MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING DECEMBER 15, 2025

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING DECEMBER 15, 2025 ©

 NOTE: MMA Analyst Wyatt Fellows will write this week’s free weekly column. Wyatt is the editor of the monthly MMA Cycles Grain report, which will next be issued the week of Christmas and covers Corn, Wheat, and Soybeans. He is also the lead MMA analyst, along with Ray Merriman, for the MMA weekly and monthly updates on the Gold market.

REVIEW

 The fabled dot plots settled on one rate cut next year, and Fed Chair Powell described the current stance as being within a neutral range. The U.S. economy needs insurance against labor market downside risks. It does not need stimulus—especially with inflation risks as they are.

—Dr. Paul Donovan, UBS Morning Comment, www.ubs.com/ci, December 11, 2025.

 The Fed delivered the widely anticipated 0.25% rate cut on Wednesday, December 10, the same day Neptune (illusion/confusion/is this real?) returned to direct motion. The policy statement released afterward had a little bit of something for everyone. There was an acknowledgement of softening in the labor market, but also that inflation seems to still be as “sticky” as a half-eaten candy cane inadvertently left on your couch following family Christmas. With the dot plots mentioned by Mr. Donovan showing a preference for only one 0.25% rate cut in 2026, they seem to indicate where the majority of Fed voting members’ concerns lie. And why shouldn’t they be concerned about inflation expectations? Anyone who has actually tried to get that candy cane “unstuck” knows it’s nearly impossible!

However, not everyone is on the same page at the Fed, with three members dissenting to the 0.25% rate cut (two voted for no change in rates while one wanted a 0.50% cut). It was also announced that the Fed would start a round of RMPs (Reserve Management Purchases) in the amount of $40 billion starting this month. This is a quick turnaround from the Fed’s official end of “QT” on December 1 to already needing to grease the gears of the financial system. And yes, I am well aware of the arguments that RMPs are NOT “QE” …but aren’t they just a little bit? And if they are, what is the Fed worried about?

Whatever the reason, many markets liked the initial idea of a liquidity injection, with several financial and commodity markets rallying nicely last week before sharply reversing course on Friday. In the U.S., the Dow registered a new all-time high while the NASDAQ and S&P were close, but didn’t quite make it. The same could be said of other stock markets around the globe, with the DAX, SMI, and Nikkei all close to new all-time highs but with a little further to go. With the “Santa Claus” rally in full effect, the question is, will he feel generous enough to deliver these new highs into year-end? If not, then the bearish divergence that developed last week in U.S. stock indices could prove an ominous warning.

In commodities, the hot action was in the metals. Silver exploded higher, briefly trading above $65 an ounce, but then sold off sharply on Friday. Gold also had a nice run, getting close to its all-time high of $4398, hitting $4388 (double top?), before selling off sharply as well. Even Platinum registered a fresh new all-time high, but unlike the other metals, it held up reasonably well into the close. However, here too we have a case of bearish intermarket divergence now in effect between Gold and Silver. If Gold can’t exceed $4398 soon, this could become a troublesome sign. Perhaps the best performing commodity outside of Silver this week was Cocoa. It gained 14% on the week and has been up over 31% since forming a primary cycle low in November. This makes perfect sense, because even a kindergartener knows you can’t have a Santa Claus rally without “hot cocoa”! Conversely, the energy sector took it on the chin this week with Crude Oil hitting its lowest level since October and Natural Gas falling a whopping 22% from last week’s close.

In the currency markets, the Dollar got hammered after the rate decision but stabilized somewhat to close the week. This led to strength in other currencies, with the strongest being the Aussie and Canuck, which are known affectionately as the “commodity” currencies. For Cryptos, the rate cut and introduction of RMPs were pretty much a non-event, which should be worrisome if you are a Bitcoin bull right now.

SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS

We are in the midst of the final CRD of 2025, December 16-17 +/- 3 trading days. It is highlighted by Mars and Venus forming hard square aspects to Saturn and Neptune, which can give markets a tense, anxious, and even irrational type of quality. We saw this play out on Friday with outstanding daily and weekly gains being wiped out by sharp reversals. With bearish divergences in both the stock and metal markets now in effect, it will be critical to see those divergences negated in the coming weeks. Failing to do so could mean Santa might just be planning on filling those stockings with “coal” this year.

 LONGER-TERM THOUGHTS

Saturn and Uranus have a synodic period of approximately 45 years, and we are currently in the central time band of Saturn in a waning sextile to Uranus (April 2025 to January 2026). If we look back 45 years, we see that the previous Saturn/Uranus waning sextile took place with the central time band occurring between September 1979 and July 1980. What is interesting is that in January 1980, Silver experienced a blowoff type move that culminated with Silver reaching near $50 an ounce for the first time in history following the Hunt Brothers’ attempt to corner the futures market. Silver ultimately peaked in January 1980 and came crashing back down. That 1980 high then held for decades to come. Fast forward to today, and Silver seems to be making the same type of blowoff move during the time the same planetary aspect is again in effect. No one knows when or at what level Silver ultimately peaks for this cycle, but it might be prudent to keep the words of Mark Twain in mind: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 NOTE 1: THE DECEMBER ISSUE OF THE MMA MONTHLY TECH REPORT WILL BE RELEASED THIS WEEK, ON DECEMBER 16. Wiebke’s excellent research papers at MMTA3 were based on extensive studies of long-, intermediate-, and short-term cycles in the NASDAQ spot index. This new report, drawing on those studies, provides an outlook not only for the NASDAQ but also for the QQQ (ETF), NASDAQ futures, and specific technology stocks, including Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple. It also includes CRDs (critical reversal dates) specific to the NASDAQ, based on Wiebke’s meticulous research. Focusing on the NASDAQ is crucial because of the outsized role technology will play in financial markets — especially with Pluto already in Aquarius for the next nearly 20 years and Uranus re-entering Gemini on April 26, 2026, for nearly seven years.

If you would like to try a one-month subscription, you can sign up for the December report for only $35 — or save by ordering a three-report or twelve-report subscription.

 NOTE 2: FORECAST 2026 IS NOW AT THE PRINTER AND ON SCHEDULE TO BE MAILED OUT BY DECEMBER 15!!!

 MMA’s annual Forecast book is an astrological-themed almanac that has served students of cycles and markets since 1976. It provides a cyclical outlook on collective world psychology, the national economy, a geopolitical overview, socio-cultural trends, weather and natural-calamity potential, as well as financial market projections for the U.S. stock market (DJIA and NASDAQ this year!), the U.S. Treasury market, interest rates, Gold and Silver, currencies (the Euro, U.S. Dollar, Swiss Franc, and Japanese Yen), Bitcoin, Crude Oil, and Grain markets. Additionally, it provides the three-star CRDs for each market for the year, which have maintained an 80+% accuracy rate over the years for trading-cycle highs and lows when given an orb of three trading days. The book is approximately 250 pages (our largest ever because it’s the special 50-year anniversary edition), 8.5″ × 11″. The price of the Forecast 2026 print edition is $66, and the eBook is $55.

To order this year’s 50th-year edition, click here. It’s special! Not only are the market outlooks very valuable, with their own unique CRDs, but this year’s book will include a special long-term outlook based on the outer planets changing signs, written by MMA market analyst and master mundane astrologer Pouyan Zolfagharnia. His contribution to this year’s 50th anniversary edition is remarkable! As commented on by arguably the world’s top mundane astrologer, Claude Weiss of Zurich, Switzerland, who just read the proofs: “I want to congratulate you regarding the content of the Forecast 2026 book. It seems to me even more interesting than previous Forecast books and, in these unusual times, of special interest even to scholars of history and human society, even if they are not mainly interested in stocks and finances. Besides your articles, Pouyan’s chapters of the book are of outstanding quality.” 

The book is 240 pages (our longest and most in-depth ever), 8.5″ x 11″, with beautiful glossy four-color covers. The printed edition is limited. When they sell out, there will be no further printings.

Additional offers: MMA is also offering a special bundle discount for those who order both the eBook and printed editions of Forecast 2026 for $86. The eBook will be available on December 15^th and avoids delays caused by the postal system — especially for those living overseas.

A Forecast 2026 audiobook will be available on December 15 and can be pre-ordered now for only $35. The Forecast 2026 audiobook includes all chapters from the Forecast 2026 book except the financial markets and the calendar/ephemeris pages in the back of the annual book. It provides an excellent overview of what’s in store for the coming year(s) for the world and the nation (USA, President Trump, the Federal Reserve Board, the economy, lunar nodal cycles, each outer planet in each sign, and the remarkable “Aries Vortex”). It makes for great listening, narrated by the silky-smooth voice of Thomas Miller. To order, click here.

NOTE 3: EACH FOREIGN EDITION OF THE FORECAST 2026 BOOK INCLUDES A STOCK MARKET SECTION SPECIFIC TO THAT NATION, WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ENGLISH FORECAST BOOK OR IN OTHER INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS. However, we recognize that some readers and investors may be interested in these foreign stock markets without purchasing the entire edition in that nation’s language. Therefore, we make those stock market outlooks available in English as a separate service for $35 each or $95 for all three reports. The overseas market reports for 2026 that are available separately in English include Japan’s Nikkei, China’s Shanghai Composite, and the German DAX and Zurich SMI indices. Readers who prefer to purchase these offerings together may also take advantage of our discounted bundle options, which can be accessed here. Each is available in PDF format and contains monthly charts as of December 1, 2025.

NOTE 4: 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 5: SPECIAL ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SALE ON THE JUPITER REPORT — YOUR MOMENTS OF OPPORTUNITY! The Jupiter Report was first introduced one year ago, in late September 2024. If you were one of the first to order then, it’s now time to update your outlook for the year ahead. The cost of your 14-month Jupiter Report is $69. However, starting this week, we’re launching a special one-year anniversary sale at $55 (a 21.5% discount) for those who order their next 14-month Jupiter Report.

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 when 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 and losses?

The Jupiter Report also makes an excellent holiday or birthday gift.

 Here is a recent letter from our options expert, Derek Panaia, to the Options+ group, which closed out exceptional gains on five option trades presented in the July 13 webinar:

On a side note, I started using MMA’s Jupiter Report this year, so I only have a few months of history with it. But my first positive Jupiter aspects came in March/April this year. I was trading copper and had made a nice long trade, and started buying puts for a dip. The puts did nothing for a week or so, then copper prices collapsed, and my puts went up sharply in one week. This started exactly on the same day my Jupiter Report showed a positive aspect. Well, fast forward a few months, and I have copper put spreads (the same put spreads you guys bought), and yesterday copper prices collapsed, and the puts made a lot of money. And guess what? This was one day before my Jupiter aspects started positive again. For me, it is amazing how accurate this report has been. I just wanted to share this, FWIW. The Jupiter Report from MMA is not very expensive, so if you guys use astrology in your trading, you might want to check it out.

 NOTE 6: THE MMA SOLAR-LUNAR APP NOW 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. The app is currently available only on Apple devices (iPhone and iPad). Plans are in progress to create an Android version of this app within the next 3-5 months, and a crypto app shortly thereafter. 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 7: 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 MMTA4 program, which began on September 27, 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 a master economic astrologer! Click here to order now!

 EVENTS

 FEBRUARY 22, 2026: MMA’S ANNUAL FORECAST 2026 WEBINAR WITH RAY MERRIMAN. Details to be announced soon. For now, SAVE THE DATE!!

 MAY 20-24, 2026: MMA’S NEXT INVESTMENT RETREAT, LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA. SAVE THE DATE!!

Registration will open sometime in December. The presentations will also be available via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. The theme will focus more on market timing and trading at this event. It’s going to be great!

SEPTEMBER 3, 2026: A 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, held every 4-8 years. More than 150 world-class astrologers will be presenting. The conference will be held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Chicago. In addition to the workshop, Ray will present two lectures during the six-day event: one on mundane astrology (“What Is Happening in the World from an Astrological Viewpoint”) on September 5, and another on “The U.S. Stock Market: Timing Tools and Outlook” on September 7 (Labor Day). Discounts are available to those who register by January 20. For more information, visit www.uacastrology.com.

Disclaimer and Proper Use of This Information

 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 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.