“5,000 or Bust” is the perfect sentiment for today’s commentary. That is because there is no way the S&P 500 (SPY) gets to the current level without touching that important milestone.

The greater question is what happens after hitting 5,000?

Plus how will the Fed meeting on Wednesday affect the market?

So, let’s answer these 2 vital questions and more in this week’s Reitmeister Total Return commentary.

Market Commentary

As they say the “3^rd time is the charm”.

That is certainly the case as stocks were thwarted the first couple times they tried to breakout to new all time highs above 4,800. Yet indeed on the recent 3^rd try finally broke above.

Since that January 19^th breakout stocks have continued to move higher. Thus, the attraction of hitting 5,000 at this time is just too great.

Kind of like the moth needing to touch the flame. It just has to do it. The question is what happens afterwards?

My guess is that just like 4,800 it becomes a point of a resistance for a while for investors to digest recent gains. The key for the breakout above is the certainty of Fed rate cuts which would spark economic growth > earnings growth > and yes, share price growth.

As shared in recent commentaries, virtually no one is expecting a rate cut at the 1/31 Fed meeting. However, they will listen for any clue of how prepared the Fed is to cut in March, May or June.

Right now investors place nearly 50% odds on the first rate cut coming at the March 20^th meeting. That increases to 100% odds for the May 1^st meeting.

The danger here is that investors may be too optimistic about timing of rate cuts as they have stated they would rather cut too late…than too early allowing inflation to spark higher once again.

Helping to embolden investors was the PCE Prices reading last Thursday. As most of you know, this is the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge versus other readings like CPI.

Gladly Core PCE is now down to 2% inflation. Indeed that is their target level and explains why stocks have continued to rally since this key report.

Looking beyond the 1/31 Fed report investors should keep an eye on these key economic reports:

2/1 ISM Manufacturing: Weakness in some regional manufacturing reports like Empire State make this an important hurdle to clear.

2/2 Government Employment Situation: Even more important than the level of job adds and unemployment rate will be signs of wage inflation. Hopefully it is becoming less “sticky” than the past increasing the odds the Fed will cut rates as early as March.

2/5 ISM Services: Hoping the healthiest part of the economy stays on a growth path.

2/13 CPI & 2/16 PPI: Widely followed inflation reports that need to keep ebbing lower. Just remember Core PCE is the Fed’s favored inflation reading.

Trading Plan & Top Picks

The long term trajectory is bullish. Thus, when I say that stocks likely find resistance at 5,000 doesn’t mean you should sell out of stocks at that level.

Rather, just a good time to review your positions and take profits on overinflated ones that likely will see larger rounds of profit taking at that time. Subsequently, it’s a great time to load up on the best picks for the next leg higher.

Given that January was a bit too mega cap tech heavy…then still believe that the path forward is better paved with small and mid cap growth stocks that have a bit more of a value bias.

That is precisely what I got dialed up in the Reitmeister Total Return portfolio that has outperformed by a wide margin ever since this latest bull run began in November 2023.

What are my favorite stocks now? Read on below for more…

What To Do Next?

Discover my current portfolio of 12 stocks packed to the brim with the outperforming benefits found in our exclusive POWR Ratings model. (Nearly 4X better than the S&P 500 going back to 1999)

This includes 5 under the radar small caps recently added with tremendous upside potential.

Plus I have 1 special ETF that is incredibly well positioned to outpace the market in the weeks and months ahead.

This is all based on my 43 years of investing experience seeing bull markets…bear markets…and everything between.

If you are curious to learn more, and want to see these lucky 13 hand selected trades, then please click the link below to get started now.

Steve Reitmeister’s Trading Plan & Top Picks >

Wishing you a world of investment success!

Steve Reitmeister…but everyone calls me Reity (pronounced “Righty”)
CEO, StockNews.com and Editor, Reitmeister Total Return

SPY shares fell $1.01 (-0.21%) in after-hours trading Tuesday. Year-to-date, SPY has gained 3.28%, versus a % rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.

About the Author: Steve Reitmeister

Steve is better known to the StockNews audience as “Reity”. Not only is he the CEO of the firm, but he also shares his 40 years of investment experience in the Reitmeister Total Return portfolio. Learn more about Reity’s background, along with links to his most recent articles and stock picks. More...

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