The Santa Claus rally refers to the seasonal stock market uptrend that investors enjoy (or at least hope for) in the last five trading days of the year and the first two of the new year. This year's Santa trading window begins on December 24.
It has been a strong year for the market, with the rally since the April lows bringing the S&P 500 to a string of record highs. Even as volatility in December has been high, investing pros say they're hopeful for a holiday rally to see out the year and ring in 2026.
