Stocks failed to deliver a so-called Santa Claus Rally, a trend first identified by Yale Hirsch and the "Stock Trader's Almanac" in 1972 as broad index gains over the final five t

Santa Claus is leaving investors in the lurch once again in 2024 as U.S. stocks have struggled during the typically bullish home stretch of the year.

Dec. 31 window, known as Santa Claus rally, averaging 0.85% return in 64 out of 96 years. 2018 saw strongest rally of 6.6%.

Key Takeaways Stocks fell on Thursday, dampening investors' hope for a Santa Claus rally to start 2025.The S&P 500's average return in years without a Santa Claus rally is less than half its return in years with one (5% vs.

Some of the biggest winners were mega-cap tech stocks, with Tesla up by 6% while Broadcom, Netflix, and Amazon each gained about 2%.

In midday trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 528 points, or 1.2%, to 42,796. The S&P 500 lost 1.7%, and the Nasdaq dropped more than 450 points, or 2.3%. All three indexes are still set for weekly gains, with the benchmark index now about 2.3% below its all-time high of 6,099.97 points clinched on Dec. 6.

The article examines the performance of U.S. stock markets, focusing on the Santa Claus rally phenomenon. It discusses the impact of 10-year Treasury yields, megacap stock valuations, and a notable lawsuit against the Federal Reserve over its annual stress tests.

U.S. stock futures were edging higher to start the week, extending some early gains to start the year. It’s a welcome relief after St. Nick decided not to visit the stock market. The rebound follows a disappointing spell after the Christmas holiday–the proverbial Santa Claus Rally,

U.S. stock futures were edging higher to start the week, extending some early gains to start the year. It’s a welcome relief after St. Nick [decided not to visit](