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Weekly Comments for the Week Beginning May 11, 2009

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Equity markets across the world rallied right into the Mercury retrograde of Thursday, May 7. And then the “Stress tests” for U.S. Banks came out right after the market closed. Well, actually word of the results was leaked out days before May 7, which was a brilliant short-term political strategy, for it led stock markets to new multi-month highs, and with it, an increasing sense of optimism about the future – at least near term. But within the first hour of trading of May 7 (Mercury retrograde-turn day), this incredible 9 week-rally topped out at 8577 in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and then it sold off over 200 points by the afternoon. But the sell signal in the stock market generated by Thursday’s sell-off in the DJIA was immediately negated the next day, and in spite of Friday’s jump in the unemployment rate to 8.9%. The DJIA surged to another new high at 8587. However, that may be a little misleading, for the NASDAQ Composite fell well short of making a new high on Friday’s rally.

But isn’t this “flip-flop” typical of Mercury retrograde? Sure it is, and you very well know this if you are a Financial Astrologer. The “trickster” (Mercury), is at its strongest when it turns retrograde, coinciding with all kinds of mixed signals from politicians and economic data releases alike. It is not unusual to see a bullish close one day, suddenly turn to bearish close the next, only to flip-flop again a day or two later. It can be an exciting time for those who are very short-term traders, but it can be a grind for those who are position traders looking for technical signals to complete a suggested move. In non-Mercury retrograde markets, such an expectation and patience is rewarded. In Mercury retrograde markets, such patience is more often punished. Don’t be a masochist. Don’t torture yourself. Learn to take profits quickly now.

 Sudden turns on Thursday and/or Friday, the day of and the day following Mercury-turned-retrograde, were also noticed in other markets. Crude Oil, for instance, soared to 58.57 early Thursday morning. That was its highest price since November 17 and followed a triple bottom low at 33.55 back on February 12. It was even as low as 43.83 on April 21, just a little over two weeks ago. By late Thursday afternoon, it had already fallen 3.00 from its morning and 5-month high. But on Friday, it rallied to 58.75, thus making another new 5-month high. Grains unfolded with a similar story line. Early Thursday morning, Soybean prices were at 1145, its highest level since September 29. The bottom was 776 on December 5. As recently as March 2, prices were as low as 843. But by the end of the day (Thursday), Soybeans were already more than 30 cents off that high. They rallied back a bit on Friday, but not above Thursday’s multi-month highs. However, Corn and Wheat did make new cycle highs on Friday. In yet other markets, Silver took off last week, reaching as high as 1415 on Thursday. Just last week – May 1 – prices were testing 1200. Back in October, they were trading in the low 800’s. Gold got as high as 926.50 on Thursday, Both metals pulled back slightly on Friday – but not much, perhaps because the heliocentric position is moving closer and closer to Sagittarius (May 19-30), a time band that acts like a magnet, drawing Silver prices higher into it about 65% of the time. The other 35% it is either flat or severely bearish. Another big mover at the end of last week was in the European currencies, relative to the U.S. Dollar. The Euro currency, for example, closed the week at 1.3646, its highest level since late March, and well off the 1.2883 lows of April 20 and 22.

 Short-Term Geocosmics

 Just because Mercury is retrograde doesn’t mean there isn’t a trend or even a counter-trend move, as is usually the case with Venus retrograde. It just means that the very short-term swings will appear to negate that trend, and then all of a sudden, it is back on. What we want to watch carefully for next week is the May 15-20 period. I will repeat comments made last issue, because I believe they are pertinent as we come closer to this geocosmic critical reversal time band of importance. “I will be most focused on the weekend period of May 15-18, for that is when three things happen. First, that will be around the middle of the retrograde period, when sudden reversals happen. It is more important than usual this time because 2) Saturn will be turning direct that weekend (May 16) and 3) heliocentric Mercury will be entering Sagittarius (May 19-30)… Heliocentric Mercury in Sagittarius also tends to correspond to sharply rising prices in precious metals and currencies, and declines in stock prices. Of course, the other thing we know about Mercury Rx is that whatever you think is suppose to happen, usually doesn’t. Many things go exactly the opposite of what you anticipate.”

Longer-Term Thoughts

Last week witnessed the Dow Jones Industrial Average and NASDAQ (and other world) indices make new cycle highs after Tuesday, May 5. This puts into force our bullish “8-week” rule,” which states that in bull markets, primary cycles will top out after Tuesday of the 9th week. Accordingly, we now have a bullish signal in effect. It means that the low of March 6 was a cycle greater than a primary cycle (it was a 50-week or greater cycle). And according to cycles theory (well, my theory on cycles as elucidated in “Merriman on Market Cycles: The Basics,” as well as Volume 1 of “The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing: Cycles and Patterns in the Indexes”), the first “phase” of any cycle is bullish. And when that cycle is longer than the 13-21 week primary cycle, it will be looked upon as a new bull market. That is the case today.

However, readers should also understand that this new “bull market” is headed right into the 14-year Jupiter-Neptune conjunction of May 27-December 21. Jupiter-Neptune is the classical “rose-colored glasses” view of the world. Everything looks great, but nothing can be verified. It’s all based on faith, and reality or direct experience is only something within the confines of one’s imagination. Still, a positive reality must start with a positive and hopeful thought. But the test will be to manifest these great hopes into reality. President Obama is fond of saying, “words matter.” And no doubt, to him and to those he speaks, they do matter. But numbers also matter, because they have a greater capacity to “verify” the words being spoken. So far, we only have this spring. As of yet, there are no “numbers” to substantiate that the Saturn-Uranus opposition crisis in the world economy is really over. Nevertheless, we can be thankful for the respite, for it gives us a chance to reflect on what went wrong, and if we are smart, to make corrections now - before the next wave of Saturn to Uranus (and Pluto with it) hits late this year.

 

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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