surged after acquiring Faeth Therapeutics and securing a $200 million private placement, significantly strengthening its oncology pipeline and balance sheet.

Moolec Science SA [MLEC] $14.36 (+49.90%)

Moolec continues to rally a few days after confirming commercial-scale validation of its engineered safflower platform, achieving ~45% GLA concentration and strong yield growth.

ImmunityBio, Inc [IBRX] $8.55 (+41.94%)

ImmunityBio soared after receiving European Union approval for its bladder cancer therapy ANKTIVA, expanding its commercial footprint to 33 countries.

Axcelis Technologies, Inc [ACLS] $82.01 (-16.74%)

Axcelis fell amid broader semiconductor sector weakness, with investors reacting to valuation concerns and recent insider selling despite solid fundamentals.

Docebo Inc [DCBO] $16.19 (-13.88%)

Docebo slid after its largest shareholder signaled potential participation in the company’s buyback, raising uncertainty around ownership dynamics and capital allocation.

The Vita Coco Company Inc [COCO] $50.06 (-11.43%)

Vita Coco fell after missing quarterly earnings expectations, marking a negative profit surprise despite a slight revenue beat.

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— Adam G.
Elite Trade Club

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