Get out your binoculars for FiercePharma's traditional holiday trend-spotting

As surely as Linus and Lucy's jazz theme plays in shops decorated with Santas and garland, and blue-and-white-wrapped chocolates and menorah candles appear on store shelves; as surely as calendar pages flutter into the trash, FiercePharma peers into the murky future to predict which headlines we'll be writing next year.

Our forecasts are usually on target, mostly because pharma is a big industry, and its big trends are easily spotted. Who would miss the rapid-fire M&A that's characterized 2014 and promises to continue into 2015? Or the payer squeeze that's only going to grow more painful as the months pass? So, we can't congratulate ourselves for knowledge of what's behind the curtain.

We can, however, remind readers where the action is likely to be. And that's what we've done with our top 5 stories of the day. Read on below to hear what FiercePharma, FiercePharmaMarketing and FiercePharmaManufacturing editors consider the trends to watch for 2015.

The other sure-to-occur event around here is Fierce's holiday break. The daily FiercePharma newsletter will return to your inboxes Jan. 5. We're not going off for a long winter's nap, however; news will still pop up daily on the FiercePharma website. Keep an eye out for the latest happenings, and keep in touch in the coming year. In the meantime, enjoy your own safe and happy holiday season. -- Tracy Staton (email | Twitter)