Picture this: The stock market is buzzing with anticipation as the year winds down, and traders are eyeing a shortened holiday week ahead – but will it spark the kind of gains everyone's dreaming of, or leave them feeling a bit let down? Buckle up, because we're diving into the latest updates on stock futures and the excitement (and skepticism) surrounding tech's comeback, all wrapped in the festive uncertainty of the season.
Traders are buzzing on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, U.S., as captured in this December 17, 2025, photo by Brendan McDermid for Reuters.
As Sunday evening unfolds, U.S. stock futures are climbing higher in anticipation of a condensed week due to holidays, with investors pondering if technology stocks can bounce back strongly before the calendar flips to 2026.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average have jumped by 83 points, which is a 0.2% increase. Meanwhile, futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 have each risen by 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively.
Wall Street just wrapped up a rollercoaster week for the key indices. A strong late-week push in tech shares propelled the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite to their third winning week out of the last four, with gains of 0.1% and 0.5% accordingly. On the other hand, the 30-company Dow, which had been shining brighter this month, dipped by 0.7%, ending a trio of consecutive winning weeks.
Artificial intelligence-focused companies staged a comeback last week after some disappointing performances. For instance, Oracle's stock soared following TikTok's decision to offload its U.S. operations to a fresh joint venture – one that brings in Oracle alongside private equity powerhouse Silver Lake (catch the full scoop here: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/18/tik-tok-us-sale-china.html). Nvidia also rebounded impressively.
But here's where it gets controversial: Investors are keeping a close eye on whether these AI giants can keep their momentum going into the new year. Many are shifting their bets to more affordable sectors of the market, worried about the sky-high prices of tech stocks. And this is the part most people miss – doubts are swirling about the possibility of a 'Santa Claus rally,' as the S&P 500 wrestles to maintain an important technical threshold.
Justin Bergner, a portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds, summed it up by noting his earlier prediction of a sluggish year-end slog – only now it's morphed into more of a turbulent shuffle.
Remember, the New York Stock Exchange will shut its doors early on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET for Christmas Eve and stay closed on Thursday for Christmas Day itself.
(Updated 4 minutes ago)
Santa Claus Rally: What Exactly Is It, and Could It Happen This Year?
As we inch toward the new year, all eyes are on Wall Street to check if the legendary Santa Claus rally will make an appearance.
This phenomenon, named by Yale Hirsch – the creator of the Stock Trader's Almanac – back in 1972, unfolds during the final five trading days of the year plus the opening two of the next one. For 2025-2026, that stretches from the start of trading on December 24 all the way to the second trading day of January 2026, which is January 5.
Since 1950, the S&P 500 (check out the quote here: https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/.SPX/) has averaged a 1.3% uptick across those seven trading days. Jeffrey Hirsch, the Almanac's top editor, believes this year could follow suit and add to that historical pattern.
Dive into the complete article for more insights (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/19/santa-claus-rally-what-is-it-and-will-it-occur-this-year.html).
— Sean Conlon
(Updated 13 minutes ago)
Stock Futures Kick Off Higher This Sunday Evening
Stock futures have opened on a positive note this Sunday night.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average are up 100 points, or 0.2%. Futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 have both increased by 0.3% each.
— Sarah Min
Now, let's think about this – is the Santa Claus rally a tried-and-true tradition backed by data, or just a feel-good myth that investors cling to? And what about the buzz around AI stocks? Do you believe they'll dominate forever, or is this just a temporary rebound? Share your opinions in the comments – I'd love to hear if you agree, disagree, or have a fresh perspective on these market twists!
