History Says This Year Might Be Different

Today marks the official start of the Santa Claus rally window, that quirky period from December 26 through New Year's Eve when markets tend to get jolly. Here's the interesting bit: historically, the market has never missed three Santa rallies in a row. After back-to-back letdowns, the odds are tilting toward a positive finish this time around.

Of course, past performance doesn't guarantee future results, but when you're dealing with seasonal patterns, streaks matter to traders. The setup is there.

Looking Past the Holidays

As the year winds down, investors are naturally shifting their attention from short-term seasonal plays to what actually matters for 2026. The themes taking shape are pretty clear: AI infrastructure buildout, power generation to support it, software companies with real staying power, and the ongoing process of macro normalization.

These aren't just buzzwords. They represent real capital allocation decisions happening right now as portfolios get repositioned for the year ahead.

Silver's Moment in the Spotlight

Meanwhile, silver is pushing toward all-time highs, which has both commodity traders and macro watchers paying attention. Silver strength can tell you something interesting about the real economy. Rising prices often signal industrial demand heating up, particularly from solar installations, electrification projects, and broader manufacturing activity.

It's one of those markets where the price action might be saying something important about what's happening beyond the trading screens.