Equity markets started the holiday week on uncertain footing falling about 0.40% at the low of the day. Investors hoping for a Santa Claus Rally to end the year may be disappointed. At best, any upswing in prices will be suspect due to the nature of holiday trading, including light volumes and a tendency for knee-jerk reactions.

The next big hurdle for the market will come next week with the release of the monthly NFP report. If the labor market continues to show strength and in particular high levels of wage inflation, it will reinforce the idea the FOMC is not finished with its round of interest rate hikes. The risk for the market is that wage inflation will be above expectation which could lead the FOMC to keep rates higher for longer. The takeaway is that January will not likely be a good month for investors and the rest of the year could be worse.