Every year, investors look forward to the “Santa Claus rally,” a period that encompasses the final five trading days of December and the first two trading days of the new year. Since 1950, the S&P 500 has gained, on average, 1.3% during this stretch, while finishing higher nearly 80% of the time, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

Shares of VICI Properties Inc. VICI slid 0.75% to $28.99 Thursday, on what proved to be an all-around grim trading session for the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index SPX falling 0.22% to 5,868.55 and Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA falling 0.