The S&P 500 is entering a historically strong seasonal period, with data showing that the index has risen 80% of the time from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to the second trading day of the New Year, averaging a 2.6% gain since 1950. Thanksgiving week is typically bullish, with Wednesday through Friday showing strength 83% of the time since 1950. Analysts, including those from Bank of America (BofA), predict a post-Thanksgiving dip followed by a year-end rally. The index is currently up 25.5% year-to-date, with some expecting further gains and potential new all-time highs by year-end. Additionally, small-cap stocks are noted for their historical outperformance during this period, even surpassing the Santa Claus rally. Despite the optimistic outlook, long-term projections suggest more modest returns for the S&P 500, with annual gains of 0-1% over the next decade and 0-10% in the near term after a 50% rise over the past two years.