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Weekly Comments for February 8, 2010
Written by Raymond Merriman   

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 The highs of January 11-19 in world equity markets are holding. These highs were nearby to the stations of Saturn (January 13) and Mercury (January 15), which was the basis for our critical reversal date of January 14, +/- 3 days, as identified in both The MMA Cycles Report and SOS Global Market Cycles Reports for the last two issues. After attempting a rally from the lows associated with Saturn square Pluto on January 31, the markets sold off sharply again last Thursday. Many markets made new multi-week lows on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, for example, fell below 10,000, to 9835 intraday, its lowest level since this primary cycle began in the first week of November. It recovered to close back slightly above 10,000.

 The sell-off was noted in many commodities as well. Gold, for instance, fell from a high of 1128 on Wednesday to 1044 intraday on Friday. Silver fared even worse, falling from 1695 on Wednesday to 1465 on Friday. Crude Oil also tumbled, plunging from 79.66 to 70.75 in the June contract, from Wednesday to Friday.

 The culprit was exactly what we have been highlighting in the last several columns: debt. But it is not just debt in the United States anymore. It is debt in Europe, and specifically the countries that make up the European Union. Consequently, the Euro currency is plummeting sharply against other currencies. Against the US Dollar, for instance, the Euro currency has now plunged from a recent high of 1.5110 in early December, to under 1.3600 on Friday. That is one of the major reasons why Gold, Silver, and Crude Oil have fallen, for their prices are denominated in the U.S. Dollar, which is rising sharply as forecasted in our recent Forecast speeches, as well as in the Forecast 2010 book.

 In short, the world is awash in debt. The debt ratings of countries all around the world are vulnerable to being downgraded further. And now the same is true of the United States as a result of its continually mushrooming debt. It is all related to Pluto in Capricorn, the midpoint of the Saturn-Uranus opposition and the focal point of the evolving Cardinal Climax of 2008-2015. It peaks, from an astrological point, in mid-2010. But the damaging consequences of this debt explosion will be felt for the next 2-5 years, and probably throughout the entire decade, unless politicians around the world can honor their campaign promises and break their addiction to out-of-control spending they – we - cannot pay. But that is not likely to happen, for in the last 20 years or more, politicians have learned one lesson every well: winning elections is not about how well you can govern, but how well you campaign. What they may not have realized however, is that voters are discovering this too. And with Uranus approaching a square to Pluto-in-Capricorn, a populist revolt against politicians, bankers, and big businesses is already underway. It can only be stopped by the positive potentials of Pluto in Capricorn: honesty, truthfulness, and ethical behavior. In other words, honor your campaign promises. Sacrifices will be necessary to get back to a foundation of core values and common sense practices.

Short-Term Geocosmics

 This last week was typical of the principles of Saturn square Pluto, which began the week on Sunday, January 31. The attention of the world was on the destructive nature of debt. Credit agencies downgraded nations. The specter of higher taxes spooked the market with the realization that companies are not hiring new employees yet, despite the fact that the business cycle is ready to turn up. It won’t – can’t – improve dramatically until businesses know what their taxes will be, if they can afford them and still hire new people. Based on the President’s budget proposal given this week, it doesn’t look good – not just for this year, but for all years of this new decade. The President’s promise to put a freeze on new spending was qualified to not begin until 2012, and well after more record-breaking budget deficits first. By then it may very well be too late to recover. And so the market sold off as credit agencies threatened to downgrade to U.S.A. credit rating, for who is going to loan it money if its budget projections show it will spend over $1 trillion+ per year more than it brings in? At some point, the debt will explode too far, and then there is danger of default. Who wants to loan money to an entity that is on the path to defaulting on its loans? Not China. Not anyone.

 Nevertheless, the geocosmic picture of this month is not so ugly. Venus will first conjunct Neptune on Monday, and then Jupiter on February 16. This is known as a “translation” of Venus to the separating Jupiter-Neptune conjunction. Obama and the White House may experience something of a “comeback,” for it was the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction last year that supported the world’s belief in his powerful aura, or “magic.” But it has worn off sharply since its last passage on December 21, according to many polls. Yet, the translation of first Venus, and then the Sun (February 14-28) to Jupiter and Neptune can indicate a temporary recovery of that charisma and magic. Under these themes of optimism and hope, stock markets can rally. If not, the downside of these same signatures can be hysteria and panic. But it is March 9-21 that we want to focus the greater attention on in the near future. There will be nine important geocosmic signatures taking place then.

Longer-Term Thoughts

 We are now more than halfway through the Mars retrograde cycle (December 20-March 10). The commodity and currency markets that bottomed at the time of the retrograde (Gold, Silver, Euro currency), have now broken down below those lows of December 22 after a rather impressive 2-3 week rally. The idea now is that they may continue lower until the Mars retrograde cycle ends.

 In the study of astrology, Mars retrograde pertains to the idea that new efforts begun around the time of the retrograde date may have to be aborted before it resumes its direct motion. We have already noted this phenomenon at work in the United States Congress, where the Senate passed its much anticipated Health Care Reform proposal right before breaking for the Christmas holiday season, or, right around the time that Mars turned retrograde. This was not a favorable geocosmic time to pass such a proposal, or any new effort that you wish to be accepted. Our comments at the time suggested that this proposal would not pass the entire process necessary to become law without some major revisions. This analysis was based solely on Mars retrograde. One month afterwards, the state of Massachusetts shocked the country when it elected Republican Scott Brown to the seat that held been held by Democrat Edward Kennedy for several decades. With that upset, the Health Care Reform proposal of the Senate was dead, for Democrats lost a filibuster-proof majority.

Yet the idea of universal health care reform will not die as quickly as many Republicans may hope. After all, Uranus is still in Pisces back and forth through much of 2011. And Jupiter is now in Pisces, which rules this kind of reform movement.

Mars retrograde may have portended the collapse of the Senate’s proposal. But my guess is that even this month, it could be resurrected again, in a new form. And that really is the nature of Mars retrograde. It doesn’t always kill the effort. It just means it has to be done over again, with considerable modifications. The public is still plenty angry at health insurance companies. And with Pluto in Capricorn, these companies will still be held accountable for their opportunistic behavior at the expense of common people. Both the population and government will force them to make significant changes that are more in line with the mood and needs of the public. The public wants reform in this area, and I believe they will still get it this year. It’s not dead. It is just in the process of being resurrected in another form after Mars goes direct.

 

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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