Here's A Quick Fact About How Strong Markets Are In The Final Trading Week Of The Year

Needless to say, with earnings season behind us, the first Fed taper decision made and Washington -- budget in hand -- gone for the year, the remaining trading days in 2013 should be uneventful from a headline standpoint. At the same time and as we've been noting, these final days of the year are historically quite strong. On average, the year's final five and seven trading sessions are higher by nearly 1.0%. Admittedly, the frequency of down periods has been rising of late (while the final five days were green every year but two from 1960 through 1985, the year's final five sessions have been flat or down in six of the last eight years with 2008 and 2011 serving as exceptions).