MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING APRIL 27, 2026

REVIEW

by Guest Contributor Pouyan Zolfagharnia

 It took a few days to close thousands of Middle East oil wells early in the Iran war. The prolonged closure of the Persian Gulf means it will take months or even years for energy flows to recover.

— Ed Ballard, Joe Wallace, and Summer Said, “Persian Gulf Oil Damage Will Ripple Long Past the End of the War,” The Wall Street Journal, April 24, 2026.

In last year’s column on November 10, 2025, I made a case for using the transit of Uranus for the identification of the next stock market bubble. At the time, the main concern was the growing web of debt across the AI sector. Michael Burry, the investor who famously predicted the bursting of the subprime mortgage bubble, made headlines by opening a short position of over $1 billion against leading AI companies. As noted in that column, the bubble can form in any industry related to the sign in which Uranus is transiting. I noted that the air sign of Gemini rules over “The mind, ideas, communication, technology, programming, media, software, transportation, and trade.”

This weekend, Uranus will make its final ingress into Gemini, commencing its 7-year transit. The last time Uranus made this transit was during World War II. As Uranus, the disruptor, transits through the sign of Gemini, trade routes and commerce are likely to be disrupted as they were during prior transits. We are late in the 18-year business cycle, and as pointed out in Forecast 2026, we anticipate the long-term crest, followed by a sharp decline. This event may be seen as a bursting bubble, and apart from the exuberant spending into AI, another emerging concern for global commerce is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

We are seeing the exuberant “Buy the dip, don’t sell the rip” trade dominate the markets, with the Nasdaq leading the pack, having rallied just under 20%, while bearish intermarket divergence continues to build with the DJIA, which has failed to exceed the February all-time high (ATH). In next week’s MMA Monthly Cycles Report Plus+, I will set out my outlook and price targets based on a recurring pattern that seems to be developing in the S&P 500. For the time being, the risk trade is on, with Bitcoin having rallied over 32% since the February low.

On the international front, the Japanese Nikkei is the only other equity market setting a new ATH, having rallied over 18% in the past four weeks. Other markets—including the Chinese SSE, Indian Nifty, the Australian ASX, and the European markets- have failed to take out the highs from late 2025 or early 2026. This is another case of intermarket divergence, echoing the concerns around the Strait of Hormuz.

Gold and Silver both had an inside week, trading within the prior week’s trading range as ambiguity about the US-Iran peace deal continues to dominate markets. The Full Moon in Scorpio may shed more light on the matter. The Moon is in its sign of detriment in Scorpio, a placement often associated with heightened intensity and more reactive or abrupt emotional responses. Lunations, particularly Full and New Moons, are similarly thought to amplify and unsettle human emotions. The last time the Moon was transiting Scorpio, we had a flurry of threats from the U.S. president and a mysterious U.S. operation deep in the middle of Iran, which resulted in the loss of several U.S. planes and helicopters. If we don’t have a peace deal by Thursday, I would expect more turmoil over the next weekend.

For the time being, Crude Oil remains the main barometer for the state of the conflict. Prices continue to remain buoyant as hopes over a peace deal fade. However, it’s too early to say what will transpire. What is becoming increasingly worrying is the impact that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will have on the wider economy.

SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS

We are in the orb of an important critical reversal date (CRD) of April 24-27. Several markets are rallying into this signature, which could mark a reversal. We haven’t really seen a sharp reversal or significant geopolitical events, which we would normally expect. This makes me think that something is around the corner as we experience the calm before the storm.

LONGER-TERM THOUGHTS AND OPINION

As a child, I was told that narrow waterways are of critical strategic importance in geopolitics, but I did not fully appreciate why. I found it difficult to understand the decision by the late Shah to accept the independence of Bahrain while consolidating control over three strategically significant islands, thereby strengthening Iran’s influence over the Strait of Hormuz. For many years, it appeared to me as an unfavorable exchange, involving a perceived loss of land and sovereignty. For the first time in my life, I can now say that I have a much better understanding of this deal. Now I understand why it is called the Persian Gulf.

How easy is it to open a chokepoint like the Strait of Hormuz by force? History tells us it is quite a feat, one that has historically led to costly defeat. In fact, the history of conflict around chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz is fascinating, marking important turning points in the influence of superpowers and affecting global commerce.

The British Empire rose to power as the influence of the Spanish Empire started to wane, by taking control over the Strait of Gibraltar in August 1704. This strategic win allowed the British control over the Mediterranean and future routes into Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It occurred with the five outer planets forming a united midpoint into the heart of Gemini.

The British Empire was able to cement its dominance over the high seas and international trade by taking control of the other entry into the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal. Following the victory at the battle of Tel El-Kabir in September of 1882, the British took control of the canal with a Saturn-Pluto conjunction at 0 ^°Gemini. At the next Saturn-Pluto conjunction, which took place at 0 ^° Cancer in 1915, a young Winston Churchill was forced to resign as First Lord of the Admiralty for the failed campaign at Gallipoli. The British Empire failed to open the Dardanelles Strait, which the Ottomans had closed during World War I. This was a great example of a chokepoint closed and defended, and history shows that, despite the might of the British Navy and asymmetric power, it is extremely difficult to open a chokepoint by force. Some would argue that this defeat marked the decline of the British Empire. The victor, a young Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, went on to become the founding figure of modern Turkey.

If that event did not mark the decline of the British Empire, then the failure to retake and open the Suez Canal did. Gamal Abdel Nasser’s nationalization of the canal resulted in the Suez Crisis of 1956. This affected the world economy through an oil shock, not too dissimilar to what we are currently experiencing. Looking at the astrological chart, it is interesting to see the same outer planets (Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) forming a similar aspect to the world axis of 0 ^° Aries – 0 ^° Libra.

What emerges from these examples is a simple but powerful truth: That the narrowest passages often carry the greatest weight. Chokepoints are where geography, power, and commerce converge, and where the ambitions of nations are most sharply tested. Now I can begin to understand why the Crimea is so important to Russia, or why Saudi Arabia attacked Yemen.

Recurring astrological patterns, particularly those associated with Gemini and the cardinal axis, seem to echo these moments of tension and transformation in global trade. Whether symbolic or not, they provide an additional lens through which to view these turning points in history.

In the end, what once felt like a concession now appears as a strategy. Control, not expansion, is often the more enduring form of power.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 NOTE 1: THREE MORE WEEKS!!! THE MMA 2026 TRADING AND INVESTMENT RETREAT WILL TAKE PLACE MAY 20–24, 2026, AT THE RIKLI BALANCE HOTEL IN BLED, SLOVENIA, OVERLOOKING THE STUNNING LAKE BLED IN THE JULIAN ALPS. And yes, it will be offered online as well for those who cannot be in Bled at that time (SEE BELOW FOR NEW REDUCED RATES FOR ONLINE ATTENDEES!!!).~260427

 This special four-day retreat will focus on trading strategies for position and short-term traders in 2026. It will cover the unique, research-based MMA methods for identifying primary, half-primary, major, and trading cycles. It will then apply those market-timing techniques (cycles and geocosmic studies) to the current situation in the stock markets, Gold, Silver, Bitcoin, currencies, interest rates, and grain markets, with strategies for each on both a short- and intermediate-term basis (one week to 12 months ahead). This retreat will also cover the setup and steps to take for applying MMA’s solar/lunar reversal dates for very short-term aggressive trades in Bitcoin, stock indices, and precious metals.

There will also be special presentations and interactive discussions on current and future world conditions through 2032 that are likely to affect financial markets. These sessions will be led by world-class mundane astrologers Claude Weiss (Switzerland), Christeen Skinner (UK), Christof Niederwieser (Germany), Pouyan Zolfagharnia (UK), and Raymond Merriman (USA). Joining them on MMA timing methodology and trading strategies will be MMTA Director Wiebke Held (Germany) and MMA analysts Wyatt Fellows (USA), Ulric Aspegrén (Switzerland), Gianni Di Poce (USA), and MMA Trading Coach Rita Perea (USA).

For the schedule, registration, speaker bios, topic descriptions, hotel information, and the booking code, please click here. For a trailer video of what to expect, click here. Please note that all 45 rooms reserved for MMA at the Rikli Balance Hotel are currently booked. In fact, 50 have now been booked, as the hotel continues to open up new rooms from our waiting list. We have a list of other hotels within walking distance and will continue working with the Rikli Balance as more rooms are added. If you find that rooms at the Rikli Balance are filled, you can book a room at another hotel and cancel it within 72 hours of arrival if a room becomes available at the Rikli Balance (a high probability).

The MMA Annual Investment and Traders’ Retreat is an incredible event! Don’t miss it if you can make it!

NOTE 2: REDUCED RATES for the online attendees at the May 20–24 MMA Traders Retreat have just been announced. For those who cannot be present in Lake Bled for the Retreat, the cost to attend online will be $300 less ($3600 instead of $3900). In addition to viewing the live presentations, recordings of each day’s presentations will be uploaded and available with PowerPoint slides within 24 hours.

 NOTE 3: SUBSCRIPTION TO THE NEW MMA MONTHLY CRYPTO REPORT IS NOW OPEN!!! The first issue was launched on Wednesday, April 8. Each report will feature a cyclical and macro overview by Gianni Di Poce on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and one additional cryptocurrency selected based on current market interest, starting with Cardano. Pouyan Zolfagharnia will then provide a geocosmic overview and explain how it ties into the cycles. Together, they will share strategies for both position and shorter-term trading in cryptocurrencies. CLICK HERE to subscribe to this new report.

Click here for a short AI video on this new Crypto Report.

NOTE 3A: THE RECORDING OF THE FREE CRYPTO WEBINAR, HELD ON APRIL 8, IS NOW AVAILABLE!!! Click here to view it on YouTube. Are you new to the crypto world? Do you wonder how to trade cryptocurrency via wallets, futures, or ETFs? These and other topics are covered in this special instructional webinar on the new MMA Monthly Crypto Report. This FREE WEBINAR explains how to use the new monthly crypto report for maximum value. Ray Merriman hosted this webinar, joined by Gianni Di Poce, Pouyan Zolfagharnia, and MMA President Wyatt Fellows.

 NOTE 4: THE APRIL ISSUES OF THE MONTHLY MMA CYCLES + AND MMA GRAIN CYCLES REPORTS WILL BE RELEASED THIS WEEK, ON APRIL 27 AND APRIL 29. These excellent monthly reports are written by Pouyan Zolfagharnia and Wyatt Fellows, respectively. Both reports will be timely this month because this is an important CRD (critical reversal date) time band, and both precious metals and Soybeans are in time bands for cycle completions. Plus, Crude Oil and the NASDAQ have been on a tear since the outbreak of the Iranian conflict. To order either or both of these reports, or for further information, please click here and scroll down.

 NOTE 5: WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED A NEW UPGRADE FOR THE FAR FOR GALACTIC TRADER SOFTWARE PROGRAM!!! We can now do solar/lunar weighted value studies for any market by isolating or omitting any planet that is retrograde! For instance, we can now compare solar/lunar values for any market when Mercury (or Venus, Mars, or any planet) is retrograde or direct, or both. This is important because we have noticed that when Mercury is retrograde, the lunar values for Bitcoin perform differently in many cases than when Mercury is direct. If you don’t own the FAR for the Galactic Trader program, which is key to conducting MMA research studies to identify turning points in any financial market, and wish to know more about it, please click here. The cost is $1895 (end-of-day version) and includes Jeanne Long’s Galactic Trader software, featuring extensive W. D. Gann trading tools that she created.

 NOTE 6: RECORDINGS OF MMA’S SPECIAL SIX-WEEK COURSE ON “THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GEOCOSMIC STUDIES FOR FINANCIAL MARKET TIMING” ARE NOW AVAILABLE!!! Led by Gianni Di Poce and supported by Ray Merriman, this course is designed to teach students the basic principles of planets, signs, and aspects (including retrograde and direct stations) as used in MMA’s market-timing methodology — one of its most important tools. The course explains which planets and signs rule the various sectors of the economy and financial markets. In addition, it covers how to use an ephemeris and astrological software (Solar Fire) for important routines such as calculating charts, generating transit “hit lists,” and identifying signs, ingresses, planetary stations, and aspects — the essential cosmic features necessary for determining market reversal periods.

The course is especially useful for those interested in taking the two-year program offered by the Merriman Market Timing Academy or for anyone wishing to deepen their astrological knowledge. The cost for these six introductory lessons, each lasting about two hours, is $300. This is a great opportunity to learn basic astrology from an excellent economic astrologer! Click here to order now!

 NOTE 7: THE JUPITER REPORT: YOUR MOMENTS OF OPPORTUNITY! The Jupiter Report is written by Raymond Merriman. It is a 30- to 40-page report that all traders (and even non-traders) will find highly valuable. It identifies the times during the year when Jupiter transits are highlighted in your natal chart and explains the meaning of Jupiter’s transits to your natal planets and angles over a 14-month period (including one month before your order date and one month after the year ends). As an added bonus, each transit is ranked on a scale from –3 to +3 in terms of favorability for trading. Traders may find this especially valuable! Would you like to know if you are under a +3 transit and therefore most likely to experience trading success? Or a –3 transit, with a stronger-than-usual potential for misjudgments that can be costly? The price for a personal 14-month Jupiter Report based on your birth data is $69.

Coming soon! The Saturn Report: Your Times for Clarity and Challenges to Be Mastered. Due out in late summer.

 NOTE 8: THE MMA SOLAR-LUNAR APP OFFERS REVERSAL SIGNALS FOR THE DJIA, NASDAQ, GOLD, AND SILVER. It is an ideal tool to have in your back pocket if you are a short-term swing trader looking for high-probability dates that identify isolated lows and highs in these markets. Please note that this should not be used as a standalone system. It works best as an adjunct tool when cycle lows or highs are due, when a market is in a technically overbought or oversold condition, or when it is exhibiting intermarket bullish or bearish divergence relative to a related market. The app is currently available only on Apple devices (iPhone and iPad). To learn more about the MMA app, click here. To order, go to the Apple App Store and search for Merriman Solar/Lunar Reversals.

 NOTE 9: THE NEW AUDIOBOOK OF EVOLUTIONARY ASTROLOGY: THE JOURNEY OF THE SOUL THROUGH STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS, by Raymond Merriman, written in 1993, is now available! It is narrated by Thomas Miller, who has a great voice and also broadcasts MMA’s free weekly column. The first edition of Evolutionary Astrology, originally published in 1977, introduced this remarkable subject to the astrological community, where it has since become one of astrology’s major branches of study. Get ready to listen to the original work on Evolutionary Astrology that brought a spiritual perspective to the study of astrology from the late 1970s through today. To order the book (hardcover or eBook) or the audio recording, please click here.

NOTE 10: For a look at MMA’s newest advances in AI, click here. New short videos are now available — click here to watch.

 EVENTS

 MAY 20–24, 2026: MMA’S NEXT INVESTMENT RETREAT, LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA.

Registration is now open. The presentations will also be available via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. The theme of this event will focus on market timing and trading, including how to calculate and use solar/lunar reversal cycles. But there will also be coverage of longer-term cycles, with strategies for all! It’s going to be great!

JUNE 20, 2026: MMA’S ANNUAL MID-YEAR MARKETS UPDATE WEBINAR. Save the date! Note the date has been moved up one day to Saturday, June 20, 1 PM EDT. Details for signing up will be released soon.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2026: A UAC PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP ON FINANCIAL ASTROLOGY BY RAYMOND MERRIMAN, 1:00–5:00 PM. This workshop will take place at the United Astrology Congress (UAC), the largest astrological conference in the world, which is held every four to eight years. More than 150 world-class astrologers will be presenting, and over 1500 attendees will be present. The conference will be held at the Marriott Downtown Chicago Magnificent Mile Hotel. In addition to the workshop, Ray will present another lecture during the six-day event on mundane astrology, titled “What Is Happening in the World from an Astrological Viewpoint,” on September 5. For more information, visit www.uacastrology.com.

Disclaimer and statement of purpose:

 The purpose of this column is not to forecast 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 of educating the reader on the relationship between astrological factors and collective human activities as they occur. In this regard, this report will often cite what happened in various stock and financial markets throughout the world in the past week and discuss those movements 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, month, or even years, and the author’s understanding of how these signatures may affect human activity in the times to come. The author (Merriman) will do this from the perspective of a cycle analyst looking at the military, political, economic, and 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 to the psychological climate we are in from an astrological perspective. The hope is that it will help the reader understand the psychological dynamics that underlie (or coincide with) news events and their potential effect on financial markets.

 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 of this column assume any responsibility whatsoever for anyone’s trading or investment decisions. Readers of this report should understand that commodity futures and options trading are considered high risk.