Wall Street Ends Flat After Rally, Eyes 'Santa Claus Rally' for 2026

• Wall Street closed nearly unchanged in a light, post-holiday session, snapping a five-day rally but logging weekly gains.
• Investors are watching for a 'Santa Claus rally' (last five trading days of current year and first two of new year) which began Wednesday and runs through January 5, potentially indicating 2026 stock performance.
• Despite a turbulent year with tariff jitters, geopolitical tensions, and AI stock growth, all three major indexes are on track for double-digit percentage gains.
• Nvidia climbed 1.0% after a licensing deal with Groq; Target rose 3.1% due to hedge fund activism from Toms Capital Investment Management.
• Precious metal miners like First Majestic, Coeur Mining, and Endeavour Silver saw gains as gold and silver prices hit record highs.

Why It Matters: Wall Street saw a flat post-holiday close, but major indexes are set for double-digit gains this year.