Investors pin hopes on the ‘January barometer,’ with shares set to skip ‘Santa Claus rally’ for a 3rd straight 12 months

Last Updated: Jan. 4, 2026 at 9:34 a.m. ET
First Published: Jan. 3, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET

The Christmas holiday has come and gone, but the annual “Santa Claus rally” period won’t wrap up until the closing bell rings on Monday.

This year, investors look set for yet another disappointment. For the third straight year, the S&P 500 index

SPX is on pace to decline during the traditional Santa rally period. That has never happened before.

Investors pin hopes on the ‘January barometer,’ with shares set to skip ‘Santa Claus rally’ for a 3rd straight 12 months | Invesloan.com