Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) is heading into Friday’s reopening session with a key wrinkle: U.S. stock markets were closed today, Thursday, Dec. 25, for Christmas, so there was no “after-the-bell” price action in the usual sense. The most recent “close” investors can anchor to is Wednesday’s Christmas Eve early-close session. [1]
That matters because BAC is sitting near fresh highs, liquidity is thin in holiday weeks, and the next wave of catalysts (rates, bank regulation, and the Q4 earnings runway) can move large-cap financials quickly when volume is light.
Below is what’s happening with Bank of America stock after the latest available close, what today’s headlines are signaling, and what to watch before the opening bell on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025.
First, the market reality: there was no closing bell today — but futures reopen tonight
- NYSE and Nasdaq were closed on Christmas Day (Dec. 25). [2]
- Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) was an early close: the NYSE schedule shows markets closing early at 1:00 p.m. ET (with shortened late trading). [3]
- Markets are expected to operate a full session Friday, Dec. 26—even after President Trump’s directive closing federal offices on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26, because major exchanges said they will keep their normal trading schedule (with only the usual early-close on Dec. 24). [4]
- Futures markets resume Thursday evening (a key “tone-setter” for the Friday open). [5]
So when investors talk about “after-hours today,” what they really mean is: where BAC last traded after Wednesday’s shortened session, and what could reprice it in futures-driven sentiment tonight and in premarket tomorrow.
Bank of America stock price: where BAC finished before the holiday break
In the last available trading window (Christmas Eve early close), Bank of America stock:
- Closed at $56.25 (Dec. 24 early close) [6]
- Traded up about +0.50% on the day [7]
- After-hours (shortened) last indicated around $56.23 [8]
- Day’s range: roughly $55.89 to $56.50 [9]
- 52-week range shown near:$33.07 to $56.50 [10]
This is important context for Friday: BAC is flirting with the top of its one-year range, and breakouts (or pullbacks) can look more dramatic when volume returns after a holiday closure.
Today’s BAC headlines: limited “breaking news,” but meaningful signals
Because Dec. 25 is a market holiday, the news flow is thinner than a normal weekday. Still, several items circulating today are shaping sentiment into Friday:
1) Analysts’ near-term stance remains broadly constructive (but upside is debated)
A research recap circulating today highlighted recent estimate and price target adjustments, including a Truist move higher on Bank of America tied to a fee-growth outlook, alongside other Wall Street target changes in mid-December. [11]
Meanwhile, one widely followed compilation of analyst forecasts shows:
- Consensus rating: “Buy”
- Average price target (one compilation): about $56.25
- Recent target moves: e.g., Truist raising to $58; KBW raising to $64; Morgan Stanley maintaining a Buy while trimming to $68 (dates mid-December). [12]
What to take from this before Friday’s open: the Street isn’t uniformly calling for big near-term upside at this exact price, but the rating backdrop remains supportive—and incremental upgrades matter more when a stock is already near highs.
2) A “filings-based” institutional ownership headline hit today
A MarketBeat item published today flagged an institutional purchase/positioning update based on filings. These headlines rarely move BAC alone, but they reinforce that the stock remains heavily institutionally owned and actively tracked. [13]
3) The broader “Santa rally” narrative is front and center for Friday (Dec. 26)
A seasonal-statistics piece published today noted that Dec. 26 has historically been one of the most consistently positive trading days for the S&P 500, while also framing Friday as part of the seven-session “Santa Claus rally” window many traders watch. [14]
For BAC specifically, that can matter because big banks often trade as macro proxies (rates, growth expectations, risk appetite). If the tape opens “risk-on,” BAC is usually in the conversation.
What matters most for BAC before the open Friday
1) Rates and net interest income: the “engine room” variable
Bank of America’s earnings power is heavily influenced by interest rates (what it earns on loans/securities vs. what it pays on deposits).
From the bank’s most recent quarterly reporting, Reuters reported BofA upgraded its net interest income (NII) outlook and pointed to Q4 NII guidance around $15.6–$15.7 billion, about 8% higher than a year earlier (as reported at the time). [15]
That sets up a clear checklist for Friday’s open:
- Are Treasury yields moving meaningfully overnight?
- Is the market repricing the path of Fed cuts (or the lack of them)?
Adding context: Reuters also reported that the Fed cut rates again by 25 bps this month to a 3.50%–3.75% range (per that report’s description), but signaled caution about the near-term path. [16]
Why this is actionable for Friday: if yields jump, bank stocks often get a quick “NII optimism” bid; if yields fall sharply, the market can rotate away from rate-sensitive financials even when fundamentals are stable.
2) Trading and investment banking: management’s Q4 tone was upbeat
In early December, Reuters reported CEO Brian Moynihan expected markets revenue to rise by a high-single-digit percentage to about 10% in Q4, with investment banking fees broadly flat, and also said the bank expected to buy back more stock in Q4. [17]
Separately, Reuters reported BofA planned to boost bonuses for top investment bankers after a stronger deal year, highlighting both improved activity and the reality that compensation costs can rise alongside revenue. [18]
Friday watch: if the market tone is pro-cyclicals and pro-dealmaking, BAC can trade as a “capital markets momentum” story—not just a rates story.
3) Regulation and capital rules: the sector tailwind investors keep pricing in
A major macro theme into year-end has been the idea that a more deregulatory U.S. stance could lift big banks’ profitability and capital return potential. A Financial Times report this week described a large 2025 jump in market value across top U.S. banks, attributing gains to deregulatory expectations and an investment banking rebound. [19]
Why it matters tomorrow: bank stocks can re-rate quickly when investors believe capital requirements may ease, because that directly affects buybacks, dividends, and return on equity narratives.
Calendar items for Friday morning: don’t expect a normal data cadence
One underappreciated factor into Friday’s open: federal office closures affect some scheduled releases. The Federal Reserve’s calendar notes that federal government offices will be closed on Dec. 26, and that daily/weekly statistical releases scheduled for that day will be released on the next business day (Monday, Dec. 29). [20]
There is at least one notable scheduled macro update on Dec. 26 from the New York Fed’s calendar: the New York Fed Staff Nowcast (11:45 a.m. ET). [21]
Bottom line: Friday could be more about positioning, rates, and thin liquidity than a packed U.S. economic calendar.
A BAC-specific detail for Dec. 26: dividend payment date
If you hold BAC, tomorrow is also a corporate-calendar day: Bank of America previously announced a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.28 per share, payable on Dec. 26, 2025, to shareholders of record as of Dec. 5, 2025. [22]
Important nuance: the pay date doesn’t usually move the stock price the way the ex-dividend date does, but it can still influence investor attention and “total return” framing into year-end.
What to watch in the first hour Friday (a practical checklist)
Here’s a tight premarket-to-open playbook for BAC watchers:
- Index futures and bank peers (JPM, WFC, C, GS, MS):
BAC often moves with the group. If the whole complex gaps, treat it as macro first. - Treasury yields overnight → premarket:
Rates are the fastest transmission mechanism into BAC. - Liquidity/volume signals:
Holiday weeks can exaggerate moves. A strong early push without volume is more fragile. - Any fresh analyst notes hitting terminals early Friday:
With BAC near the top of its range, even a small target change can get outsized attention. - Positioning into year-end:
Friday is one of the last sessions of 2025’s final week for many desks; flows can matter as much as fundamentals.
Looking beyond Friday: the next “hard catalyst” date for BAC
Bank of America has already posted its Q4 2025 reporting schedule: the company announced it expects to release fourth-quarter 2025 financial results on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 (6:45 a.m. ET). [23]
If BAC is breaking out (or failing) into year-end, that January report is the next point where the market will demand proof—especially on:
- Net interest income trajectory
- Credit quality and charge-offs
- Expense discipline (including compensation trends)
- Capital return pace (buybacks)
The takeaway heading into Friday’s open
Bank of America stock is entering Friday, Dec. 26 with momentum near highs, but also with the classic holiday setup: thin liquidity, a macro-driven tape, and limited new data. The most consequential “fresh” signals in circulation today are the recent analyst target actions and the broader market narrative that Dec. 26 tends to be a strong seasonal day, while the fundamental backbone remains the same: rates, credit, and capital markets revenue. [24]
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.nyse.com, 2. www.nyse.com, 3. www.nyse.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.investors.com, 6. www.investing.com, 7. www.investing.com, 8. www.investing.com, 9. www.investing.com, 10. www.investing.com, 11. www.insidermonkey.com, 12. stockanalysis.com, 13. www.marketbeat.com, 14. www.marketwatch.com, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.ft.com, 20. www.federalreserve.gov, 21. www.newyorkfed.org, 22. newsroom.bankofamerica.com, 23. newsroom.bankofamerica.com, 24. stockanalysis.com
