Analysis: The US Stock Market Has Started the "Santa Claus Rally", with Investors Positioning Themselves Early for the Optimistic Outlook for 2026
BlockBeats News, December 23. The U.S. stock market kicked off the traditional "Santa Claus Rally", with major stock indices generally rising. Both gold and silver hit historical highs, with platinum also approaching a record high. The cryptocurrency market surged but then retraced. The S&P 500 index closed higher on Monday, erasing all of its December losses and is set to achieve an eighth consecutive monthly gain, marking the longest winning streak since 2018.
Behind this round of gains are multiple driving forces. Firstly, last Friday's record-breaking "Triple Witching Day" options expiration cleared out a significant amount of long positions in the 6700-6800 range for the S&P 500, providing upward momentum for stock prices. The VIX volatility index fell below 15, hitting a low not seen since August, with short-term implied volatility continuing to compress. Analysts believe that market maker hedging demand has shifted to trend-following, driving the market into a "slow climb" pace.
Secondly, seasonal factors have created a favorable environment, as historical data shows that the end of the year is usually a strong period for the stock market. In addition, investors are positioning themselves early for optimistic expectations in 2026, including accelerated GDP and corporate earnings growth, as well as the potential transformation of AI trading. Federal Reserve Governor Milan stated that there is a recession risk next year if the Fed does not continue cutting rates, further boosting risk appetite with dovish remarks. From a technical perspective, the next psychological barrier for the market is the 7000 level for the S&P 500. (Wall Street News)
You may also like

Bitcoin's Big Brother Scythe, a Nasdaq Heist Chronicle

ARK Invest: Stablecoins are Constructing the Next-Generation Monetary System

President Trump Asserts Imminent Passing of Crypto Market Structure Bill
Key Takeaways Presidential Confirmation: President Trump states the major crypto market structure bill is on the verge of…

Germany Central Bank Head Advocates for European Crypto Stablecoins Under EU MiCA Framework
Key Takeaways Joachim Nagel, head of the Germany Bundesbank, is advocating for the adoption of euro-based crypto stablecoins…

Polygon Surpasses Ethereum in Daily Fees as Polymarket Bets Rocket
Key Takeaways Polygon has outpaced Ethereum in daily transaction fees, a historic shift driven by activity on Polymarket.…

Bitcoin Price Prediction: BTC Short Squeeze Alert – Is a Significant Rebound on the Horizon?
Key Takeaways Recent data indicates Bitcoin shorts have escalated to unprecedented levels reminiscent of a major market low…

Google’s Gemini AI Predicts the Price of XRP, Solana, and Bitcoin by the End of 2026
Key Takeaways XRP’s Potential: Google’s Gemini AI forecasts XRP could reach $10 by 2026, leveraging Ripple’s payment solutions…

Top Analyst Warns Bitcoin Price Could Plummet to $10,000 Amid Deepening Bear Market
Key Takeaways Bitcoin’s value could potentially drop to $10,000 as part of an imploding bubble, suggests a renowned…

Best Crypto to Buy Now February 10 – XRP, Solana, Dogecoin
Key Takeaways XRP is poised for long-term growth with its recent strategic expansions in institutional-grade payments and tokenization.…

Kyle Samani Criticizes Hyperliquid in Explosive Post-Departure Market Commentary
Key Takeaways: Kyle Samani, after leaving Multicoin Capital, criticized Hyperliquid, a decentralized exchange, labeling it as a systemic…

XRP Price Prediction: A 50M Token Sell-Off Just Shook the Market — Is More Loss Imminent?
Key Takeaways Over 50 million XRP hit the market within a span of less than 12 hours, leading…

Strategy Plans to Equitize Convertible Debt Over 3–6 Years: What It Means for BTC
Key Takeaways Strategy, led by Michael Saylor, is equitizing $6 billion in convertible debt as a long-term strategy…

BlockFills Freezes Withdrawals as Bitcoin Declines, Heightening Counterparty Risk Concerns
Key Takeaways BlockFills, an institutional trading firm, has stopped client withdrawals amid rising market volatility and Bitcoin price…

Leading AI Claude Predicts the Price of XRP, Cardano, and Ethereum by the End of 2026
Key Takeaways Claude AI projects substantial growth for XRP, Cardano, and Ethereum by the end of 2026, with…

Crypto Price Forecast for 16 February – XRP, Ethereum, Cardano
Key Takeaways Technical trends and recent developments suggest potential growth for XRP, Ethereum, and Cardano. XRP is targeting…

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Alarming New Research Warns Millions in BTC at Risk of ‘Quantum Freeze’ – Are You Protected?
Key Takeaways Recent market movements have sparked concerns over a potential bear market for Bitcoin, marked by significant…

XRP Price Forecast: Can XRP Truly Surpass Bitcoin and Ethereum? Analyst Argues the Contest Has Already Begun
Key Takeaways XRP has maintained significant support around the $1.40 level despite a 12% decline over the past…

Best Crypto to Purchase Now February 6 – XRP, Solana, Bitcoin
Key Takeaways XRP’s Strength: Ripple’s focus on challenging traditional systems like SWIFT is driving XRP towards a potential…
Bitcoin's Big Brother Scythe, a Nasdaq Heist Chronicle
ARK Invest: Stablecoins are Constructing the Next-Generation Monetary System
President Trump Asserts Imminent Passing of Crypto Market Structure Bill
Key Takeaways Presidential Confirmation: President Trump states the major crypto market structure bill is on the verge of…
Germany Central Bank Head Advocates for European Crypto Stablecoins Under EU MiCA Framework
Key Takeaways Joachim Nagel, head of the Germany Bundesbank, is advocating for the adoption of euro-based crypto stablecoins…
Polygon Surpasses Ethereum in Daily Fees as Polymarket Bets Rocket
Key Takeaways Polygon has outpaced Ethereum in daily transaction fees, a historic shift driven by activity on Polymarket.…
Bitcoin Price Prediction: BTC Short Squeeze Alert – Is a Significant Rebound on the Horizon?
Key Takeaways Recent data indicates Bitcoin shorts have escalated to unprecedented levels reminiscent of a major market low…