In a year full of twists and turns in the stock market, will we have a Santa Claus rally? Our Chief Equity Strategist and Economist, John Blank, is here now with that answer.

1. Before a losing streak last week, overall Traders have enjoyed a very solid stretch for stock returns after the U.S. midterms. So is it time for the Santa rally?

2. Historically December is a fairly good month for stocks. But with all the choppy back and forth action that started this month off, what are the chances stocks end the year just range bound?

3. There’s been a lot of downbeat remarks coming from “Wall Street Leaders” that inflation and recession concerns will push stocks lower in 2023. Is that what you see for the first half of the New Year?

4. What would have to happen for the market to stabilize next year?

5. What do you see as a threat to stocks in the first half?

6. There seems to be an interesting development though. Across the last month, stock market returns have been strongly positive for ETFs holding solely ex U.S. stocks. What’s up with that?

7. Is this the case with global stock markets also?

8. Major firms --located in Energy, Info Tech, & Financials sectors-- made it to your highlight list recently. Among them, Halliburton (HAL Quick QuoteHAL - Free Report) , CoStar Group (CSGP Quick QuoteCSGP - Free Report) and Interactive Brokers (IBKR Quick QuoteIBKR - Free Report) .

Our Chief Equity Strategist and Economist, John Blank on the markets with a bit of a look ahead to the New Year. Here’s wishing you the best of the holiday season whatever you celebrate. With John, I’m Terry Ruffolo.