Weekly Preview Weekly Comments for the Week Beginning August 3, 2009 
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| Weekly Comments for the Week Beginning August 3, 2009 |
Review and PreviewThe post Jupiter-Neptune conjunction euphoria continues as many world equity indices accelerated last week to new highs for this year. The cluster of several Venus signatures present July 21-28 only caused the market’s “bullet train” to pause for a brief rest after last Monday. By Thursday, it was all gassed up and off to the next leg of its race to the crest of the 4-year cycle. This rally since the second passage (of three) of the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction on July 10 has been impressive. In almost all indices, prices have risen at least 14% in the past two-three weeks. In fact, if we take the starting point as the Venus retrograde low of March 6, the rally in world equity prices have been extremely impressive. All we have to do next week is to make yet another new high for this year and we will qualify our minimum time objective for a 4-year cycle crest. As stated in this year’s Forecast for 2009 book, written in November 2008, “…a 4- and 6-year cycle low may be completed anytime before May 2009… Once that low is in, look for a very healthy 5-16 month rally for the crest of the new 4- and 6-year cycle.” What constitutes a healthy rally to the crest of a 4-year cycle? Well, as documented in “The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, Volume 1: Cycles and Patterns in the Indexes,” of the 28 four-year cycles in the DJIA since 1893, there were only 5 cases where the rally failed to gain of at least 50%. Last Thursday’s high of 9246 now represents an appreciation of 42.9% from the 6470 low of March 6. We are getting close. But if we examine other indexes of the world, we will see many have already satisfied this condition. And Monday, August 3, will start the fifth month, which begins the minimum time band for the 4-year cycle crest to be met as well. Then NASDAQ Composite has already made the minimum price criteria we have established for the 4-year cycle in stocks. From its low of 1265 on March 9 to its 2009 high so far last Thursday, it has appreciated 58.8%. Brazil’s Bovespa has appreciated 54.2% in the same time frame. But the stellar performer in the America’s has been Argentina’s Merval Index, which has soared over 90% from a low of 914 on March 3 to Friday’s high of 1738. In Europe, the German DAX has been the best performer, rising from a 4-year cycle low of 3558 on March 9 to a high of 5396 last Thursday, for a gain of 51.6%. The Netherlands AEX and the Swiss SMI indices are closer to the DJIA, up 45.8% and 41.1% respectively from their 4-year cycle troughs of March 9. Lagging far behind, however, is London’s FTSE index. Its new multi-month high of 4646 last Thursday represents an increase of only 34.2% from its low of March 9. Asia and the Pacific Rim have mixed results. Australia’s All Ordinaries has been the laggard, posting gains of only 35.6% from its 3090 low of March 10 to Friday’s high of 4251. Japan’s Nikkei has now risen from a low of 7021 on March 10 to a high of 10,359 on Friday of last week, for a gain of 47.5%. It is nearly to our minimum criterion of 50%. But the Hang Seng of Hong Kong and Nifty Index of India have been outstanding, posting gains of 82.5% and 83.9% respectively from their lows of March 6-9 to their highs of last week. In the case of the NIFTY, last week’s high wasn’t even a new multi-month high. It is still slightly below its high of June 12. Even though the equity markets failed to reverse significantly under onslaught of Venus signature early last week, several other markets did. Gold and Silver, for instance, fell sharply from their highs of last Monday through Wednesday’s low. Gold fell from 960 to 925, and Silver from 1409 to 1316. The Euro currency and Swiss Franc also fell sharply over the same two days. For that matter, so did Crude Oil which dropped from 68.99 on Monday to 62.76 on Thursday. But by Thursday, each of these commenced another sharp rally, albeit not to new weekly highs. Short-Term GeocosmicsWhat does this rally in world equity markets tell us from the perspective of Financial Astrology? It suggests that the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius (May-December 2009), in mutual reception to Uranus in Pisces (January 2009-January 2010), has been a correlate of great hope regarding the economic and banking crisis that struck the world just prior to the Saturn-Uranus opposition (November 2008-July 2010). Two of the three passes of the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction have now been completed as of July 10, and the market is still rising. That may be due to the fact that first Venus, then the Sun and Mars, are still making a “translation” to the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction. Venus did so last week, while both the Sun and Mars will do so August 13-17. After that, we head back into the minefield of the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which happens five times between November 4, 2008 and July 26, 2010. The third of the five passages of this 45-year cycle will unfold on September 15, with the new moon hitting that opposition just three days later. The first two passages (November 4, 20087 and February 5, 2009) coincided with what cycles’ analysts would label a “major cycle crest.” They were highs from which severe 3-4 week declines followed, and the DJIA dropped approximately 2000 points both times. Longer-Term ThoughtsYou read it here first. You may have even read in the “Forecast 2008” book, published in late 2007. The Federal Reserve Board and its Chairman Ben Bernanke are in trouble. Just a few weeks ago, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas sponsored House Resolution 1207, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, a bill designed to audit – and with the purpose of eliminating - the FRB. It was passed in June. Shortly thereafter, Bernanke was called to testify before Congress on his role in the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the possible forced sell out of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America. He was treated very harshly by Congress, and some also wanted to know what happened to trillions of dollars the Fed spent during that crisis, even as President Obama was – and apparently still is – seeking to increase the powers of the FRB. Bernanke has recently stated that “I don’t think American people want Congress running monetary policy.” True enough, probably. But then this week, Rasmussen Reports conducted a national survey that finds “…. 75% of Americans favor auditing the Federal Reserve and making the results available to the public. Just nine percent (9%) of adults think that’s bad idea and oppose it.” But… Pluto is on the Federal Reserve Board’s Sun opposite its natal Pluto (December 23, 1913, 6:02 PM, Washington D.C., according to the New York Times the next day). Pluto rules debt and taxes, and the threat of termination of an effort. It also rules audits, where the investigating agency wants to know how the funds were spent. The only way out is to be completely open and transparent, something that is not the nature of an entity whose natal Moon is in Scorpio, and natal Sun in hard aspect to Pluto, such as the FRB. To the contrary, the Federal Reserve Board is known for its secrecy and its independence, and both are seriously being questioned now. Will the FRB and Bernanke survive this transit? I am not optimistic, given that Saturn and Uranus will next form a grand square to the FRB Sun-Pluto opposition, late 2009 through much of 2010. And Bernanke’s term comes up for reappointment in January 2010. Clients ask me, “What could cause another financial and market plunge in the near future?” This is one very possible cause. Imagine a Federal Reserve Board with expanded powers. And then imagine the current Chair of the Federal Reserve Board not being reappointed by the President, and in his place someone who has close ties to the White House and/or Congress is appointed. How do you think the global markets would react? I think you would see something akin to huge sucking sound occurring. That would be sound of the Dollar as it plummets on world markets against other currencies, and as the foreign investors (and nations) suddenly try to move their investments in the U.S. to newly defined “safe havens.” November 2009 through August 2010 – astrologically it has the potential to be a redefining period in the direction of the U.S, economy. It can be the end to this terrible recession, or it can be the start of the next big leg down, depending on what decisions our leaders make. And the Federal Reserve Board may be the key to all of it. After all, he who controls the money has the real power.
Readers may be interested in reading an interview of me that appeared at bankrate.com. |
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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.
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