US GDP data and stock market vacations: what investors need to know this week
In this holiday-shortened trading week, investors will focus on the prospects for a "Santa Claus rally" and will also keep an eye on the release of macroeconomic data in the U.S., including a preliminary estimate of third-quarter GDP for the world's largest economy, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Wall Street has just seven trading sessions left in 2025, and no earnings reports from major companies are expected, according to Barron's. U.S. stock exchanges will close earlier than usual on Wednesday and will not operate on Thursday due to Christmas. In Europe, major stock markets will remain closed on Friday as well.
On Monday, December 22, the People's Bank of China kept benchmark lending rates (LPR) at a record low for the seventh consecutive month. The one-year LPR remained at 3%, while the five-year rate, which serves as a benchmark for mortgages, remained at 3.5%. The decision matched market forecasts despite a slowdown in industrial production and retail sales in November, Trading Economics said.
On Tuesday, December 23, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) will report its preliminary estimate of the country's third-quarter GDP. The consensus estimate assumes a slowdown in growth of the US economy to 3.2% in annualized terms from 3.8% in the second quarter.
Conference Board will publish the U.S. consumer confidence index for December. Economists on average forecast the value of 91.7 points, which is three points higher than the November level. Consumers remain pessimistic about the economy: the November value was the second lowest since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic - below it only the April index, formed against the background of the tariff shock, notes Barron's.
On Wednesday, December 24, the Nasdaq and NYSE exchanges will close trading on Christmas Eve at 13:00 North American Eastern Time (23:00 Astana time). London, Madrid and Paris will also close earlier than usual. In Germany, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the electronic system Xetra will not work.
On Thursday, December 25, Western stock and bond markets, as well as venues in Hong Kong and Seoul, will be closed due to Christmas celebrations.
On Friday, December 26, stock exchanges in the United States will resume normal operations. The platforms in the UK, Germany, France and Hong Kong will remain closed to celebrate Boxing Day, in Spain - St. Stephen's Day.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
