MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING AUGUST 3, 2026

REVIEW- by Guest Contributor Pouyan Zolfagharnia

 An explosion at a port on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast that set fire to two ships, including a U.S. gas-storage tanker, was caused by a drone attack, Egyptian authorities said Thursday, the first targeting of the country during the current Iran war and a new threat to a vital energy corridor.

— Summer Said and Georgi Kantchev, “Egypt Suffers First Drone Attack, Widening the Iran War,” The Wall Street Journal, July 30, 2026.

The most important theme of the week continues to be the conflict in the Middle East, dominated by obstruction and conflict around key global choke points, from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and now the Suez Canal. This geopolitical theme echoes the geocosmic theme in the heavens, of the Saturn–Neptune conjunction. Neptune rules over the oceans and waterways, shipping, and Crude Oil. Saturn, as the Great Malefic, rules over constraints, restrictions, scarcity, and fear. This was the signature I looked to when making the following forecast within the Crude Oil section of Forecast 2026:

We got a preview of what is to come between May and June 2025, with the Iran–Israel 12-day war, which sent Crude Oil rallying 41.8%. It’s worth noting that Israel did not target any of the Iranian petroleum infrastructure during the attacks. However, Iran immediately threatened to block (Saturn) the Strait of Hormuz (Neptune), should the war escalate. These concerns remain heightened as we enter 2026.

Against this backdrop, markets experienced another volatile week. An apparent pause in U.S. and Iranian strikes initially prompted WTI Crude Oil to fall by as much as 16.8%. However, the decline reversed sharply following fresh U.S. and Saudi strikes against Iran-backed groups in Iraq, renewed Iranian missile launches, and further attacks on regional shipping and energy infrastructure. WTI subsequently rebounded by 11% from its weekly low. Similar volatility was evident across many major markets, with several geocosmic signatures in effect through the middle of the week, including a powerful Full Moon conjunct the Jupiter/Pluto opposition, reflecting considerable uncertainty and indecision among investors.

The U.S. equity markets saw sharp reversals, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 closing the week in the green, whilst the Nasdaq continued to show weakness, despite closing well above Wednesday’s low. For more detail, please refer to the latest MMA Weekly Cycles Report and Wiebke Held’s recent MMA Monthly Tech Report, both of which address these markets and the possibility that important reversals may have formed. The question now is whether these reversals mark important lows or merely pauses within a larger correction.

European markets also rallied, with several indices trading near or recently reaching all-time highs (ATHs), including the U.K. FTSE, German DAX, and Swiss SMI. It’s a mixed picture in Asia, with the Japanese Nikkei following the U.S. market, whilst Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index and the Hong Kong 50 index have all seen a healthy rally towards the January highs.

The precious metals continue to consolidate near their lows, whilst Copper rallied in line with the semiconductor trade. The only sector to see a decisive move was the grains, which all saw a sharp drop following better weather and precipitation across the Midwest. We have a great trading opportunity approaching, and I would highly recommend reading Wyatt Fellows’ monthly and weekly Grain Reports to gain deeper insight.

SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS

We have now entered eclipse season. As noted in the seasonal ingress section of Forecast 2026, “We will then move toward a Solar Eclipse on August 12. Since eclipses mark important beginnings and endings, it is possible that this marks a key date for the expression of the outer planetary activity from the final two weeks of July and may, in fact, have a wide two-week orb—from the Full Moon of July 29 until the Lunar Eclipse of August 28.” So, the eclipse energy was activated with last week’s Full Moon of July 29. When there is an eclipse season, I am on the lookout for “Acts of God” or perhaps what we would more commonly term natural disasters in the headlines. This is what we have seen this week:

• The southern Japan earthquake: A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu on July 28. It caused building collapses, a deadly explosion at a shopping center, severe infrastructure damage and factory shutdowns.
• The European heatwave and wildfires: Extreme heat, drought and strong winds drove major wildfires across France, Spain, Greece, and Turkey.
• Typhoon Noul and flooding in China: Typhoon Noul struck Guangdong on 26 July, affecting southern China and Hong Kong. More than 700,000 people were evacuated.

This list may grow in number and intensity over the next three weeks, with the most important events occurring within a three-day orb of the solar eclipse (August 12) and the lunar eclipse (August 28). Make a note of the themes that are triggered by the eclipse, as we should see them reappear in early November as Mars transits and triggers the eclipse degree. If you would like to learn more about this and which regions of the world may be affected, I included a special eclipse section within the July edition of the MMA Market Cycles Report Plus+.

Over the coming week, there is a lull in major geocosmic activity, which should provide some welcome respite and an opportunity to enjoy the summer with family and loved ones. As Saadi wrote:

“How sweet to be with those we love beside a green meadow,

kindred hearts together, far removed from the cares of others.”

Elsewhere, he reminds us:

“Treasure every moment spent in the presence of someone dear,

for that moment is the true fruit of life.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 NOTE 1: THE NEXT EDITION OF THE NEW MMA MONTHLY CRYPTO REPORT WILL BE ISSUED THIS WEEK, ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5!!! Each report features a cyclical and macro overview by Gianni Di Poce on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and Cardano. Pouyan Zolfagharnia then provides a geocosmic overview and explains how the geocosmics tie into the cycles. Together, they share strategies for both position and shorter-term trading in cryptocurrencies. This will be a very timely report given that BTC is in the time band for a major cycle crest, with the 4-year cycle still looming ahead this year. CLICK HERE to subscribe to this new report.

 NOTE 2: DUE OUT IN TWO WEEKS!!! 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 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 this 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 the 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 into 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.

NOTE 3: INTERVIEWS WITH RAY MERRIMAN! Ray was interviewed last week by 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 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 2026 in his writings, the 18.6-year Lunar Nodal Cycle that is coming up, 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 his own additional supporting factors. 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 and 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 intermarket bullish or bearish 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 order on 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. Last week’s 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! 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 before August 6!!! 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 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.