<div id="readability-page-1">Target Corp ( TGT ) shares are getting a lift. Fresh holiday spending data points to healthy consumer activity and the “Santa Claus Rally” period is now underway. Target ( TGT ) stock is showing upward movement. What’s driving TGT shares up? What To Know: U.S. retail sales are up roughly 4% so far this holiday season, according to early data from Visa and Mastercard reported by Reuters. The figures, pulled from billions of transactions, show that shoppers kept spending into December even as budgets tightened. Visa said retail spending — excluding autos, gas and restaurants — rose 4.2% from Nov. 1 through Dec. 21. Mastercard, which includes food service in its numbers, reported a 3.9% year‑over‑year increase over the same period, topping its earlier forecast of 3.6%. Electronics were a standout category, with TVs and smartphones jumping 5.8% in Visa's data. Clothing and accessories followed at 5.3%. Mastercard noted that colder weather and holiday promotions helped drive apparel demand, while jewelry also saw a solid pickup this season. Markets are also moving through the traditional &#34;Santa Claus Rally,&#34; which covers the final five trading days of the year and the first two of the next. For 2025, that window runs from Dec. 24 through Jan. 5. Historically, this period has been positive about 79% of the time, with the S&amp;P 500 averaging a 1.3% gain, according to Freedom Capital Markets Chief Market Strategist Jay Woods. He attributes the pattern to year‑end bonuses, holiday optimism and fund managers adjusting portfolios before the new year. “People who like to use Santa Claus in their metaphors when it comes to the market will already say he’s come to town because we’ve had like a 4% rally in the overall market coming into the Christmas week,” Woods told Benzinga. Technical Analysis: Target ( TGT ) is showing a mixed technical picture with the stock trading above its short-term moving averages but facing challenges with longer-term trends. The 20-day SMA is currently above the 50-day SMA, indicating some bullish momentum, but the 50-day SMA remains below the 200-day SMA, suggesting a bearish long-term trend. The RSI is at 52.66, which is neutral territory, indicating that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold. This suggests that there could be room for further price movement, but traders should watch for any shifts in momentum. MACD is above its signal line, indicating bullish momentum in the short term. This could suggest that the stock may continue to push higher if it maintains this momentum. Key levels to watch include support at $88.50 and resistance at $99.00. A bounce off support could signal a potential reversal, while a breakout above resistance would strengthen the case for continued upside. Over the past 12 months, Target ( TGT ) has fallen 27.25%, underscoring the longer‑term challenges still weighing on the stock. With shares sitting at just 20.9% of their 52‑week range, the stock remains much closer to its lows than its highs—another reminder that the broader trend hasn't fully turned. TGT Price Action: Target ( TGT ) shares were up 2.13% at $96.31 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro. Read Next: <ul> <li>The $1 Trillion Holiday Season—US Shoppers Make History</li> </ul> Image: Sean Wandzilak/Shutterstock</div>

Target Corp (NYSE:TGT) shares are rising due to strong holiday spending data and the "Santa Claus Rally." U.S. retail sales increased by about 4% this season, with electronics and apparel leading. Target's stock shows bullish short-term momentum but faces long-term challenges. Key levels include support at $88.50 and resistance at $99.00. Currently, shares are up 2.13% at $96.31.

Target Stock Is Experiencing An Upswing As Christmas Shopping Hits Full Swing