MSNBC's big concern du jour: "Will Santa pay a visit to Wall Street?"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Will year-end market levels be naughty or nice?
Inflation data, earnings could have impact on year-end ‘Santa Claus rally’

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10027999/

NEW YORK - Earnings reports from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and the latest inflation data are due in the week ahead, and could potentially drive the market toward its long-awaited “Santa Claus” rally. Or give investors the holiday blues.

With oil prices well below $60 per barrel for the first time in months, inflation and fourth-quarter retail sales remain Wall Street’s major preoccupations. High inflation means the Federal Reserve will continue raising interest rates which, while keeping prices in check, makes economic expansion far more difficult.

But if the Labor Department’s latest pricing data shows modest inflation, that means consumer prices will remain low. And while the consumer is certainly bound to wrestle with high energy prices this winter, there’s a chance people will spend enough money this holiday season to keep the economy growing briskly.

A lot of things have to come together for Wall Street to enjoy its traditional end-of-year Santa Claus rally: low inflation, lower energy prices, strong retail sales and bullish earnings forecasts from major companies.



"What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base. "

[murray hill farm]

1. Nope!!

Santa and all of his helpers are unemployed or underemployed..and are scraping to just put a meal on the table for xmas!

[NanceGreggs]

2. Don't spend what you can't afford this Xmas ...

... those gas prices are going to skyrocket again, the minute the last shopper leaves the mall on December 24th. No coincidence that the prices at the pump have come down just in time for heavy-duty shopping, holiday travel, etc.

It's that false sense of security they're counting on to separate consumers from their cash over the holidays. Then it will be back to business as usual.

[Carni]

5. Given your avatar you may appreciate this...

I am going to be doing a hell of a lot of baking and cooking this year this year and giving the stuff as gifts!

The market will not receive any great windfall from my house.

[NanceGreggs]

6. I would appreciate it a lot more ...

... if you sent some MY WAY!!!!!

[Carni]

7. LOL! eom

[Faygo Kid]

3. Same old thing: Rich get richer, the rest of us get squeezed.

It's a fundamental tenet of this criminal administration. Have a good holiday anyway.

[LisaL]

4. Maybe it's time to let them know that Santa isn't real. I think

they might be old enough by now.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

8. Not with the price of coal these days...