Menu Content

Merriman Market Analyst

Home arrow Weekly Preview arrow MMA Comments for the Week Beginning January 11, 010
Advertisement
Please note:
This is not the same as our service titled
"MMA Weekly Comments and Recommendations on Financial Markets"
which is available by subscription only.
Flowchart on MMA Products and Services
MMA Comments for the Week Beginning January 11, 010
Written by Raymond Merriman   


Review and Preview

 The year started out in typical Mercury retrograde fashion.  The end of the prior week - the end of last year - witnessed a new yearly high, but then a sharp sell-off into the close of the week. The technical set up was for equities to sell off this week. Yet, as stated in last week’s column, “You would think stock markets would now come down, given that many made new yearly highs last week, but then sold off sharply at the end. And perhaps they might…. many technical signals also started to lose their bullish momentum, suggesting that at least a corrective decline should now be in process. But traders and Financial Astrologers must remember one thing: both Mars and Mercury are now retrograde. Thus there are apt to be many false buy and sell signals. Technical sell signals at the end of last week could fall into this category of being a “trick” from the trickster, Mercury retrograde. It could be a false signal.” Indeed it was. By the end of this past week – the first trading week of the New Year – almost all indices bounced right back and made new yearly highs.

 In Europe, the Netherlands AEX, German DAX, and Switzerland SMI indices had all made new yearly highs by Tuesday. Then they started to pull back, but rallied again into Friday. In Asia and the Pacific Rim, all but the Hang Seng of Hong Kong made new yearly highs last week. Japan and Australia finally made new yearly highs after struggling for several months. In the Americas, all stock indices made new yearly highs too. But there is a concern in Argentina where an all-out battle is erupting between the President and the head of their Central Bank. On Thursday, President Christina Kirchner fired bank President Martin Redrado, “… setting up a showdown between Argentina’s executive branch and the opposition-controlled Congress, whose leaders have maintained that Mr. Redrado can’t be removed without legislative consultation,” according to Friday’s Wall Street Journal. This is the kind of battle we would expect between the Federal Reserve Board and the USA Congress, given the powerful Saturn-Pluto transits going on right now to the FRB chart. But we may see these kinds of battles between government and central banks happening all over the world, a symptom of the waning square between Saturn (government) and Pluto (banks), in effect October 2009 through August 2010. The problem, of course, is debt, which is the major domain of Pluto.

 Crude Oil prices continued their rally to new yearly highs as well, as they exceeded 83.00/barrel, above the previous yearly high of 82.00 seen on October 21. Gold and Silver rallied as well, but Gold is meeting much resistance around 1140.

Short-Term Geocosmics

 As pointed out earlier, both Mars and Mercury are now retrograde, which has a history of exhibiting many false buy and sell signals. Mercury will be in retrograde through January 15, which ends on this Friday’s solar eclipse. The stock and Crude Oil markets have been mostly up before and during this Mercury retrograde time band. Usually a market will suddenly reverse before Mercury ends its retrograde motion in cases like this. We witnessed that in Soybeans, which topped out on Monday, and then sold off sharply into the end of the week.

 In addition to Mercury and Mars, Saturn will also turn retrograde on Wednesday, January 13. This is one of the more important planetary stations, which has a 65% historical correspondence to primary cycles within a range of 13 trading days. Within 4 trading days, an isolated low or high tends to form after which prices reverse at least 4%. The rate of frequency of this phenomenon is 70%. It is considered a Level One signature, the highest ranking of geocosmic signatures correlating with price reversals in U.S. stock indices, per the criteria set for in “The Ultimate Book in Stock Market Timing Volume 3: Geocosmic Correlations to Trading Cycles.”  

Saturn stations at this time of the year can also coincide with extremely cold temperatures, as pinpointed in our “Forecast 2010” book. Unfortunately this is already coming true, as Florida’s citrus crop (orange and juice market) is threatened with serious damage due to the unusual freezing temperatures now hitting the Sunshine state.

Longer-Term Thoughts

This may be an especially challenging time for many people in many walks of life right now. In the study of astrology, Capricorn and its ruling planet Saturn pertains to “struggles.” It takes serious concentration and commitment to see a project through to its successful completion. When these two principles are highlighted, nothing comes easy, everything is scrutinized, and intentions are oftentimes severely criticized. It is hard to please any party, let alone all parties, when Saturn and Capricorn are emphasized in the cosmos.

Most readers know that the Sun is now in Capricorn. But so are Mercury, Venus, and Pluto, which accounts for 40% of the planetary and luminary bodies that astrologers study. But that is not all. Friday, January 15, will find an annular solar eclipse occurring in 25 degrees of Capricorn, conjunct Venus. Just two days earlier, Saturn (ruler of Capricorn) will turn retrograde, still in a very close square aspect to Pluto (less than one degree apart). Saturn in Libra is also in what is called a “mutual reception” to Venus (stocks and currencies) in Capricorn. They are in one another’s ruling signs, which further highlight the characteristics of both planets and signs. This week may be very important in terms of reversals in these markets.

The solar eclipse intensifies the qualities of the sign it is in, and the qualities of any planet it aspects. A planet that is close to its station (i.e. changing from retrograde to direct, or vice-versa) also finds its characteristics highlighted in terms of human activity. Thus we will find the next few days to be very intense and challenging in terms of the principles associated with Mercury (which turns from retrograde to direct on January 15), Saturn (which turns from direct to retrograde on January 13), and Venus (which is in mutual reception to Saturn, and conjunct the solar eclipse in Capricorn, Saturn’s sign).

The first signs of this challenge appeared today in the employment reports, which were very disappointing. Mercury is the ruler of Virgo, which pertains to employment. The number of jobs lost last month was much greater than anticipated in Friday’s report, and unemployment remained at an unacceptably high level of 10%. Mercury also rules communications, and the latest update on the failed Christmas terrorist attack reveals a “systemic failure” to communicate effectively between the various branches of the USA intelligence divisions. The result will be more delays (Saturn) in air travel (Mercury) as security measures will now be intensified (Pluto squared by Saturn). But perhaps even more worrisome is the fact that politicians are using this “systemic failure” as a means for political opportunism, rather than banding together and trying to find a workable solution that will make air travel safer. It’s the “blame game,” which is absolutely the lowest form of the Mercury-Saturn expression.

Under such signatures, it is hard to imagine that equity levels can continue to rally much higher before pulling back. After all, these are the kind of signatures that pertain to worries about the future. We may see a slew of reports (Mercury) coming out shortly that are not as optimistic as hoped for, much like Friday’s payroll report. However, if the leaders of the world and their intelligence agencies can keep their eye on the goal – if they can remain focused and committed to their duty and not get caught up in the ‘blame game” – these “systemic risks” can be corrected and the travel experience can become both safe and more efficient. These next two weeks may be a challenge to see just how much has been learnt from this latest “Christmas terrorism” episode. Coincidentally, the attempted terrorist act occurred midway between the first two passages of the Saturn-Pluto waning square. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attack also occurred midway between the first two passages of the last hard aspect between Saturn and Pluto. In fact, for Mundane Astrologers, you may find the transits of this attempted act of terrorism closely aligned with the transits on September 11, 2001. You may be quite surprised at their relationship.

 

Announcements

A new MMA Cycles Report, and a New Special Offer!!! Good until June 2010 (but the special perks are greatest in March!). The special offer is this: all new one-year subscriptions to the MMA Cycles Report will also receive free the SOS Global Markets Report through June 2010! That’s an additional value of $115.00 for the next 4 months. Why? Because June 2010 will mark our last publication of the “SOS Global Markets Report.” We are instead starting up a new report for our European subscribers that will be called the “MMA German-Swiss Stock Market Cycles Report.” It will be a 2-4 page report issued monthly, 1-2 days after the MMA Cycles Report. It will contain detailed cyclical, geocosmic, and technical analysis of the German DAX and Swiss SMI stock indices. The cost of this new report is $195.00/year, $95.00/4 months, or $50.00/2 months, with automatic renewal options. BUT…. All new one-year subscriptions to the MMA Cycles Report will also receive free introductory issues of this new MMA German-Swiss Cycles Report through June too!!! That is an additional value of $95.00 for this special offer. Order one year of MMA Cycles of $295, and you will receive the next 4 months of SOS and the first 4 months of the new MMA German-Swiss Market Cycles report too for free! For more information, please go to the front page of our web site at www.mmacycles.com. Or call us at 1-248-626-3034. Don’t delay! Sign up now and save big bucks!!!

  The monthly SOS Global Stock Market Cycles Report went out last week. If you subscribe to this report and did not get it, call or email us at once (248-626-3034, ordersmma@msn.com). This is 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 this last issue and the next three issues for free if you sign up for a one-year subscription to the MMA Cycles Report at this time. 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).

Archives

Previous weeklies (2006) are archived at www.olmta.com

For other language editions of MMA´s weekly comments:


Owners of websites:

This Weekly Market Climate is available for co-branding. Call 1-800-662-3349 for details.