Stocks could see a pullback before riding higher into year end

Chances are good the stock market could hit a few bumps as December gets underway, but any pullback should be slight, setting up for a year end Santa rally, strategists say.

The tone around trade talks between the U.S. and China has been positive enough to keep the market moving higher. The Dec. 15 deadline for new tariffs, however, could present some headline risk, though strategists still expect some sort of deal that will head off a major decline.

“It has been encouraging lately. Not only is the president tweeting that a trade accord will occur and his underlings are verbalizing that they’re getting close, but the Chinese themselves are saying they’re making headway,” said Sam Stovall,…