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 Last week’s column, written Friday evening, March 6, stated “Financial Astrology is on track to coincide with another remarkable turning point in the stock indices of the world. As the 19-month cycle of Venus retrograde takes effect on Friday, March 6, several of the world’s leading indices are falling to multi-year lows.” That report then concluded, “Whether the stock markets bottom right here, as Venus goes retrograde, or they suffer another plunge in the next two weeks, may relate to the transit of Mars. On March 6, Mars is at 23 degrees of Aquarius, the same position as Pluto occupies in the chart of the New York Stock Exchange chart, founded May 17, 1792. Mercury in that same chart is at 23 Taurus…Oftentimes that coincides with the end of a sharp sell off.”

So what happened? The Dow Jones Industrial Average bottomed exactly on Friday, March 6, at 6469.75, its lowest price in 12 years. The following Monday and Tuesday, other stock indices of the world made multi-year lows. And then all started sharp rallies, which is the normal pattern starting all new cycles. The first phase of every cycle is bullish, and this one is no different. It may “feel” different (yes, we are still in the land of imaginative Pisces, so things can “feel” different), because this has the possibility of also being the start of several longer-term cycles. If so, these indices could be up at least 50% from their lows of the past week, sometime by this October. Otherwise if the bear is still hungry, these rallies will not last more than 8 weeks.

Short-Term Geocosmics

Venus retrograde last week worked every bit as impressively as its history would suggest, as reported in “The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing Vol. 3: Geocosmic Correlations to Trading Cycles.” If a market completes a significant cycle high or low near the time of Venus retrograde, it is not uncommon to see it reverse and start a counter-trend move that lasts into the time period when Venus turns direct. Venus turns direct in 5 weeks (April 18). The Venus direct period also has a high historical correlation (73%) to the culmination of primary or greater cycles within 10 trading days.

For this coming week, the most notable celestial event we take interest in is the “Sagittarius Factor” of Monday-Wednesday. This is when the Moon makes its 2-1/2 day passage through the sign of Sagittarius. It oftentimes coincides with very sharp price movements – and reversals – in many financial markets, but especially in precious metals, currencies, and Treasuries. It may be more important than usual this time for two reasons. First, Venus is retrograde, which pertains to changes in financial policies of Central Banks and/or world governments that can affect interest-rate sensitive markets. Second, the Sun is in Pisces, which is a mutable sign like Sagittarius. Having the Sun and Moon both in mutable signs oftentimes coincides with sharp price swings in financial markets, for mutable represents the principle of change, as in "change in trend," whether very short-term or even longer. Note that Satuirn and Uranus are also both in mutable signs since late 2007 and lasting through the end of this year. Arguably this has been one of the most volatile periods in history so far.

Longer-Term Thoughts

 The full moon of March 10-11 was not as traumatic for financial markets as it was six months earlier when it also fell on the Saturn-Uranus opposition. On the full moon of September 15, 2008, the world financial panic began in earnest. That was when the foundation of the world financial system nearly snapped. It was AIG and Citibank (instead of Lehman Brothers) in the forefront of worrisome news again last week too, just as it was during last September’s meltdown! So we were concerned that something similar could happen this time in the markets. But it didn’t.

 But something big did happen in the political arena on March 11, again involving the economic leadership of the United States. President Obama encountered his first major “values conflict.” He was trapped between his sense of honor and truth (Saturn), versus his sense of protection and even survival (transiting Pluto in opposition to his – and the USA – natal Venus in Cancer). Here is how it went down, according to Steven Thomma and David Lightman in Thursday morning’s McClatchy Newspaper report: “As a candidate, Barack Obama once said that a president has to be able to do more than one thing at a time… He criticized pork barrel spending in the form of earmarks… then (Wednesday) he signed a spending bill that contains nearly 9,000 of them, some that members of his own staff shoved in last year when they were still members of Congress. ‘I am signing an imperfect… bill because it is necessary for the ongoing functions of the government, and we have a lot more work to do. We can’t have Congress bogged down at this critical juncture in our economic recovery.’ ”

As he signed this highly charged “imperfect” spending bill, many geocosmic principles were highlighted. Mars, Neptune, and Chiron all came together in a conjunction last week, a time that was bound to find the lines between right and wrong, truth and deception, not as clear as the long-term transit of Pluto in Capricorn will demand (2008-2023). Pluto is not only in Capricorn now, but it was there 233 years ago when the United States was formed. If there is one thing this represents about the United States of America, it is the people’s strict demand that lawmakers honor their campaign promises – especially if it involves taxes or changing the constitution (which so far, this doesn’t). Another geocosmic point to note is that he signed this bill as Venus was still in its station, but turning retrograde, in the sign of its detriment, Aries. Venus rules values, both psychological and financial, and this was a case where both were involved. As a station, Venus is very strong. In its detriment and retrograde, one tends to make decisions that can be brought up again and again as examples of ones inconsistency, between what one says and what one does.

But Obama is still King Arthur, Camelot, and John F Kennedy (we are talking about the symbolism of the “Jupiter-Neptune in Aquarius in mutual reception with Uranus in Pisces” kind… you know, the heroes, the saviors of the universe, the good guys in the Matrix of the X-Box-Nintendo-Play Station games). He still has plenty of political capital while this mutual reception remains through January 2010. But it begins to wane as the forthcoming Saturn-Pluto square starts its influence, sometime after August 2009.

 So let’s say that under this past week’s full moon, the investment community didn’t panic at the President’s bold action. But the public noticed. And even though his response did reflect the more important value in the minds of many (survival of the economy), in time what they might most remember is the campaign promise he turned away from (Venus retrograde). If so, the next time a similar situation arises, the public’s reaction may change from “forgiveness’ to something like “very concerned.” And if it happens a third time (for surely, with his natal Moon in Gemini, he will find himself in several such dilemmas before Saturn is done with its square of Pluto) that he turns away from a campaign promise for a “higher value,” people might become more than concerned. They might exhibit far less forgiving characteristics that one would expect with Pluto in Capricorn. Just look at the public’s reaction to the Bernie Madoff court case this past week, which was an even more dramatic illustration of how people tend to react when Pluto is in Capricorn. When trust is broken, forgiveness is the last thing on their mind.

 

Announcements


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, Soybeans, Crude Oil, 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 DVD’s, MP3’s, and “On-Line Streaming Video” of the July 11 webcast are now available!!! Each of these various ways to see the event can now be ordered via our website at www.mmacycles.com (just click the opening banner), or by calling 1-248-3034 or email operations at ordersmma@msn.com. The cost of each is $45.00, plus postage if necessary. This webcast covered our outlook for stocks, precious metals, interest rates and Treasuries, foreign currencies vis-à-vis the U.S. Dollar, and Grains. We pick this time because it is right before the astrological midpoint of the Cardinal Climax, which takes place late July through early August. It may be the peak of the huge trend reversals expected in many of these markets, aided and abetted by major changes of trend in geopolitical matters. You won’t want to miss this presentation. Order now, because most of the trading opportunities presented are in effect from July 21 through October 8, 2010!!!

Any remaining copies of the Forecast 2010 book will be available for $30.00 (plus postage), now as long as supplies last. This year’s book was an incredible publication, as almost everything forecasted in it has come out as described. All the themes outlined, and almost all the financial markets are unfolding as indicated with one exception: there has (as of yet) been no sign of excessive speculation in stocks or precious metals. Instead, frightened investors are flocking to U.S. Treasuries. Everything else, however, has been spot on, and there is still time for this to happen in stocks and precious metals into mid-2011. We now offer a complimentary copy of this year’s book to any new or renewing subscriber of a one-year subscription to the MMA Cycles Report, our new MMA European Cycles report, or any subscription to a MMA daily or weekly report, as long as books are still available. See special offer on the opening page of www.mmacycles.com.

The monthly MMA Cycles Report and its companions – the MMA Japan Cycles Report and MMA European Cycles Report – came out this week, Monday and Tuesday, via posting on our web site, and attachment via direct emails, for subscribers. W also sent an update to subscribers on Wednesday. If you subscribe to these reports and did not get them, let us know at once. 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. New yearly (or renewing) subscribers to these reports will receive a free copy of the Forecast 2010 book while supplies last (see below). For subscription information, please go to SERVICES at www.mmacycles.com.

I am oftentimes asked for recommendations of a money manager who uses my methods, since I won’t manage other people’s money. That is especially true now with the volatility in the market place as of late. The thing is, almost all money managers I know use their own systems. But many subscribe to my services and share my thoughts about the future of the economy, various financial markets, and how to position one’s portfolio along these lines. One money manager who subscribes to our services that I would suggest for those looking to structure a longer-term portfolio, such as a retirement account, is Duke O’Neill of Capstone Capital Wealth Management, Boulder, Colorado. He can be reached at dukeoneil1@gmail.com, or 1-(303) 247-0600. For those looking for a professional trader of commodity and futures contract might consider Ted Lee Fisher at ted.fisher@comcast.net. Ted is a legend in financial futures and has a seat on the CME. Both are very knowledgeable of the tools I use, of the way I am looking at markets, and yet each makes their own decisions as to exactly when to enter and exit any market.

September 23-26, 2010: Buenos Aires! Seminar on Financial and Mundane Astrology with Raymond Merriman and others, with special emphasis on Argentina’s Merval Index and precious metals and whatever else is of interest to participants, for each Financial Astrology workshop is different. For more information, contact Claudia Rizzi at astrologycr@gmail.com, or visit our web site at www.mmacycles-spanish.com. If you only speak Spanish, go to www.astrologiamundana2010.blogspot.com. We may host a special gathering of MMA Subscribers at the end of the seminar, depending on interest expressed.

October 1-2, 2010: Rio de Janeiro! Workshop on Financial Astrology with Raymond Merriman, plus a Mundane Astrology panel with Merriman and others. The workshop will have with special emphasis on Brazil’s Bovespa Index and precious metals, and whatever else is of interest to participants. For more information, contact Renato Chebar at astrologiafinanceira@gmail.com. We will host a special gathering for MMA Subscribers on Sunday, October 3, the day of Brazil’s elections!!!

January 5, 2011: Forecast 2011! Speech and live webcast from Birmingham, MI. Details to be announced soon.

January 14-16, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland. “Forecasts 2011” symposia featuring top mundane and financial astrologers, plus one day workshop on Financial Market Timing with Ray Merriman, to be followed by a special meeting with MMA Subscribers (at no cost). For more details, go to www.astrodata.ch.

March 10-12, 2011: Mexico City, Mexico. Speech on Forecasts 2011, and workshop on “Evolutionary Astrology: The Journey of the Soul Through States of Consciousness.” For information, please contact acuario888@gmail.com.

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.

The MMA Catalogue of products and services for 2010 is available for download 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.

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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