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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




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.

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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