S&P 500 Stages a Massive Rebound! Is 3-Month Rally Really in Play?

On January 21, 2026, $S&P 500(.SPX)$ logged one of its largest single-day gains since last November.

Trump quickly reversed the market’s early-year slump after announcing at the Davos forum a delay of the tariffs on Europe originally scheduled for February 1, and claiming that a “framework agreement” had been reached on Greenland.

Markets interpreted this pivot as a classic “TACO” (Trump Always Chickens Out) moment—where extreme pressure triggers sharp volatility, followed by a White House retreat or compromise.

Historically,“TACO trades” have often been followed by strong upside.

Looking back to the April 2025 “Liberation Day” tariff, the S&P 500 suffered only a brief pullback before policy delays sparked a nearly 40% rally spanning into the following year.

The current foundation remains solid: across 36 major geopolitical events since 1940, U.S. equities rose in the subsequent three months 60% of the time.

More importantly, the recent turbulence has proven to be an excellent buy-the-dip opportunity, as it was driven not by recession risk, but by policy flexibility creating a temporary sentiment premium.

Earnings Season in Full Swing: Can It Further Support Valuations?

Q4 corporate results have provided a firm floor for the broader market.

Analysts of Factset expect double-digit profit growth across all quarters of 2026.

Over the past ten years, actual earnings reported by S&P 500 companies have exceeded estimated earnings by 7.0% on average. During this same period, 76% of companies in the S&P 500 have reported actual EPS above the mean EPS estimate on average.

The latest data from Bank of America (BofA) and JPMorgan suggest that this robust earnings cycle is offsetting tariff-related valuation concerns.

Technical signals further reinforce the sustainability of the uptrend. Last week, roughly 70% of S&P 500 constituents were trading above their 200-day moving averages, while both the Russell 2000 and the equal-weight S&P 500 hit new all-time highs, indicating broad market breadth.

Discussion

  • Does the TACO pattern remain the most reliable signal for adding exposure in U.S. equities?

  • Now that the S&P 500 has erased its 2026 losses, do you think we could see double-digit percentage gains over the next three months?

  • With earnings growth staying strong, would you stick with the S&P 500, or rotate into the higher-beta Russell 2000 small caps?

Share your trading plan in the comments and earn Tiger Coins! 🐯

# Jan Review: Is February for Buying or Bailing?

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

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  • Shyon
    ·01-23
    TOP
    From my perspective, the “TACO” pattern still works as a tactical signal when it’s backed by real policy reversals and strong market breadth. This episode reinforced the idea that policy risk is negotiable, not structural, making sentiment-driven pullbacks attractive buy-the-dip opportunities.

    With the S&P 500 $S&P 500(.SPX)$ now erasing its early-2026 losses, I think double-digit gains over the next three months are achievable, even if volatility persists. Earnings remain the backbone of this move, and improving breadth suggests the rally is healthy rather than narrowly driven.

    Positioning-wise, I’m keeping the S&P 500 as my core exposure while selectively adding higher-beta names. New highs in small caps are encouraging, but I prefer scaling into the Russell 2000  on pullbacks instead of chasing momentum.

    @Tiger_comments @TigerStars @TigerClub

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  • BTS
    ·01-26
    After a massive rebound, the S&P 500 (.SPY) is likely to continue its rally over the next three months, but challenges like tightening policies or global risks may disrupt growth

    The TACO pattern (Trump Always Chickens Out), a key behavioral finance concept in early 2026, describes a cycle where aggressive policy or tariff threats lead to a market sell-off, followed by a pivot or negotiation that triggers a rapid relief rally。。。

    With the S&P 500 erasing its 2026 losses and back in the green, the prospect of double-digit percentage gains over the next three months is doable, but sustaining momentum will depend on strong earnings growth, favorable rates, and stable inflation as key catalysts to drive the market ahead

    While the S&P 500 may be the safer option for broad market exposure, rotating into the higher-beta Russell 2000 small caps could be a high-conviction play for the next quarter if risk appetite is strong, with the latter offering greater potential but volatility at a cost

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  • MHh
    ·01-25
    我认为taco为交易增加了必要的波动性,最好的部分也提供了可预测性。当市场暴跌时买入,然后当市场因墨西哥玉米卷而回升时卖出。关于taco的下一个最好的事情是,它发生得足够频繁,即使对于那些对技术一无所知的人来说,交易也可以以相当盲目的方式进行。


    我认为标准普尔500指数在未来3个月可能会出现两位数的回报,因为盈利强劲,就业市场也保持弹性。所有这些都表明下个季度经济将继续强劲。这当然排除了特朗普的任何反常事件或疯狂声明,如提高关税。


    我认为标准普尔估值已达到历史平均水平,并正在走高端。因此,我认为最好转向小盘股,与s&P 500相比,小盘股可能会产生更大的回报,尤其是在s&P 500中mag7集中的情况下。
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  • Lanceljx
    ·01-24
    TACO在2026年仍然是一个有用的战术逢低买入信号,但当政策头条新闻消退且流动性保持支持时,它的效果最佳,因此我会将其视为一种择时工具,而不是一篇完整的论文。

    随着标普500年初至今持平,3个月内两位数的涨幅是可能的,但不是基本情况。我认为它是+4%到+8%,除非我们得到多种上行催化剂(干净的盈利增长+疲软的通胀+更清晰的降息路径)。

    轮换:我仍然会锚定在标普500(质量+人工智能领导者),并且只有在以下情况下才会在战术上添加Russell 2000:

    收益率停止上升,

    美元降温,

    广度提高(小盘股需要更宽松的财务状况)。

    我的计划:核心做多SPDR标普500指数ETF/QQQ,在头条驱动的同花顺上逢低买入,保持干粉,只有在突破+收益率下降时才加IWM。不是财务建议。

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  • The TACO pattern is one tool among many, not a standalone signal. S&P 500's recovery on strong earnings is positive, but short-term double-digit gains are uncertain. Choosing between S&P 500 (stability) and Russell 2000 (high-beta growth) depends on your economic outlook and risk appetite; a diversified core-satellite approach is often wise.
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  • Alubin
    ·01-23
    最初我认为未来3个月有可能出现反弹,也就是两位数的涨幅,但随着特朗普政府的所有噱头,我现在非常不确定。
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  • highhand
    ·01-23
    yes I am certainly betting on it.  the TACO effect has flushed down a lot of stocks, especially software. this could be the last flush down to take out stop losses and shake all the weak hands. after this, market climbs and brings everyone up. thats my guess.
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  • koolgal
    ·01-23
    🌟🌟🌟Surprisingly the TACO pattern has been remarkably reliable but not infallible and its usefulness depends on whether Trump driven tariff volatility continues to behave in the same way.

    What the data has shown is that the TACO pattern (Trump Always Chickens Out) has produced repeatable, profitable dip buying opportunities whenever tariff threats triggered sharp sell offs, followed by policy reversals that sparked relief rallies.

    The latest episode like the Greenland tariff scare is a great example of a TACO pattern.

    However some analysts have cautioned that the TACO Trade may not always work especially if the markets become desensitised or if a deeper sell off is needed to influence policy.

    In other words, the TACO pattern has been reliable as long as the political behaviour behind it stays predictable.

    @Tiger_comments @Tiger_SG @TigerStars @TigerClub @CaptainTiger

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  • Chrishust
    ·01-23
    1. The taco pattern is a reliable strategy for buying us stocks at cheap prices
    2. The outlook for the us economy is highly negative at this time which reduces the likelihood of double digit returns
    3. Sp500 $SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust(SPY)$ tends to outperform the broader Russell 2000 index
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  • icycrystal
    ·01-23
    the TACO pattern has just revalidated itself as one of the most reliable signals for U.S. equities.

    Now that the S&P 500 has erased its initial 2026 losses and is hovering near record highs (around 7,000), a double-digit gain over the next three months is considered unlikely but not impossible.

    Stick with the S&P 500 for core stability and reliable earnings, but use the Russell 2000 for tactical alpha, as it currently has the longest streak of outperformance relative to large caps since 1990.

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  • AgathaHume
    ·01-23
    TACO still reliable lah. SPX could hit double digits, I'm holding tight. Small caps tempting though! [看涨]
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  • LuHH
    ·01-23
    左媒只會貼taco,到底誰是taco?那八國和歐豬盟吧,尤其馬的總統克紅🤮
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  • AliceSam
    ·01-23
    儿戏一样,特朗普在达沃斯论坛上宣布推迟原定于2月1日对欧洲加征关税
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  • TACO trades work because policy shocks usually don’t affect company earnings much.
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  • Success88
    ·01-26
    感谢特朗普,我的股票大部分处于绿区
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  • AN88
    ·01-23
    yes double digits gain. stick to s and p
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  • Myo Htun
    ·01-23

    Great article, would you like to share it?

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