PLEASE NOTE: There will be no weekly column next week. On behalf of everyone at MMA, we wish you a happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!
REVIEW AND PREVIEW
The stock market appears set on rising into 2021 — a year expected to see some return to normalcy, above trend economic growth, and a higher stock market, according to Wall Street strategists. Those in CNBC’s survey expect an average 2021 year-end target of 4,056, or about a 9.5% gain from current levels… Vaccines are expected to liberate individuals from pandemic restrictions and in turn, free the economy as 2021 progresses. Work from home should shift back to work at the office – Patti Domm, “Wall Street Strategists See Stocks Gaining 9% in 2021”, www.cnbc.com, December 18, 2020.
The one problem with the above quote is that Jupiter and Saturn are conjoining one another, and both will square Uranus in the next two months. Nothing goes quite as expected when Uranus is in the house. And with Jupiter involved, it tends to go way off the expected course.
However, last week was a prime example of how powerful heliocentric Mercury in Sagittarius can be (December 9-20). Oh, the Trickster Mercury was later than usual in his ploy to goose certain markets to exaggerated heights, but he showed up after all last week in Bitcoin, which soared to a new all-time high. Crude Oil, Soybeans, and currencies soared to new post-crash highs. Gold and Silver reversed and scored new multi-week highs. All had stellar performances last week. Now let’s see what happens this week as the roadrunner crosses over the boundary to Capricorn, which tends to be a little less exaggerative than Sagittarius. Further brakes may be applied given that Saturn (the brakes) will conjoin Jupiter (the gas pedal) on Monday.
Stock markets were positive for much of last week, with new all-time intraday highs being recorded in all the indices we track (DJIA, NASDAQ, and S&P). It was the same elsewhere. In Europe, the German DAX index is testing its all-time high and the AEX is making a new post-crash high. Its lagging in the London FTSE and Zurich SMI indices. In the Far East, India’s NIFTY is making new all-time highs and the Australian ASX is at a new post-crash high. Japan’s Nikkei made a new 29-year high the prior week and is still close to it. But China and Hong Kong are lagging. Brazil’s Bovespa is knocking on the door too, very close to a new all-time high.
Everything looks great as we leave the Sagittarius zone next week. And then a cosmic shift begins to take place as the season of Capricorn begins and Jupiter advances to the other side of Saturn, with both on their way to square Uranus over the next two months. Nothing goes quite as expected.
SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS
Even though we are entering the crux of the holiday season and market volume is apt to be light, there are several geocosmic signatures of importance that will be occurring. In fact, this begins a two-month period of long-term (outer) planetary cycles that are the most significant since March 16-April 4, 2020, which was the peak of the market panic surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. It does not escape our attention as we enter this critical December 17-February 17 geocosmic period that the second wave of COVID-19 is coinciding with another period of hysteria regarding both the health and economic threat to the nation, to the world. So far, it hasn’t adversely affected world equity markets, which continue to perform well following their panic low of March 16-23, 2020 when several lost 30-40% of their value in just one month. We cannot rule out the possibility of something similar occurring again between now and March, based solely on these cosmic cycles.
Let’s make the list of these stellar dates ahead (and which have already started last week).
December 17: Saturn leaves Capricorn after three years and enters Aquarius for the next three
December 19: Jupiter leaves Capricorn after one year and enters Aquarius for the next year
December 21: Winter solstice and the 20-year conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (0° Aquarius)
January 17, 2021: Jupiter square Uranus (quarter cycle of its 14-year synodic cycle)
February 17, 2021: First passages of Saturn square Uranus, the quarter cycle of its 45-year synodic cycle
It is interesting that the midpoint is January 17 when Jupiter squares Uranus. Jupiter/Uranus aspects have the highest correlation to primary or greater cycles of all planetary combinations according to our studies reported in The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing Volume 3: Geocosmic Correlations to Trading Cycles. We need to focus on this period for other reasons too. Uranus turns direct on January 14 and Mars will conjoin Uranus, square Jupiter, on January 2021, followed by the Sun conjoining Jupiter and Saturn, square Uranus, January 24-29. In the study of Astrology, Jupiter rules “exaggeration” and Uranus pertains to “disruptions” and sudden, unpredictable developments that often coincide with a breakage of boundaries, rules, laws, or support/resistance in markets. It’s hacking too, which is already a big problem in the U.S. security systems as reported last week.
As one can see, there are several Uranus signatures occurring January 14-29, and it is the midway point of three outer planet aspects, each relating to cycles of over 14 years in their periodicities. This may be a time of incredible inspiration (the positive side of Uranus), and/or unbelievable instability, disruption, and violation of norms. Financial markets may explode to new all-time highs, or investors may panic, and markets could (not necessarily “will”) plunge sharply. With Uranus, you never know until you get there. And then the key is to adjust quickly and not stubbornly hold onto beliefs that are no longer valid, and no longer work.
LONG-TERM THOUGHTS – A “CHRISTMAS STORY”
Change lasts when it comes through inspiration, not accusation. – Peggy Noonan, “Mrs. Smith’s Tips for New Lawmakers,” Wall Street Journal, December 12-13, 2020.
One of our readers inquired about the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction and the “Star of Bethlehem.” It is an appropriate question, especially since Jupiter and Saturn stunningly appear together in the evening skies now, as we approach the winter solstice and the Christmas holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, the “savior of mankind,” according to Christian scriptures.
The famed “Star of Bethlehem” was likely a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the sign of Pisces. It occurred three times in 7 BC: May 29, September 30, and December 5. Pisces is the sign of the fish, a symbol of Christianity, and it represents spiritual awakening and caring for the suffering of others. The “Wise Men” were also known as the Magi. They were astrologers who knew the meaning of the “bright star” – the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. First they saw the star, then it disappeared, and then it returned again and led them to Bethlehem, which had been identified in the Old Testament as the place where the “savior” would be born. Seeing the star, then having it disappear, then reappear again, is normal in a three-passage series of outer planet conjunctions.
However, it is unlikely that the birth took place on December 25, for it was past the time of the three conjunctions, and shepherds would not be watching the sheep at night during that season of the year. It is also unlikely that the birth took place after 4 BC, for King Harod died in 4 BC. The birth had to take place before he died, for he was the king who declared a tax on the people and that’s why Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem. So, Jesus was not likely a Capricorn born on December 25 and in the year of the common era (0 BC).
More likely, as I see it, Jesus was a Virgo, or possibly a Leo or Libra. Why? Because Jupiter/Saturn would be the “brightest star” in the evening sky when opposite the Sun. The Sun would be opposite Pisces (Jupiter and Saturn) in Virgo, thus creating such a very bright star. Next to Virgo is Leo and Libra, which could also coincide with a “”bright star” at night with Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces.
It is said that Jesus was “born in a manger.” The Magi, or astrologers of that time, were very aware of fixed stars. There is a fixed star in the constellation of Cancer (home) known as Praesaepe (M44), or “The Beehive” or “The Manger.” The Moon (also symbolizing “home” or “mother,” as it is the ruler of Cancer) was in this degree of the zodiac on September 18, 7 BC.
So, the Magi, through their knowledge of astrology, knew the location and they knew the approximate time when the child would be born. And thus goes the story of the birth of Jesus from one astrological point of view. Of course, there is no documentation to verify this story as factual. But it does make for a good astrological Christmas story.
And here we are again, on the verge of another Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, this time in Aquarius for the first time in over 600 years. It is the beginning of what astrologer call the “air epoch,” for it will now take place every 20 years in an air sign for the next 140 years. Pisces is the symbol for the spiritual and religious path, and is the perfect sign symbolizing the birth of Christianity (as well as other religions that emerged near the same time).
The conjunction in 7 BC was also near the start of the “Age of Pisces.” Every 2160 years the “precession of the equinoxes” changes signs as a “New Age” begins. We are now heading to the start of the “Age of Aquarius,” and the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction on Monday, December 21, takes place at 0° Aquarius. The Age of Pisces brought forth a savior who taught the importance of peace and love for one another, perfect Piscean values. Aquarius, on the other hand, is more worldly-oriented. It is a symbol of mankind, the masses of the world, but it more scientific and technology-based than Pisces. The Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, known as “The Great Chronocrator,” has been looked upon in the past as a sign foretelling the emergence of new world leaders, and a shift in the arc of human destiny. Thus, to those who look to the heavens for guidance and who understand the relationship between cycles in human activity to cycles in the cosmos, this is an important time in the evolution of humanity.
With these thoughts in mind, may you have a happy holiday season, and we will next see you on the “other side” of the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, as we leave Capricorn (past) for Aquarius (future). It is the start of a new cosmic new era.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NOTE 1: THE MERRIMAN MARKET TIMING ACADEMY (MMTA) will begin its two-year program of courses starting January 16, 2021! This is only the second time it has been offered since the first class graduated in 2014! And there will not be another offering for at least two years (we have to complete this one first).
The first course will last 6-7 weeks, via live Zoom meetings from 1-3 PM on Saturdays, Eastern Time, with MP4 recordings of each class available the following Monday. The subject of Course 1 will “Cycles and Pattern in Financial Markets,” with an emphasis on the U.S. stock market. It will also include discussions on cycles in precious metals, currencies, T-Notes, Crude Oil, Bitcoin, and Grain markets. It will not include material on Geocosmic Cycles. That begins in Course 2. Course 1 will explain the patterns and confirming technical and charting signals involved in labeling long-term, intermediate-term, and primary cycles ands their phases. You do not have to have any background in markets or cycles to take this course. We assume each student is beginning with no knowledge, but by the end of the course, each student should know clearly how to label each cycle type, understand what type of pattern is unfolding, know where the market is within each cycle, and the investment or trading strategy to employ at any point within any cycle, just as we perform in the MMA Cycles Reports (monthly, weekly, and daily). If you do not know the MMA market timing methodology, then this course will be an awakening. You will never look at price charts the same ever again. They will now make sense to you. The cost for Course 1 (and any course) is $1800.
MMTA is a rigorous two-year program in the MMA Market Timing methodology of analyzing and trading financial markets developed by Raymond A. Merriman, C.T.A. (registered Commodities Trading Advisor with the National Futures Association since 1982). There will be 8 courses in all, each consisting of 6–7 classes, lasting 2–3 hours each, on Saturday afternoons, starting at 1:00 PM, EST. There will be a one-month break between each course, and a 3-month break between the first and second year of courses.
The course will be taught by Gianni Di Poce, MMTA graduate and apprentice, and Raymond Merriman. The cost for the entire two-year program is $12,000, with a 10% discount if you are a yearly subscriber to one of the MMA subscription reports. It is also possible to sign up for one year ($6600) or even one course ($1800) at a time.
SIGN UP NOW, BEFORE JANUARY 16, 2021!!! Don’t miss your opportunity to get in on the ground floor of MMTA’s educational and training models if you are truly interested in learning the principles and value of financial market timing. There is nothing else like this available today. Please not that this session of the Academy is nearly full. There are only 4 openings left before we reach our limit for this term.
To learn more about MMTA, check out the 45-minute video discussion with Raymond Merriman and Gianni Di Poce. Click here. For more information on registration and requirements for enrollment, please visit our MMTA page to learn more about this opportunity to learn market timing the MMA way.
NOTE 2: The Forecast 2021 Book is now out and reviews are coming in. In fact, the e-Book English version has now been out for a week. Those who ordered prior to December 7 should be receiving the book this week if you live in the U.S. We do not know how long mail service will take outside of the U.S., but the books are on their way now.
If you have not ordered this year’s book and want a printed copy, you are advised to order ASAP. They will sell out this year. There is only one printing of copies based on preordered copies plus 20%. That number will go fast because this week we received an unexpected order from Euro for 25% of our additional copies after the printing was completed. Once they sell out, you may be able to get used copies on Amazon for $100-150. The cost will our supplies last is $55.00 plus postage for the print edition (no postage, of course, for the e-Book edition, and they will remain available indefinitely). There is a discount for those who order both the print and e-Book editions together, or for those who order the “Bundle” of Forecast 2021 and “Trends for the 12 Signs 2021.”
“I have started reading some pages of Ray’s book getting better every year like an old French wine.” A.B. long-term subscriber and diplomat from France after receiving the eBook last week.
If anyone has comments or reviews they would like to share, please feel free to send them to us. We will print the ones we find most interesting, sincere, and insightful (and positive, of course).
This year’s printed and/or e-Book versions of Forecast 2021 will also be available in these languages:
German: www.mma-europe.ch/ or email at info@mma-europe.ch
Japanese: https://www.toushinippou.co.jp/
Chinese: www.nodoor.com/
In addition to this year’s Forecast book, we are offering a separate publication for those who enjoy the yearly trends for the twelve individual signs. It is titled “Trends for the Twelve Signs 2021,” and written by Antonia Langsdorf-Merriman and Ray Merriman. It, too, is at the printer now and due out any day. The eBook version is also now available and being sent out! The cost of the “Trends” book is $25, with a further discount if ordered with the Forecast 2021 Book. I never thought I would write a Sun-sign book, but I did this year with Antonia, and it came out really good!
NOTE 3: MMA is pleased to announce that it is publishing a new book titled Great Conjunctions: Shifting Times, by one of the world’s leading Mundane Astrologers – Chris McRae of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This a fascinating book on the history of Great Conjunctions involving the outer planets throughout history. It is especially appropriate today because 2020 was such a year exhibiting Great Conjunctions. In fact, the grandest of all outer planet conjunctions – the Jupiter/Saturn synodic cycle – will take place on December 21, 2020, so this book is timely. The insights that McRae provides on these rare but remarkable configurations will make this one of the most valuable additions to the field of Mundane Astrology. The book is due to be released by January 2021. The cost will be $24.95, but you may pre-order it at the pre-publication price of $19.95 until December 31, 2020. When the calendar changes year, the price will be upped to its normal retail mark.
NOTE 4: The MMA Monthly Cycles Report came out last week. If you are a subscriber and did not receive it, contact us at once. Every issue provides MMA’s outlook for the U.S. stock market (DJIA and S&P futures), Gold and Silver, T-Notes, Euro Currency, Crude Oil, and Soybeans. Each issue also contains MMA’s original geocosmic critical reversal dates (CRDs) and Solar/Lunar reversal dates over the next several weeks for DJIA, Gold, and Silver, along with trading strategies for position traders. If you are not a subscriber to the monthly MMA Cycles Report and wish a copy of our outlook for financial markets, consider a one-month subscription for only $35.
EVENTS
January 16, 2021: The first six-week course of the 2-year program of the Merriman Market Timing Academy (MMTA) begins! This course is titled Cycles and Their Patterns in the Financial Markets” and is recommended for everyone. It does not require a background or knowledge of astrology. The emphasis will be on long-, intermediate-, and short-term cycles in stock indices plus Gold, but will also cover currencies, treasuries, Crude Oil, and grain markets for investors and traders. It is the best way to learn the language of cycles as it pertains to financial markets, and with this course, you will understand where you are in any given cycle and the trading/investment strategy that goes with that phase of the cycle. Once you take this course, you will look at price charts with a completely different set of eyes. Charts will make sense to you. The cost for this six-week course via zoom is $1800, which may be applied towards discounted rates on future courses and books. The course comes with a workbook and PowerPoint slides along with MP4 recordings of the live classes. For details, see the above announcement, or visit MMTA.
February 14, 2021: The Annual MMA Forecast 2021 Webinar. More on this later but Save the Date for now. It is a Sunday.
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 to educate the reader on the relationship between astrological factors and collective human activities as they are happening. 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 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 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 as 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 hence potentially affect 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.