Stock market re-opens, Kwanzaa begins: 5 things to know Wednesday
Markets re-open: Can they rebound?
After a day off for Christmas and an abbreviated Christmas Eve session Monday that saw the Dow Jones Industrial average plummet 653 points, the struggling markets re-open Wednesday morning. Already nearing a dreaded bear market, it likely will be a challenge for Wall Street to pull itself out of its doldrums quickly. Last week, Joe Quinlan, chief market strategist at U.S. Trust, called the market an "ornery beast for investors to deal with" and he added, "it’s going to stay ill-tempered."
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Week-long Kwanzaa celebration begins
Kwanzaa, the celebration of African and African-American culture, begins today and goes for a week, ending on Jan. 1. Created in 1966 by California college professor Maulana Karenga, a different value is celebrated on each of seven nights: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Each value is marked by lighting candles on a holder called a kinara. As Karenga put it in a 2013 interview, "the celebration of Kwanzaa is about embracing ethical principles and values, so the goodness of the world can be shared and enjoyed by us and everyone."
Winter storm in the West may hamper post-Christmas travel
A winter storm rolling east from California that will roar across the central plains by midweek may pose trouble to holiday travelers. The powerful Pacific storm prompted the National Weather Service to issue an advisory Monday warning of various types of nasty weather, including "heavy rain, snow, ice, strong thunderstorms and strong winds." The advisory warned of "potential travel trouble over the central U.S. beginning Wednesday." For those traveling throughout this holiday week, stay connected to the latest travel advisories through individual airlines and state highway patrol websites.
Post-Christmas retail push: Dealing with returns and gift cards
Now that it’s Dec. 26th, it’s time to return the Christmas gifts you don’t want or use the gift cards to get items you do want. But you won't be alone. The National Retail Federation's annual December survey reports 17 percent of consumers plan to hit stores to return or exchange unwanted gifts and 27 percent will go to use gift cards they received. Columnist Kelly Tyke suggests waiting a few days before returning or redeeming to avoid long lines. But if you can’t wait, keep in mind having a receipt and knowing store policies will make things go smoother.
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Trump, first lady no-shows at Kennedy Center Honors
Cher, country star Reba McEntire, and the creators of the musical "Hamilton" were honored by the Kennedy Center last month in the nation's capital for their contributions to American culture, and it will be broadcast Wednesday. Other honorees include composer Philip Glass and jazz legend Wayne Shorter. For the second straight year, President Donald Trump and his wife Melania were not in attendance, citing scheduling conflicts. But that was fine with Cher, a vocal Trump critic, who said she wanted to get the award "so badly" during the Obama years. The show, which was taped earlier this month, airs Wednesday on CBS.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stock market re-opens, Kwanzaa begins: 5 things to know Wednesday
