Weekly Preview MMA Commentsfor the Week Beginning February 22, 2010 
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| MMA Commentsfor the Week Beginning February 22, 2010 |
| Written by Raymond Merriman | |
Review and PreviewWorld equity indices rallied most of last week, following their troughs (lows) of the week before. However, the rallies weren’t large enough to confirm the lows of February 5-9 as primary or greater cycle troughs. On the other hand, if these rallies continue for two more weeks, then they will probably confirm the lows of early February as not just primary cycle bottoms, but even the 50-week cycle trough. Thus, stock indices are in a very important stage right now. In Asia and the Pacific Rim, the rallies were quite mixed. In India’s Nifty and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index, the rally from the prior week lasted until Wednesday, February 17. In Australia, the high of the week fell on last Thursday. In Japan, the Nikkei topped out Friday, but then it sold off somewhat sharply to close near the low of the week, following the announcement of the increase in the Fed discount rate. In Europe, the stock market was bullish all week. Each of the four major indices we track topped out on Friday, February 19. In the Americas, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, NASDAQ Composite, and Bovespa of Brazil all made their weekly highs on Friday. The Merval of Argentina made its weekly high of Thursday. There is nothing yet to indicate that the rally in any of these markets is completed. In fact, the translation of Venus and the Sun over the former Jupiter-Neptune conjunction remains in force through this week. As discussed before, these translations are in effect February 8-28. Crude Oil has rallied in concert with stocks. The prior week found Crude prices down to 69.50. Last week saw prices back up to 79.95. Gold and Silver also rebounded from their lows of the prior week. In Gold, the high of the week was realized on Wednesday, but Silver continued higher in to Friday. However, currencies did not fare too well against the Dollar. The Euro currency, for instance, traded below 1.3500 during the day on Friday. This is most unusual, for precious metals and currencies tend to move together. But now, we see them decoupling. Gold and Silver are moving up against all currencies, which suggest something may be developing on the geopolitical front that is causing investors of all nations to demand more Gold and Silver. Maybe that something has to do with the progress of nuclear development in Iran. Short-Term GeocosmicsThe movement up in stock indices last week was not unexpected according to the principles of Financial Astrology. As discussed previously, the geocosmic signatures of February are quite benign, with first Venus, and the Sun, forming conjunctions to Neptune and Jupiter. The last of these “soft” aspects will happen next week, as the Sun will form its annual conjunction to Jupiter on February 28. Three days later, on March 3, Venus will form a conjunction to Uranus, which is more powerful in terms of stock market correlations. In fact, Venus and the Sun will both now start a translation to the Saturn-Uranus opposition. These translations will be in effect March 3-21. If we add the square to Pluto into the mix, it will last through March 25. One would anticipate that the period from March 3-25 will be entirely different in focus and market performance than February 8-28. The February period was benign, while the March time band may be much more intense and worrisome. After all, February highlighted the exuberant and hopeful Jupiter-Neptune dynamic. The March period will highlight the Saturn-Uranus-Pluto dynamic, which instead of being hopeful, has a stronger association with matters like debt, taxes, and “the unexpected.” In the context of “the unexpected,” there may be a slew of incidents involving nature, like high winds, electrical storms, and even earthquakes or volcano eruptions. It will mark the most powerful combination of geocosmic signatures in effect so far this New Year. Longer-Term ThoughtsI received some mail last week about my column in support of the Federal Reserve Board. It isn’t so much that I support the FRB as I support the leadership of Ben Bernanke. It really doesn’t matter so much (to me) which entity controls our nation’s money, as it does the integrity and honesty of the individual in charge of that role. But it is hard for me to conceive that anyone who is under the control of elected officials (White House or Congress) can be free from an inherent conflict of interest to the American people. Elected officials will tend to make decisions – or demand the Central Bank make decisions - that will enhance their chances of re-election, which may not always be in the long-term best interest of the nation and its economy. For instance, it is seldom popular to raise interest rates, and very few politicians would go on record to support an increase in interest rates. Yet, every time the economy comes under pressure, politicians are quick to point the finger at the Central Bank. The Federal Reserve Board was blamed by many politicians for the financial panic in September 2008 because it oversaw a very soft and accommodative monetary policy in the middle years of this decade. Yet it could just as easily be argued that it was the lax regulatory policies of the government itself over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that allowed for such risks to be taken b y banks, causing so many people to enter into mortgages they could not afford. It is important to bring these issues up now, because the geocosmic signatures of next month – and even into early 2011 – suggest these themes are about to explode again. The Federal Reserve Board can only control the dangers that they can foresee. The problem is that crises in banking occur where no one expects it to happen (well, afterwards, of course, everyone claims they saw it). But we know that Pluto in Capricorn - especially in the waning phase of the Saturn-Pluto cycle – pertains to financial crises related to out-of-control spending and hence debt explosions. Things can look rosy temporarily, but in fact spending and debt levels are not going down, and debt related problems will continually rise again to confront bankers and politicians alike. I suspect we will see this in March when 1) Mars goes direct, and 2) Venus and the Sun will translate the Saturn-Uranus-Pluto T-square. Mars retrograde is very interesting in terms of military actions too. In the past week, the USA has launched its new Afghan military initiative in the southern part of that country. The initial reports are very encouraging, which is what one would expect under the transit of the Sun and Venus to Neptune and Jupiter. As mentioned in a recent column, Barack Obama will stage a comeback in popularity during February, and he has. But Mars is retrograde, and usually this means that the aggressor will encounter more resistance and difficulties than anticipated. It will be with great interest that we watch the developments in Afghanistan when the transits to Jupiter and Neptune end, and the translations to Saturn-Uranus-Pluto begin, with Mars retrograde and about to go stationary direct (March 10). I think at that time we will begin to see if the new surge in Afghanistan is really a success, or on course to becoming another Viet Nam-like situation. We may see whether President Obama really is an effective commander in chief too. Right now it is hard to call. The start of the new military campaign started under a new moon and favorable fast-moving transits, which are positive. But it also started under the slower moving Mars retrograde, which to an astrologer is usually not the best time to launch a new war effort. It is a better signature to launch a peace initiative, and if there is one thing I would suggest to President Obama at this time, it would be to call together a summit of world leaders who truly want to end the threat of terrorism – who would form a powerful coalition against terrorism and sponsors of terrorist activities with the goal towards world peace. He could do it, and in my opinion, this may be his true calling in life. But he can’t do it alone, he can’t do it via twitter or a teleprompter where he speaks in front of large groups of fans in contrived photo opportunities, and he can’t sit back waiting for others to invite him to their summits. He needs to initiate the call, organize the event, and bring the leaders together by personal invitation. In my opinion, he needs to do this within the window of opportunity while Uranus and Jupiter are still in Pisces, which is in effect off and on for only the next year. After that, it is “Aries time,” potentially a time of wars and major disputes – unless these matters are addressed and agreed to before then. |
Announcements
The “Forecast 2012” webcast will take place on Sunday, February 19, starting at 1:00 PM EST (that’s 6:00 PM GMT or 10:00 AM PST). Via the modern technology of our webinar host, you can log onto this presentation on current markets (both long-term and short-term outlooks) and the political-psychological climate for 2012, in the comfort of your home or office. All you need is a computer with speakers. You can hear the speech and see the live presentation and slide show, complete with the charts as they are being discussed, on your computer screen. The cost for this special event is $45.00. If you are interested in being part of this unique live webcast, just register at the MMA Website (www.mmacycles.com) and scroll down the opening screen for the announcement. Or drop us an email (ordersmma@msn.com) or fax (248-538-5296), or call us at 1-248-626-3034. Instructions to log into this event will be sent upon making reservations. Reserve early (before February 17), for space will be limited.
Many of you have asked about DVD’s or CD’s on the “Forecast 2012 Mini-Congress on January 21 in Amsterdam that I participated in. On the program were also three other excellent speakers on the subject: Irma Schogt of Schogt Market Timing in Amsterdam, plus world renowned astrologer Katen Hammaker-Zondag (specialist in the future of the Euro zone and Euro currency) and Antonia Langsdorf, of Cologne, Germany, who wrote “The Eye of the Storm,” a best-selling rendition about the year 2012 from the point of view of Mayan schools and astrologers. These recording will soon be available through Irma Schogt. We will announce when they will be available, probably within the week. You check in with us next week, or contact Irma directly at www.markettiming.nl.
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, 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), Dollar/Yen cash and Yen futures, Euro-Yen cash, T-Notes, Crude Oil, Gold and Silver. The daily reports cover all stock indices listed above, as well as futures in Euro, T-Notes, Gold and Silver. 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 $712,000 (now $850,000). Thanks for your excellent publications.” - Bryden C., Small Business Owner, Illinois.
Copies of the printed version of Forecast 2012 are still available. There will be no additional printings, so when they are gone, they are gone. This year’s book is 200 pages – our largest ever – and packed full of information about the economy, USA Presidential election, social and economic trends, and of course, financial markets with their all-important three-star critical reversal dates (the one and two-star reversal dates are covered in the MMA Cycles Report, as well as weekly reports). For further information, please go to the front page of our web site at www.mmacycles.com, Or call us at 1-248-626-3034.
The E-Book version of the Forecast 2012 Book is now out as well in two different formats. The first is our own version, which contains both the text and the calendar-ephemeris for 2012. The cost for this is $55.00, or $35.00, depending on whether you also ordered the printed version too. The second is through Apple iTunes, which covers iPhone 4 and 4S, and the iPad, and also Amazon.com Kindle. The cost is $39.99. It does not contain the advertisements or the planetary calendar and ephemeris in the back. You can now order it if you have an email address registered via one of these 9 countries (USA, UK, Australia, France, Canada, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain). Just go to iTunes, and then “Library,” then “Store,” then in the field titled “Search,” type in “Forecast 2012” or “Raymond Merriman” (without quotation marks). Or, go to http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/raymond-merriman/id408289861?mt=11.
“After reading the annual Forecasts and subscribing to MMA Cycles for the past ten years, I can say that Ray Merriman's forecasts are uncannily accurate and indispensable for the preservation of wealth. Nothing else I've seen compares. It is without a doubt the best perspective on the big picture, not just bits and pieces of the picture.”
W.W., Investor and Teacher, Indiana.
Our new 2012 MMA Catalogue is now out!! You can download this catalogue directly at http://www.mmacycles.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=41&Itemid=63.
Events:
February 19, 2012: “Forecast 2012 Worldwide Webcast!!!” This is our annual speech to viewers the world over. It will be the latest update on Raymond Merriman’s annual Forecast Book. Utilizing the study of cycles and geocosmic factors, this speech will focus on the current state of the economy, political situation in Washington, DC, and in particular, the financial markets, including: the U.S. stock market, interest rates, the U.S. Dollar, Gold, and Silver. This will be a telecast of the live presentation taking place at the Michigan Education Conference Center in Troy, Michigan on Square Lake Road. The webcast and speech will start at 1:00 PM, EST and last two hours. Cost to participate in the webcast, or to attend in person in Troy, is $45.00. Go to http://www.mmacycles.com/catalogue/multimedia/forecast-2012-live-webcast-february-19,-2012!!!/ for more information.
March 1 and 3, 2012: Hong Kong. “Forecast 2012” on Thursday, March 1, and a full day intensive on “Financial Market Timing” on Saturday, March 3, with emphasis on Gold, Silver, Currencies, and Equity Markets for 2012. Organized by Earlthorn.Com at the Excelsior Hotel, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Contact Teresa Wong at 852-2529 1211 (phone), or by e-mail at earlthorn@hknet.com. A special 90-minute private meeting with MMA Subscribers will follow the workshop on March 3. You must reserve your space for this meeting with MMA.
March 9-11, 2012: The 12th Annual Balkan International Conference, Belgrade, Serbia. Featuring a pre-seminar workshop with Raymond Merriman. For further information on this fantastic gathering, contact www.keplerunited.org. +381-11-267-31-92 or email info@keplerunited.org.
April 19 and 21, Boulder, Colorado. “Forecast 2012” with Raymond Merriman, plus a workshop on “Financial Market Timing,” focusing on equities and precious metals. Sponsored by ROMA. For more information and registration, contact dralagifts@msn.com. Once again, a private meeting for MMA subscribers will follow the workshop.
May 24-29, 2012: UAC!!! The world’s largest astrological conference. Taking place at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel. Go to www.uacastrology.com. There will be an awesome Financial Track, featuring some of the top Financial Astrologers and researchers in the world. There will be private meeting for MMA on Friday or Sunday evening on the top floor of the Marriott.
June 23: Amsterdam. A special 5-hour workshop on “The Gold Market: Forecasting the Price of Gold” Details to be announced shortly, but mark your calendars for an exciting event in one of the world’s most exciting cities at the most exciting time of the year: the first Uranus-Pluto square!
August 2-6, 2012: Midwest Astrology Conference, in Ann Arbor, MI, Holiday Inn. Pre-seminar workshop on Financial Astrology, Thursday, August 2, with Raymond Merriman. More details soon.
September 14-15, 2012: San Diego: Lecture on world economy and national election, and then a workshop on Financial Market Timing. More details shortly.
details soon.
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.
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