No surprise, the week of Dec. 26 through Dec. 30 will be a painfully slow time for earnings, so slow as to best be described as non-existent.

Twelve companies publish earnings for action that week. The most liquid of the group trades 335,000 shares a day, on average; the least liquid, 293 shares.

None of the dozen is liquid enough to meet my options trading standards. I plan no earnings plays next week.

By Tim Bovee, Portland, Oregon, Dec. 22, 2016