MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING AUGUST 10, 2026

REVIEW By Raymond Merriman

 The Labor Department’s July jobs report showed that the economy lost 23,000 jobs last month, a big shortfall versus the gain of 83,000 that economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected. Revisions to May and June payroll numbers showed that the economy added 103,000 fewer jobs in those two months.

—Matt Grossman, “U.S. Lost 23,000 Jobs in July, While Unemployment Ticked Lower,” The Wall Street Journal, August 7, 2026.

It was a good week for most global stock indices following primary cycle lows of July 29, corresponding with MMA’s last three-star geocosmic Critical Reversal Date (CRD) of July 24–27, +/- 3 trading days. Several indices made new all-time highs (ATH) as we head into next week’s solar eclipse zone and Venus trine Uranus, signatures that can correspond to a corrective reversal (but are unlikely to follow with a new low yet).

In Asia and the Pacific Rim, the Australian ASX rallied to a new all-time high on Thursday, August 6. But that was the only market to do so in that region. Stock markets in China and Hong Kong soared to multi-week highs. India’s NIFTY rallied to its highest mark in 22 weeks on August 3. Japan started another rally following its recent primary cycle low on July 29 and is positioned to make a new all-time high shortly as well.

In Europe, the Netherlands AEX, German DAX, and London FTSE each recorded new all-time highs. However, the Swiss Stock Market Index (SMI) fell slightly short of its all-time high made the prior week, on July 29.

In the U.S., the S&P and DJIA made new all-time highs on Wednesday, August 5, but here too, the NASDAQ fell well short of its ATH. Brazil’s Bovespa made a new 12-week high.

Thus, every region showed some markets making new all-time highs, but not all, which could be setting up cases of intermarket bearish divergences. So far, these stock indices “like” Jupiter’s recent ingress into Leo, which historically has a bias for a sharp sell-off before the ingress ends next summer.

Precious metals also liked the new cosmic environment of Jupiter in Leo, the traditional ruler of Gold. The yellow metal reached a weekly high of 4432 in the December contract on Friday, its highest mark in seven weeks and well off its nearby contract low of 3955 made on June 30, a prior three-star CRD. Silver likewise had a nice week, rallying to 65.48 on Friday, a solid push up from its primary low of 55.00 made on July 17.

In other markets, Bitcoin continued to hover in its multi-week zone of highs between 65,000–67,000. T-Notes also rallied sharply to just above 109 on Friday’s Gemini Moon, after falling to its yearly low just below 108 the prior week, on July 31. The reason for its rally had much to do with a renewed decline in Crude Oil prices into the mid-70s last week, following a major cycle crest up to 93.50 on July 23. As stated time and time again, President Trump does not want this war with Iran to escalate now that Saturn is separating from Neptune in Aries, and is no longer at the midpoint of the Uranus/Pluto air trine. Neptune holds that position now all by itself, and Neptune in Aries fights for peace, not war.

 SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS

 “When you hate, somebody else profits.”

—Bret Baier, The Case for America: An Argument on Behalf of Our Nation, HarperCollins, 2026.

I am sorry to say they (Democratic Socialists) never strike me with their warmth. Today’s socialists strike me as colder, less human, fiercer, and occasionally sociopathic. Most strike me not as people who love America and wish to make it better, but people ready to exploit its freedoms to build a movement that if successful would transform America’s fundamental nature… Our current socialists have never created or “liberated” anything. They are dreaming it up as they go along—ban prisons, ban prisoners, ban crime. And yes, they live in an attitude of eternal intention. So far they’ve never proved a thing—except that they can win elections.

—Peggy Noonan, “Socialism Is Here—and It’s Serious,” The Wall Street Journal, August 6, 2026.

This week is active with geocosmic signatures. The week starts with Venus trine Pluto and in opposition to Neptune on Monday, August 10, and the Venus trine Uranus on Tuesday. These are signatures that relate to Copper, Sugar, Soybeans, and currency markets. With Venus recently entering its ruling sign of Libra, this can also suggest new highs in stocks, +/- 4 days followed by a reversal. The solar eclipse in Leo follows on August 12, which can also have relevance to highs in stocks and reversals in metals +/- one day. The reversals may only be a correction of the trend already underway since late July.

Mars will also begin its transit through Cancer, August 11 through September 29. My experience is that this can be a “whiney” period where people express an abundance of complaints and personal offenses (see below… it’s already starting). However, it can also serve as a motivational factor to initiate new activities, adventures, and new projects around the family and home if one can avoid petty disputes that could otherwise take the joy out of bringing the family together. Try for fun and closeness, and avoid unnecessary criticisms that don’t advance relationships. Markets will struggle between the bullishness implied by Venus in Libra versus the dissatisfaction with the current economy.

 LONGER-TERM THOUGHTS AND OPINION

Former Olympian David Hearn: “I don’t think anyone likes being targeted or accused of things they didn’t do. It’s painful to be talked about, like, I’m some kind of scum or, you know, not a very nice person…Leaders don’t do that.”

— David Hearn, quoted in a video posted by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on X, August 6, 2026.

“You don’t lose if you are knocked down. You only lose if you stay down.”

—Muhammad Ali, former heavyweight boxing champion of the world.

This week’s Longer-Term Thoughts are not about financial markets. They are about the state of the division in our societies, and especially reflected this week in the worldwide astrological community of which I was a leader for several years (1971–2009) when it valued research, education, and international networking with the goal of transforming this noble study from a hobby to a profession.

Something happened last week that upended this community. Legendary astrologer and author Steven Forrest was formally disinvited as a speaker at the forthcoming United Astrology Conference in Chicago for having said the ‘N’ word, even though it was spoken within the context of his theory on how taboos of language have changed since the 1980s. This was related to his topic of the Lunar South Node and one’s “shadow.” He was giving an example that actually supported his disdain for racism. I promised Steven I would quote his withdrawal letter to the community if UAC didn’t oblige his request of them to do so. They didn’t quote it in his words as of this moment, so here it is, in Steven’s own words.

“I am appalled and saddened by the upset my words have created. I apologize for my lack of judgment. Please consider the context.

The Accusation: Steven Forrest “used a racial slur.”

The Reality: In a podcast with a Black friend (Ricky Williams, College Hall of Fame football player and former Heisman Trophy recipient) deploring the history of racism, I referenced a term that lies at the demonic heart of racial history.

My Mistake: Given present sensitivities and norms, I should have said “the n-word.” Instead, I said the poison word explicitly.

What I’ve learned: Hearing the word itself is far more hurtful to people than I had realized.

As a result, because my presence at UAC would be disruptive, I voluntarily withdraw from the conference.” – Steven Forrest.

Steven Forrest is not a racist, unless you accept the premise that all white people are born racists. He did not use his freedom of speech to voice the ‘N’ word out of malice or hatred, and certainly not with any intent to cause emotional pain to anyone.

Yet, due to his lack (and that of many white people) of understanding the pain this word might cause, an incredibly divisive drama erupted in the astrological community when someone immediately started a social media campaign to have him removed from the United Astrology Conference faculty. That someone got his wish. The UAC board of directors indeed disinvited Steven. The question many astrologers are struggling with now is whether this “punishment” (being banned from presenting at the world’s largest astrological conference and having his character maligned in a manner that potentially harms his reputation and livelihood) is proportionate to the offense committed in the context of how it was presented.

This is a sad day for the community of professional astrologers when issues cannot be worked out by direct and respectful communication before taking the matter to the court of public opinion and social media. Anger and repressed (or real) hate conflated with virtue-signaling is a mixture that creates hypocrisy. Unfortunately, this problem is not limited to astrologers. It is a major problem in today’s society itself, as seen by last week’s political drama in Washington, D.C. over the dismissal of charges against former Olympian canoeist David Hearn. He was accused of vandalizing the Capitol Reflecting Pool, angering those in the White House who wanted him punished severely even though there appears to be no evidence that he committed the crime after an investigation into the matter. Steven Forrest, a giant in the field of professional astrology, was not so fortunate.

The study of astrology holds much value for society and individuals. It is a marvelous and enlightening subject for understanding the world at large, oneself, and even the timing of financial markets. Its value lies in its objectivity and educational power, not in being used as a weapon of politicization to advance one’s personal ideology.

As the inside joke goes: “The problem isn’t astrology. It’s those damn astrologers.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

NOTE 1: THE AUGUST ISSUE OF THE MMA MONTHLY CYCLES REPORT WILL BE RELEASED THIS WEEK, August 10–11. This issue will be especially timely because it will cover the period between the solar eclipse of August 12 and the lunar eclipse of August 27. And given that a new primary cycle and new all-time highs in stocks are underway, as called for in the last issue, this could be an important period that will define whether the longer-term 50-week and 3-year cycles are about to top out. The precious metals markets are also entering critical time bands that could determine if their long-term cycles have bottomed or are still due before the end of this year. Each issue includes our outlook for the U.S. stock market (DJIA and S&P), Gold, Silver, Copper, Treasuries, the Euro currency, Crude Oil, and Soybeans. The MMA Monthly Cycles Report also provides MMA’s original geocosmic CRDs and solar/lunar reversal dates for the next several weeks, as well as trading strategies for both position and aggressive short-term traders. The last three-star geocosmic critical reversal date of July 24–27 did indeed provide a major reversal in several markets, including stocks. If you would like to try a one-month subscription, you can sign up for the August issue for only $35 — or save by ordering a three-report or twelve-report subscription.

 NOTE 2: IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! THE “ANNUAL MMA FORECAST 2027 PRE-PUBLICATION SALE” STARTS NOW!!! The sale runs through October 31 and features our once-a-year discounts on both the annual Forecast book and MMA subscription reports.~

During this pre-order period, the Forecast 2027 print edition by authors and analysts Ray Merriman and Pouyan Zolfagharnia, with additional market analysis by Gianni Di Poce, Wyatt Fellows, and Ulric Aspegrén, will be available at the discounted price of $55, and the eBook version will be available at $45. And the best deal on MMA subscription reports is also offered at this time! Save 10% on any subscription of $275 or more with the purchase of Forecast 2027. After the pre-order event ends on November 1, the retail price of the Forecast 2027 print edition increases to $66, and the eBook to $55. Subscription reports will also return to their regular prices. Order now and save big bucks!

MMA will also offer a special bundle discount for those who wish to order both the eBook and print editions of Forecast 2027 for $75. The eBook typically becomes available one to two weeks before the print edition and avoids delays caused by the postal system — especially for those living overseas. However, many readers prefer the print edition, so ordering both through the Forecast 2027 Bundle makes sense. You will receive the Forecast 2027 eBook on December 15, and your print copy will be mailed in mid-December.

MMA’s annual Forecast book is an astrology-themed almanac that has served students of cycles and markets since 1976. It provides a cyclical outlook on the collective world psychology, the national economy, geopolitical developments, sociocultural trends, and potential weather and natural disasters — as well as financial market projections for the U.S. stock market, U.S. Treasury market, interest rates, Gold and Silver, currencies (the Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, and Japanese Yen), Bitcoin, Crude Oil, and Grain markets.

Its extraordinary market timing forecasts are based on the historical correlation between market cycles and geocosmic planetary cycles. Additionally, the book includes three-star critical reversal dates for each market throughout the year — dates that have demonstrated over 80% accuracy in identifying trading cycle highs and lows within an orb of three trading days. The book is approximately 200 pages, 8.5” x 11”, and has set the standard for all astrological almanacs written today.

For current subscribers, watch your email for instructions on how to pre-order your Forecast 2027 book at special pre-publication rates, beginning August 11!!!

 NOTE 3: DUE OUT NEXT WEEK!!! RAY MERRIMAN’S NEW BOOK, JUPITER AND SATURN TRANSITS: MASTERING THE CYCLES OF LIFE. This is Book One, the first of five books that will be written over the next four years on the outer planets transiting through the natal chart. Nothing like this has ever been done before in the history of astrology. This first book, covering the transits of Jupiter and Saturn, is 420 pages long and includes all the major transits of Jupiter to one’s natal planets and angles, including interpretations of the opening and closing sextile, square, and trine aspects. The Saturn section also includes the opening and closing semi-square and sesquiquadrate transits to all natal planets and angles, plus the “Business Cycle” of transiting Saturn through the natal chart. Each transiting aspect is also ranked on a scale of –3 to +3 in terms of trading and investment potential, which alone is worth the price of the book.

Transiting aspects to natal planets and angles are the most important astrological tools for forecasting an individual’s current and future conditions with accuracy. It is these aspects that trigger events, crises, conflicts, awareness, and the decision-making processes that alter the current trend of one’s life. This book will provide the timing and insight needed to navigate these critical periods and assist readers in mastering the cycles of life.

— Raymond Merriman

The book JUPITER AND SATURN TRANSITS: MASTERING THE CYCLES OF LIFE is now at the printer and is due for delivery to MMA offices on August 13, which means individual pre-orders will be sent out around August 17–21. The eBook is already available and may be ordered. To see the rave reviews for this new book, click here. The list price is $39.99. However, those who order before August 15 will receive the special pre-publication price of $33.00 (plus postage for the printed edition; the eBook requires no postage). To order at the pre-publication price, click here.

INTERVIEWS WITH RAY MERRIMAN! To learn more about this new book, tune into Ray’s recent interviews with two of his favorite interviewers and astrologers: Adam Sommer of “The Dragon Hole” and Thomas Miller of “Fun Astrology.” The main subject was Ray’s new book, JUPITER AND SATURN TRANSITS: MASTERING THE CYCLES OF LIFE. However, these in-depth interviews covered a broad range of topics, including the value of knowing one’s transits, why Jupiter and Saturn transits are important, the difference between waxing and waning aspects of the same planets, the business cycle, the post-“Aries Vortex” world, the midpoint of the “New Aira” cycle we are in, Barbault’s Cyclic Index and the importance of the year 2026 in his writings, the upcoming 18.6-year Lunar Nodal Cycle, and much, much more. To hear the podcast with Adam Sommer, click here. To view the video interview with Thomas Miller, click here.

NOTE 4: THE NEXT “SPECIAL MMA OPTIONS WEBINAR” WITH DEREK PANAIA AND WYATT FELLOWS, HOSTED BY RAYMOND MERRIMAN, WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, AT 12:00 PM EDT.

 Here’s how it works: Ray will start with an overview of the forthcoming MMA geocosmic critical reversal dates (CRDs), using the geocosmic calendar graph and MMA tables of Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 geocosmic signatures that will be in effect into the Venus retrograde period of October 3–November 13. Wyatt will then provide his outlook on the cycles that are due within these geocosmic turning points in five markets (the S&P, Gold, Crude Oil, T-Notes, and Bitcoin). Derek will then provide options strategies with the best risk/reward potential based on this analysis and additional factors from his own analysis. Ray will ask questions and provide additional input or clarification, as necessary.

This Options Webinar will last approximately 2.5–3 hours. The cost is $125. However, there is no cost to those who are currently subscribers to the MMA Daily Options Report as of August 21. The new MMA Daily Options Report has been very profitable since it first launched on January 15. The hypothetical trading performance showed a return of 99.45% on strategies employed through June 30 (34 trades, 102 contracts, trading in lots of three), based on a hypothetical starting balance of $50,000. A complete track record of trades will be available on the new MMA website shortly. The MMA Daily Options Report is the perfect complement for active traders who also subscribe to the daily and weekly MMA reports, as it builds on the outlooks in those reports and monitors them on a daily basis, and on an as-needed basis, to identify optimal option trades that arise intraday or intraweek within those forecasts. Derek will guide subscribers through the strategy behind each trade as it develops. It is an excellent way to experience MMA’s methodology operating in real time!

The cost to subscribe to the Daily Options Report is $420 per month, or $4,200 per year. To register for the August 23 MMA Options Webinar, click here. To sign up for the MMA Daily Options Report with Derek and Ray and receive the August 23 webinar for free, click here.

Note: Keep in mind that options trading is speculative. This webinar and the subscription service are designed for speculators who have a basic understanding of options. For those who do not, MMA offers a recording of Derek’s webinar on the principles of options trading, available on its website.

NOTE 5: 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 bullish or bearish intermarket divergence relative to a related market. The app is currently available only on Apple devices (iPhone and iPad). HOWEVER, IT WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE BY SUBSCRIPTION ON THE NEW MMA WEBSITE TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING USERS OF ANDROID PHONES! To learn more about the MMA app, click here. To download it to your iPhone, go to the Apple App Store and search for Merriman Solar/Lunar Reversals.

 NOTE 6: 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 14 months (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.

NOTE 7: The MMA Weekly YouTube show, “Geocosmic Week in Review and Look Ahead,” with Gianni Di Poce, is conducted on Wednesday evenings! Each 5- to 20-minute FREE episode reviews the previous week’s market activity and the geocosmic signatures that will be in effect for the coming week and beyond. A recent special guest was Derek Panaia, MMA’s options specialist. It was an excellent interview! Very timely and insightful.

NOTE 8: MMA’S FREE WEEKLY COLUMN PODCAST IS AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY, APPLE, and AMAZON MUSIC! Now you can listen to a podcast of this weekly column by Thomas Miller on Saturdays! Thomas has an excellent voice and brings the weekly column to life in a personable and, at times, humorous fashion. Just follow Merriman Market Analyst on Spotify or Apple to listen to all our episodes. A new podcast episode will be released every weekend. This is a FREE service and is available to everyone. Check out our podcasts on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music. It makes for great listening!

 EVENTS

 AUGUST 6, 2026: Start of the “Pre-Publication Special for the Forecast 2027 Book” for MMA subscribers. This also includes our annual discounts on renewals and new subscriptions. Stay tuned and watch your inbox for these special rates! If you are not already a subscriber to an MMA report, consider becoming one now!!! Click here for the list of MMA subscription reports.

AUGUST 23, 2026: The next Options Webinar with Derek Panaia, Ray Merriman, and Wyatt Fellows. Save the date! Details are available by clicking here.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2026: A UAC PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP ON FINANCIAL MARKET TIMING 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 onsite. The conference will be held at the Marriott Downtown Chicago Magnificent Mile Hotel. In this workshop, Ray will cover how to use cycles to identify high-probability time bands for financial and commodity markets, such as the U.S. stock market, Gold, Silver, and Bitcoin. He will then explain how to overlap these cycles with specific geocosmic signatures to enhance the timing of major trend reversals, both long-term for investors and short-term for traders, and why these studies provide that “extra edge” that all traders seek. If you want to see how financial astrology is one of the most valuable tools used by traders worldwide and learn how to apply it, this is a very affordable workshop and opportunity to learn! In addition to the workshop, Ray will present another lecture during this congress on mundane astrology, titled “What Is Happening in the World Today (and in the Future) 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 cycles 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 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) the 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.