US EQUITIES WEEK AHEAD: Senate Health-Care Vote, Christmas

The Senate is expected to vote Thursday morning on a sweeping health-care reform bill, designed to expand insurance coverage to tens of millions of Americans.

Markets will close early Thursday and will remain shut Friday for the Christmas holiday.

Some retailers will open early Saturday and will extend hours during the weekend for after-Christmas sales.

 
   Senate To Vote On Health-Care Reform Bill 
 

All 58 Democrats and two independents are expected to support the Senate's version of health-care reform in a vote Thursday morning. The bill, designed to expand health-insurance coverage to tens of millions of Americans, offers tax subsidies to purchase insurance and widens eligibility for Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health insurance to the poor. Immediately after the health-care vote, the Senate plans to vote on House-passed legislation increasing the government's borrowing authority.

 
   Stock, Bond Markets To Close Early Thursday 
 

Stock markets will close at 1 p.m. and bond markets at 2 p.m. Thursday and remain shut Friday for the Christmas holiday. Banks, government offices and most businesses also will close Friday.

 
   After-Christmas Sales To Start On Holiday 
 

Some retailers are barely waiting for people to unwrap their gifts under the tree before starting after-Christmas sales. Best Buy Co. (BBY) announced several computer deals it will offer online starting Christmas Day and in stores Saturday. It also outlined computer specials through Jan. 2 "for those with gift cards in hand." J.C. Penney Co. (JCP) outlined numerous sale items for Saturday, with stores opening at 5 a.m., the earliest post-Christmas opening in the company's history of more than 100 years. The retailer also will extend hours Sunday.

 
   Durable-Goods Orders Seen Rising In November 
 

November durable goods orders are expected to show a small increase, compared with a small decline for October. The report, out Thursday, details orders for goods meant to last three or more years. Reports on regional manufacturing activities are due Monday from the Dallas and Chicago Feds. On Tuesday, the nonprofit Conference Board will issue its December consumer confidence index and a closely watched measure of home prices, the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, will detail October home prices in 20 major U.S. cities. The index increased for five straight months through September.

 
   FDA Likely To Act On Pfizer's New Vaccine 
 

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to act by next Wednesday on Pfizer Inc.'s (PFE) application to market a new childhood vaccine against pneumococcal disease, Prevnar 13, which is designed to offer children more protection against certain forms of meningitis and other diseases than the existing Prevnar. Credit Suisse Group (CS, CSGN.VZ) expects agency approval of Prevnar 13 and sees the product boosting total Prevnar franchise sales to nearly $5 billion in 2012 from roughly $3 billion on an annualized basis today.

 
   Disney Takeover Of Marvel Expected Next Week 
 

Walt Disney Co.'s (DIS) $4 billion acquisition of Marvel Entertainment Inc. (MVL) is expected to close next Thursday after Marvel shareholders meet to vote on the proposal. The largest U.S. media company by market value agreed to buy Marvel, owner of such comic book heroes as Iron Man and Captain America, as part of its effort to attract young boys to its products.

 
   Treasury To Sell $118 Bln In Notes, Tying Record 
 

The Treasury Department will sell a record-tying $118 billion in notes next week in the final round of note auctions for this year. It will sell $44 billion in two-year notes, $42 billion in five-year notes and $32 billion in seven-year notes, all matching the amount offered a month earlier.

-By Kathy Shwiff, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2357; [e-mail]

(Peter Loftus and other Dow Jones Newswires staff contributed to this report.)