Stocks ready to close out powerful 2020 as risks loom in January

At the close of trading next Thursday, the bull market will be ready to run into 2021 but probably at a slower pace.

January is the month that Wall Street tradition says sets the tone for the year — “so goes January, so goes the year,” as the saynig goes. This January could be challenging, with the spreading pandemic slowing the economy and the important Georgia Senate run off elections on Jan. 5.

On Jan. 20, Joseph Biden will be sworn in as president.

“It’s a market that’s on end-of-year auto pilot,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA. In three of every four years, the market sees an end-of-year Santa rally, but Stovall is also waiting to see trading in the first five days of January for signs of how the market could trade in 2021.