Investors had a lot to be thankful for last week as the major markets traded to fresh all-time highs. The Nasdaq gave the markets a belated Christmas gift on Thursday as it crossed the threshold of 9000 for the first time.  There was a reported increase in retail sales this holiday season, and that was buttressed by the SpendingPulse report from MasterCard which reported a 3.4% year over year increase, excluding autos. Online Sales grew even more with an increase of 18.8% compared to last year.  The late Thanksgiving holiday was highlighted as a factor in retail stores utilizing discounts and sales earlier in the season to recoup lost gift buying time in brick and mortar stores.  With only hours of trading left in 2019, overall, the markets look to record one of the better returns in history. As we look forward to 2020, we’d like to wish you a Happy New Year.