As the calendar officially turns to Thursday, January 1st, 2026, the U.S. stock markets, including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq, remain closed in observance of the New Year's Day holiday. This pause in traditional equity trading offers investors a moment for reflection on a robust 2025 and an opportunity to anticipate the key drivers that will shape the markets in the nascent year. Despite the holiday closure for cash equities, activity in global markets and U.S. equity futures provides ear ...