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Comments For The Week Beginning January 7, 2008

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 The New Year has started out with a thud. Typical of Venus moving towards a square with Saturn this weekend, many stock indices of the world ended the first week of 2008 with substantial declines. As stated in last week’s column, “… traders may want to concentrate on the Venus-Saturn square of Sunday, January 6. Any markets declining into that signature could complete a bottoming formation, and ready themselves for a rally. When Saturn coincides with a depression in values, that depression oftentimes lifts when the aspect separates. Venus rules values, such as stocks.” Almost as if on automatic pilot, stocks started selling off on the first trading day of the year, and continued their decline right into the end of the week.

 In the United States, the sell-off in equities was evident all week. Near the end of the prior week the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up to 13,563, and appearing on the verge of a thrust to new all-time highs. By the end of this week, the DJIA was down to 12,800, flirting with the neckline of a “head and shoulders” chart formation, and about 75 points above its double bottom low of November 26. A break of that trendline may finally lead to the kind of a washout usually seen when 4-year cycle troughs unfold. The only problem is that we are now entering the 6th year, something we haven’t seen since 1938 when the DJIA lost 50% of its value in an “expanded” 4-year cycle. In all cases since the early 1890’s, 4-year cycles happen in 3-5 year increments. And yes, one might say that in the case of all other world indices (Europe, Asia), the 4-year cycle bottomed in 2003 and not 2002, so it would still be “on time.” But I think this is a case of cycle distortion, which tells us something about the longer-term cycles yet that are soon to unfold.

 Severe sell-offs were also noted in Japan, where the Nikkei “gapped down” last week and fell to its lowest level since June 2006. In fact, it is now in the vicinity of challenging the 14,045 level recorded at that time, which was the last 18.5-month cycle trough. In Switzerland, the Swiss stock index fell to 8109 intraday on Friday, just barely above its yearly low of 8081 back on November 21. All other U.S. and European markets ended the week considerably above their lows of November. And in case of India, the NIFTY stock index actually made a new all-time on Friday, briefly touching 6300.

What does this tell us? It suggests that as depressing as it seemed in some countries, the indices of other counties were not quite so bad. In fact, we may see some indices making new multi-month and maybe even yearly lows at this time, but they may not be confirmed by other indices, thus creating cases of bullish intermarket divergence. If these markets do in fact reverse upwards by early this coming week, it will show yet another instance where Financial Astrology and pattern recognition studies worked very well together.

Last week was notable in other markets too. Crude Oil touched 100.00 for the first time ever, with a high of 100.09 in the nearby contract on Thursday. Gold also achieved a new all-time high on Thursday, with the February contract notching 872. And the Dollar fell hard again. By the end of the week, the Euro currency was approaching 1.4800, not far off its all-time high of 1.4966 recorded back in late November.

Short-Term Geocosmics

 The Venus-Saturn square ends this Sunday, January 6. This offers hopes for the bulls. But the next aspect is another Venus square, this time to Uranus, on the following weekend, January 12. What is interesting here is that this is the first case of a faster moving planet translating the most significant aspect coming up this year: Saturn in opposition to Uranus. Thus this offers us a preview of what we might expect when this longer-term planetary signature unfolds five times between November 4, 2008 (Election Day) and July 26, 2010. By the looks of last week, it will not be pretty. For now, these two planets are about 7 degrees away from exactness, and they will widen that distance over the next few months. But come October and November, they will start their 45-year cyclical havoc on human affairs, and this will last nearly two years.

 This coming week will also feature a new moon at 17 degrees of Capricorn on Tuesday. This is where transiting Jupiter will be on Election Day, November 4, 2008. In fact, the Moon will also return to this position at the start of election day too (a lunar return to this new moon), Consequently we are getting a preview of what this election holds in the next two weeks, during the waxing phase (new moon through the full moon), in effect January 8 through 22. Any candidate who gains momentum during this period has a good chance of being on the ballot in November. Based on this principle, it would seem that New Hampshire (and other primaries taking place prior to January 22) may be more reflective of what to expect in November than Iowa was this past week – unless of course, these primaries mirror the Iowa results. But I wouldn’t rest on those results if I were Obama or Huckabee.

Longer-Term Thoughts

 Jupiter and Saturn will commence the first of their three trine aspects in earth signs later this month (January 21). Not only that, but Saturn is now retrograde, and will move within one degree of a trine to Pluto in April-May. According to the studies I reported in “The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, Volume 2: Geocosmic Correlations to Investment Cycles,” there is a strong correlation to 4-year cycles in U.S. stocks within one month of the first or second passage of this transiting aspect. January 21 is actually the third of five passages, which is most unusual. But it is the first to happen in the earth signs, so traders and investors need to pay close attention to this and the next passage, which takes place September 8, just one day after the Jupiter retrograde ends. As we look at the stock market, it is apparent that there is no 4-year cycle crest happening right now. But if the DJIA breaks below 12,500, a case can be made that a 4-year cycle trough may be forming.

 With Jupiter in Capricorn, home of Saturn and ruling sign of such things as real estate and government, it would seem that the economic leaders of this nation could resolve the sub-prime mortgage crisis that is currently spooking the markets. And with Saturn retrograding back to a trine to Pluto in April-May, when the second Jupiter-Saturn trine unfolds this year as well, it would seem like this could all soon be a distant memory, for Pluto rules debt and the trine is a favorable aspect in terms of Mundane Astrology. In other words, I think there is fear in the market place right now, and it may even lead to an expanded 4-year cycle trough in the next few weeks and even days. But I am not yet convinced that this is “the big one,” just yet. There is plenty of reason to still have faith in Bernanke and Paulsen, and their capacity to conjure up magic and pull the stock market out of these doldrums. In fact, I would not be surprised to see them announce some new effort designed to do just that within the next 1-3 weeks. As stated time and time again, this fire-sign duo doesn’t want a recession or stock market collapse on their watch. And I still believe they have the power and the will to do something to avoid it prior to the November elections. Of course, Jupiter is now in earth signs, and not the fire signs to which they belong, so perhaps their magic is leaving them. I wouldn’t bet on that, though. I think there are yet other ploys to try, and they could realize more successes yet this year.

 After the election, however, anything is possible. That’s when the 45-year Saturn-Uranus oppositions begin, and last through much of 2010.

 

Announcements

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 The monthly SOS Global Stock Market Cycles Report comes out this week. As noted above, this report will be discontinued after June 2010. But you won’t want to miss these last special issues, which cover the long-term cyclical outlook of major world stock indices, including DJIA, NASDAQ, DAX, AEX, Hang Seng, All Ordinaries of Australia, and the XAU Gold and Silver Mining index. It also covers short-term analysis with a generous discussion on forthcoming geocosmic signatures. As you read above, you may receive these last four issues for free if you sign up for a one-year subscription to the MMA Cycles Report. You will also receive free the first four issues of the new MMA German-Swiss Stock Market Cycles Report. This is a great deal you will not want to miss if you have been thinking of subscribing to the MMA Cycles Report.

 Please note that I will be giving two lectures in Arizona in March. The first will be Friday, March 12 in Tucson, 7:30 – 9:00 PM. Please contact 520-625-5762 or gaelchi@dishmail.net for reservations and location information. The second will take place in Scottsdale, Friday, March 26, 7:00 – 9:30 PM. Contact 602-952-1525, or as aboard@azastrology.org for reservation and location details. The title of the presentations will be “FORECASTS 2010 AND THE USA ECONOMY.” These presentations will discuss the importance of the “Cardinal Climax,” an unusual planetary pattern that will be in force 2008-2015, with its strongest astrological set up taking place in the summer of 2010. This set up affects the charts of the USA, Barack Obama, and the Federal Reserve. As each of these entities undergoes radical changes, it will also correspond to powerful movements in financial markets and the world economy. This is a year in which tremendous profits, or losses, can be realized, related to Jupiter conjunct Uranus cycle which begins in 2010.

 September 1-8, 2011: Bali! "Financial Astrology" Intensive workshop with Raymond Merriman, and "Mundane Astrology" with Claude Weiss. For more information on this unique week-long intensive and incredible South Pacific paradise adventure, go to http://www.heavenandearthworkshops.com/financial.html.

 

If you are an active short-term trader, you may be interested in our Weekly or even Daily Market reports with short-term trading recommendations. It is the only way I keep in touch with traders on a daily or even weekly basis, as I no longer offer personal consultations. These reports give in-depth analysis of the DJIA, S&P and NASDAQ futures, Euro currency (cash and futures), Swiss Franc, Dollar/Yen cash and Yen futures, T-Notes, Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Gold and Silver. The daily reports cover all stock indices listed above, as well as futures in Euro, T-Notes, Soybeans, Gold and Silver. Subscription to the daily report also includes the weekly report. For more information, go to http://www.mmacycles.com/services, or call our offices at 1-248-626-3034. In the words of one of our subscribers: “I recently subscribed to your weekly report and am finding it to be excellent and a very useful companion to the MMA Cycles Report.  I can't imagine now managing my investments without them.”

CD’S, MP3’s, DVD’S, and webcast viewing of the Forecast 2010 speech will be available in about a week. The Forecast 2010 Webcast Speech took place December 20, 2009. We are offering a CD or MP3 download that contains the audio only. You can also view the webcast again in it’s entirety as a one-time download from Vibation until January 25, 2010. And it will be available in a DVD edited edition too. The cost for any of these recordings will be $45.00 and an additional postage charge if ordering in audio CD or edited DVD format. For further information, go to our website at www.mmacycles.com (it will be up sometime this week). Or drop us an email (ordersmma@msn.com) or fax (248-538-5296), or call us at 1-248-626-3034. “Thank You - it’s very thoughtful and thanks you for sharing your knowledge. A whole new world opened for me.” Attendee to the Forecast 2010 webcast.
 
  The Forecast 2010 book are out!!! For more information, visit our web site at www.mmacycles.com. “Kudos… the 2010 forecasts – you’ve outdone yourself - I see Jupiter is playing a role not anticipated (if I recall correctly) last year .... it all clicks.” RR, Santa Fe

The MMA Catalogue of products and services for 2010 is now out!!! You can download it in PDF at http://www.mmacycles.com/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,161/Itemid,63/. The ordering page is the last page of the catalogue. This is especially useful for those outside of the USA, since we do not send these by snail mail unless requested.

MMA is currently preparing a listing of astrology books on its web site for readers to consider in their education of this unique study. The initial offering can be seen on our web site at www.mmacycles.com, under Astrology Books.

Disclaimer and statement of purpose:

The purpose of this column is not to predict the future movement of various financial markets. However, that is the purpose of the MMA (Merriman Market Analyst) subscription services. This column is not a subscription service. It is a free service, except in those cases where a fee may be assessed to cover the cost of translating this column from English into a non-English language.

This weekly report is written with the intent to educate the reader on the relationship between astrological factors and collective human activities as they are happening. In this regard, this report will oftentimes report what happened in various stock and financial markets throughout the world in the past week, and discuss that movement in light of the geocosmic signatures that were in effect. It will then identify the geocosmic factors that will be in effect in the next week, or even month, or even years, and the author’s understanding of how these signatures will likely affect human activity in the times to come. The author (Merriman) will do this from a perspective of a cycle’s analyst looking at the military, political, economic, and even financial markets of the world.

It is possible that some forecasts will be made based on these factors. However, the primary goal is to both educate and alert the reader as to the psychological climate we are in, from an astrological perspective. The hope is that it will help the reader understand these psychological dynamics that underlie (or coincide with) the news events and hence financial markets of the day.

No guarantee as to the accuracy of this report is being made here. Any decisions in financial markets are solely the responsibility of the reader, and neither the author nor the publishers assume any responsibility at all for those individual decisions. Reader should understand that futures and options trading are considered high risk.

Copyright MMACycles 2007; you may link to this site or page, but you may not distribute these texts in any way (by email or otherwise).

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