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MMA Comments for the Week Beginning December 20, 2010
Written by Raymond Merriman   

Note: Due to the holiday seasons, the columns of the next two weeks will be very brief.

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 With Mercury retrograde and the High Holiday season approaching, not even triple witching options expiration on Friday, or the Sun in a hard aspect to both Jupiter and Uranus , could jolt the equity markets into any kind of meaningful activity. The range for the week in most markets was surprisingly small. This is unusual because transits involving Jupiter and Uranus more often produce big range days, especially when the Sun is in the expansive sign of Sagittarius.

 Several of the world stock indices did make new multi-month or multi-year highs in the past week, such as the German DAX, FTSE, NASDAQ Composite, and Dow Jones Industrial Average. But they did not follow through to the upside. Others fell slightly to new multi-month lows, like the Hang Seng of Hong Kong and Bovespa of Brazil. But they didn’t fall sharply. In other words, these “breakouts” to new highs or lows were not very impressive, which brings out one of the important characteristics of Mercury retrograde. That is, markets oftentimes do take out important support or resistance. But instead of being legitimate “breakouts,” these market moves fizzle and often turn into “fake outs.” This may be the case again, especially as we now enter the center of the retrograde time band.

 Gold and Silver attempted to resume their bull markets early in the week, but they too fizzled out after Tuesday, December 14. Neither made a new yearly high. The picture was the same in foreign currencies against the U.S. Dollar, as well as Crude Oil. No new highs and no new lows. All in all, it was a week in which a lot of mundane and political discussion took place, but little to show for it in the market place.

Short-Term Geocosmics

 The markets may appear to be hibernating, but the geocosmic activity is far from being quiet. More than likely, the relationship of geocosmic activity to human activity may be a reflection of contradictory forces in the heavens, and messages on earth.

 Monday, December 20, finds Mercury at the midpoint in its retrograde time band of December 10-30. This is a point where reversals tend to happen in financial markets that did not reverse near the start of the retrograde. Are there any markets that have just continued to rise or fall in the past week? Well, yes. One could say the stock markets of the Untied States, Germany, and England have slowly continued to gain. According to this Mercury retrograde midpoint, they might be primed for a decline now. On the other hand, the stock markets of Hong Kong and Brazil have continued to fall. They might be poised to rally. Yes, I know, it sounds crazy, because they are all related. Mercury retrograde doesn’t care. A more interesting market to watch now might be the Treasuries (T-Notes and T-Bonds), which have fallen sharply since early November. They might be poised for sudden rally now. On Friday, December 17, one trading before the midpoint, that rally may have started.

 After this week, our attention will focus on the third and final conjunction between Jupiter and Uranus, which takes place on January 4. With the Sun translating both Jupiter and Uranus in a square aspect, December 16-18, we may be getting a glimpse of what to expect right now. That is, if there is to be a mid-Mercury retrograde reversal this week, it may be brief, and prices might be right back again in the first day or two of trading next year. And then a more sustained reversal might commence.

Longer-Term Thoughts

 A few weeks ago I was a special guest speaker for the traders of ICE (Intercontinental Exchange). I spoke on the future of the U.S. Dollar, which is one of their primary markets. When I introduced the subject of Financial Astrology as a correlate of cycles in the U.S. Dollar market, the questions came in earnest. I was quite amazed at their interest. They were quite amazed with my responses to their questions. It was a great interaction, but I thought I would share with you one of the areas that came up, which has nothing to do with finances. It had to do with the Star of Bethlehem. Yes, I was surprised too! Here I am, talking about cycles and the U.S. Dollar index, and they wanted to know about Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh, and the birth of Jesus. And so, since it is the Christmas season, let me share with you the Christmas story I discussed with them.

 According to the Bible, the wise men (astrologers) saw a bright star in the sky, probably in the west. They believed from their studies (astrology) that it meant a king was to be born. The star disappeared for several months and then it reappeared in the east, brighter than ever, and they followed it to Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary were there too, for they had to pay their taxes demanded by King Herod. We have the same problem today, but that’s another story.

 The bright star in the skies was most likely the 20-year conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, in Pisces, the sign of the fish. Jupiter and Saturn are the furthest out planets that are visible to the human eye, and until the discovery of Uranus in the late 18th century, were the most important of the planetary pair cycles to mundane astrologers. Pisces is the sign associated with spiritual matters, and even saviors or martyrs. Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions have long ago been considered the dynamics of sound and measured judgment, or wisdom. But it is believed by some that when their conjunction occurs in the sign of Pisces, it pertains to spiritual wisdom and the birth of spiritual and judicial leaders. 

 The conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces took place three times in 6 B.C. (May 27, September 29, and December 3), according to the Tables of Planetary Phenomena, written by Neil F. Michelsen in 1990, and published by ACS Publications of San Diego, CA. This is quite possible because Herod, the Roman King at the time who demanded his citizens pay their taxes in Bethlehem, died in 4 B.C. Jesus of Nazareth could not have been born after 4 B.C.

 But if Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces comprised the “bright star” that the wise men followed, at what time of the year would “the birth” have taken place? You can forget about the idea that the birth occurred on December 25 (even though that is MY birthday), or the belief of many astrologers that Jesus was born under the sign of Pisces. There was no “bright star” in the skies then for the wise men to follow for a long trip to Bethlehem. A “bright star” of a planet is “brightest” when it in opposition to the Sun. That is, in the darkest part of the day (midnight), any star (or planet) in opposition to the Sun will be at its brightest. When the Sun is close to the same sign as the planet or star, you won’t see it for long, if at all, because it will rise and set with the Sun. So if Jupiter and Saturn were in middle to late Pisces in 6 BC, it would have shown in the night skies as a bright star when the Sun was within one sign of Virgo, the sign opposite Pisces. That implies the birth would most likely have taken place in August, September or October (Leo, Virgo, or Libra). It just so happens that Libra (along with Pisces) is known as the sign of Peace, which would be fitting for a historical character known as the “Prince of Peace.”

 Now lest you think that Jupiter and Saturn oftentimes conjunct in Pisces, think again. Jupiter and Saturn conjunct in the same element for about 200 years at a time. That means they only conjunct in water signs (like Pisces) every fourth 200-year period. Once they leave the water element, they don’t return again for approximately 600-800 years. Following the 6 B.C. instance, Jupiter and Saturn did not conjunct in Pisces again until three separate passes in 729-848, followed by four instances between 1464 and 1643. It will be another two centuries before we get our next possible spiritual savior based on these astrological dynamics.

 What does this have to do with Financial Astrology and today’s markets? Not much. But then again, there is not much happening in financial markets as we approach this current holiday season anyway. And so it gives me a chance to tell you the story about the most famous astrologers in history: the three wise men (Melchior, Gasper, and Balthazar), the star they followed (Jupiter and Saturn), and the course of civilization these factors spawned. And besides, the traders of the U.S. Dollar index on the ICE exchange wanted to know. To my most pleasant surprise, they were very open-minded and interested in the oldest study known to mankind: astrology. Truth never dies, and hope is eternal.

 Have a happy and wonderful holiday season.

 

Announcements

Announcements

More of the research papers by students of MMTA from Course 1 (Cycles and Patterns in Financial Markets) will be posted on MMTA’s website at www.merrimanmta.com, under “Student Research.” The latest involve papers on the long-, intermediate-, and short-term cycles (and future projections) in Sugar. Yet to come are studies on Platinum, Soybeans and Corn. I think you will be as impressed as I am with the quality of work these students are performing already.


The next MMTA course will take place June 15-17, 2013 at the Michigan Education Center (MEC) in Troy, Michigan. Once again, it will be available as a webinar to those who wish to attend but cannot be there physically. This course is titled “Geocosmic Correlation to Investment Cycles in Financial Markets.” It will examine the correlation of Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, and the Moon’s North Nodes to long-term trends and their cycle troughs and crests in many financial markets, including stock indices and precious metals, going back over 200 years. The cost of this webinar (for non-MMTA students and apprentices) is $2750. For further information and/or registration, please go to http://www.merrimanmta.com/course_two.shtml, or call MMA at 1-248-626-3034. Registration for this course will end June 12.

If you are an active short-term trader, or even if you are an investor who likes to keep up with our current thoughts on financial markets, you may be interested in our Weekly or even Daily Market reports with position trading and aggressive trading recommendations. It is the only way I keep in touch with traders on a daily or even weekly basis. These weekly reports give in-depth analysis of the DJIA, S&P and NASDAQ futures, Euro currency (cash and futures), Dollar/Yen cash and Yen futures, Euro-Yen cash, T-Notes, Crude Oil, Soybeans, Gold and Silver. The daily reports cover all stock indices listed above, as well as futures in Euro, T-Notes, Gold and Silver, plus GLD and SLV (the Gold and Silver ETF’s). Both reports provide trading strategies and recommendations for position traders as well as for shorter-term aggressive traders. 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. These reports are extremely valuable to those who trade ETF’s (Exchange Traded Funds). In the words of one of our subscribers: “I am really pleased with your recommendations through the Daily and Weekly Trade Recommendations.  I have used them to trade gold and silver stocks in my IRA.  In the last eight years, I increased my account from $60,000 to $850,000.  Thanks for your excellent publications.” - Bryden C., Small Business Owner, Illinois.

The monthly MMA Cycles Report and its companions – the MMA Japan Cycles Report and MMA European Cycles Report – came out last week. If you are a subscriber and did not receive your report, contact us immediately. This report covers our longer-term analysis of the U.S. stock market, precious metals, crude oil, currencies, Treasury Notes, and grain markets. The MMA Japan Cycles report covers the Nikkei, JGB Bonds, and the Dollar-Yen. The new MMA European Cycles Report covers the German DAX, Swiss SMI, and Netherlands AEX, each in English only, and will be available on Wednesday. For further information and subscription, go to http://www.mmacycles.com/catalogue/subscription-services/mma-cycles-report/.

If you are interested in a review of Course 1 of MMTA that took place April 6-8, please visit http://www.mmacycles.com/the-news/about-mma/a-review-of-the-mmta-course-1--by-henry-canciglia/. Or go to the www.mmacycles.com website and scroll down the first page. Henry Canciglia has an extensive background in the U.S. political and intelligence community. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point. Henry is one of the 15 apprentices for the two-year MMTA course.

The April 6-8 webinar and live presentation on “Cycles and Chart Patterns in Financial Markets” has been completed. The DVD of this extraordinary event will be available in about one-two weeks. The LMS (Learning Management System) will also be available for uploading to new students who want to avail themselves of this training over the next two years. The LMS is expected to be available in about 5 weeks. You may now pre-order the DVD at http://www.mmacycles.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=421&Itemid=61. If you wish to place your order directly, please call Maureen Hogan or Amber Lundsten at 1-248-626-3034, or email to mhogan@merrimanmta.com. The cost of the DVD or the LMS will be $3000. It includes the very valuable 130+-page workbook, which follows right along with the DVD and LMS program.

Following the last MMTA workshop in April, MMA entered into an official affiliation with MetaStock. As most of our subscribers know, MetaStock has been my preferred market analysis tool for several years now, along with FAR for the Galactic Trader (they work together nicely).  I particularly appreciate the crispness of their graphics, excellent scanning capabilities, and wide range of technical indicators that I use in the analysis of our various reports. As part of our affiliation, MetaStock is offering special discount and free trial to all MMA readers and subscribers. If you would like to try a free trial of Metastock in order to view and evaluate their charting software, please go to www.metastock.com/merriman. Let us know what you think.

The DVD of the MMTA pre-training workshop on “How to Read an Ephemeris” is also now available! The cost of the 8-set, 10+ hour DVD packet, is $395.00 plus postage, and will include the workbook. If you are a trader, analyst, or student interested in enhancing your skills in market timing, or if you are considering applying for admittance to the MMA Market Timing Academy (MMTA), then this DVD is highly recommended. To order this DVD, please go to     http://www.mmacycles.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=379&Itemid=48.  You may also call or email us at 1-248-626-3034, or orders@mmacycles.com.  

Events:

May 30-June 2, 2013: Great Lakes Astrology Conference, Ann Arbor, MI. Featuring internationally known astrologers, Michael Lutin, Chris McRae, Monica Dimino, Glenn Perry, Lea and Aleksandar Imsiragic, Sandra Leigh Serio, and Raymond Merriman. For further information, please contact Pamela Wenzel at jcweipw@juno.com, or magnum1593@gmail.com, or visit their website at http://www. greatlakesastrology.com.   

June 15-17, 2013: MMTA Course 2: “Geocosmic Correlations to Long-Term Cycles in Financial Markets” with Raymond Merriman. Location: MEC Technical Center of Michigan State University, Troy, Michigan. This will be available as a webinar to non-MMTA students and apprentices fro $2750.00.

August 10-12, 2013: MMTA Course 3: “Geocosmic Correlations to Primary and Trading Cycles in Financial Markets” with Raymond Merriman. Location: MEC Technical Center of Michigan State University, Troy, Michigan.


October 12-14, 2013: MMTA Course 4: “Solar-Lunar Correlations to Short-Term Reversals in Financial Markets” with Raymond Merriman. Location: MEC Technical Center of Michigan State University, Troy, Michigan.

 

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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