REVIEW
“A whole new industry is being formed, and that’s driving our growth,” he [Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang] said on the company’s earnings call. On Wednesday, Nvidia reported quarterly sales of $22.1 billion and forecasted another $24 billion for its current quarter, each more than triple what was posted a year earlier and ahead of Wall Street’s bullish expectations. Asa Fitch, “Nvidia Hits $2 Trillion Valuation on Insatiable AI Chip Demand,” Wall Street Journal, February 23, 2024.
It was a very stunning week for global stock markets as the powerful conjunction between Venus, Mars, and Pluto (February 13-22) ended with the Venus/Mars conjunction on Thursday, February 22. The day before, the tech-heavy NASDAQ index had just put in its lowest price in three weeks, and it looked like many global indices were in the midst of their sharpest decline of this new year. But then Nvidia announced earnings to the upside that surprised everyone. By Friday, all major U.S. indices were making new all-time highs. Such is the correspondence of geocosmics to market reversals.
This is all a prelude to the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction of April 21 that was the crux of our trading strategies given in last weekend’s webinar, suggesting the potential for explosive and huge rallies to new all-time highs in many markets. It doesn’t mean there will be no corrective declines to buy into before then, for the primary cycles in many markets are getting quite mature. But it does illustrate the appetite for risk that many traders and stock market players are willing to take on any decline as we head into this 14-year planetary cycle that has a rather high correlation to explosive rallies. Jupiter exaggerates, and Uranus is the disrupter that breaks boundaries such as yearly support (lows) and/or resistance (highs). The combination can be wildly bullish or bearish, depending on whether it is support or resistance almost begging to be violated.
In addition to the major U.S. indices, all-time highs were also posted in the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, and India. In China, the Shanghai Composite continued its torrid 14% rally to over 3000, even though just a few trading sessions ago, it had slumped to the lowest price in five years, and was trading at 2635. The whole world is infused with the excitement of Jupiter approaching its union with Uranus following the mating dance of the lovers (Venus and Mars) last Thursday. Spring is in the air.
Speaking of lovers, Gold had a decent week, continuing its rally off its multi-week low on Valentine’s Day, February 14. Silver, however, proved why it is Gold’s less fortunate sister as it bucked Gold’s trend and declined all week. It is better for the outlook of precious metals if Gold is rising rather than Silver. Silver will catch up. But if Silver is leading, Gold will usually resist being the follower.
Bitcoin saw a new yearly high of 52,989 attained on February 20, but then it stalled and drifted back to the 50,000 area on Friday. Ethereum made a new yearly high on Thursday but also gave back some on Friday. Crude Oil continued its inconsistency. On Thursday, it rallied to 78.92, close to its cycle high of 79.29 recorded on January 29. But by Friday, it fell over $2.00/barrel. It needs to make a new cycle high to confirm it is a bullish cycle. Can it do that? Yes, it’s still possible as we head into Jupiter conjunct Uranus, Jupiter is a co-ruler of Crude Oil.
SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS
The ECB published an anti-Bitcoin blog, describing it as having “zero intrinsic value.” This is true, but perhaps not the point. Gen Z, with no prospect of buying a house, may abandon low-risk investing in favor of gambling. That would explain crypto, NFTs, and meme stocks. The question is what happens if housing becomes affordable again.“ Dr. Paul Donovan, “Reasons to Rush Rate Cuts,” UBS Insights, Morning Audio Comment, February 23, 2024.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” we are often reminded by people who like to quote George Santayana. The truth is that those who never learned history are prey to all sorts of mad ideas that serve someone else’s political agenda. Usually, that agenda involves forfeiting one’s independent judgment. Peter W. Wood, “History, From Ukraine to Utah,” Wall Street Journal, February 23, 2024.
“Don’t dig up the past! Dwell on the past and you’ll lose an eye. Forget the past and you’ll lose both eyes.” Natan Sharansky quote from Gary Saul Marson, “Dissident Wisdom From Alexei Navalny and Natan Sharansky,” Wall Street Journal, February 23, 2024.
The Mars/Venus/Pluto conjunction of February 13-22 had a sordid correlation last week to the disturbing death (murder?) of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. Each of these planets has recently left Capricorn (the past) and crossed over the supercharged degree of 0° Aquarius (the future). This was outlined in our annual Forecast 2024 webinar last week, as we explained how Pluto moving over the first degree of Aquarius can be turbulent, violent, and coercive. It is a step in the challenging process by which Pluto in Aquarius finds the courage and resistance to oppose this type of bullying behavior in its pathway to greater freedom and independence. In other words, we are now in a cycle of violence, destruction, and war now (along with innovation and invention), and it might last until the Aries Vortex of 2025-2027 finally reaches its nadir. This, too, was covered at length in the webinar and will be discussed more fully in my next presentation on that unique cosmic pattern on March 9 (see Events below).
In terms of the stock market and geocosmic signatures, we continue to plow through many reversal signatures into March 9. This week, on February 28, we find the stellium of the Sun, Mercury, and Saturn all conjoining in 9° Pisces, just one day after a powerful Mars (combative or pioneering) transits into square aspect to Jupiter. Perhaps there will be some new scientific breakthrough announced, or a delay in a much-needed rescue mission for people who are suffering (Saturn and the other planets in Pisces). Mars and Jupiter in a square aspect can also suggest extreme anger being displayed, so hold back any temptation to start a war, personally or collectively. This is not a signature of good judgement. It can indicate errors and misjudgment due to overconfidence and arrogance.
Market-wise, Saturn’s presence this week can portend yet another pullback or stalled rally. Once it passes, however, another rally can commence, and that rally will become another major concern because this primary cycle is getting so mature (old). The older it gets, the more vulnerable it is to a steeper pullback. “old,” in market cycles, can be defined as 18-23 weeks. It is also an interval that is known as “exhaustion.” It is highly unusual to see markets make new cycle highs in weeks 18-23, and when they do happen, sharp declines usually follow. Thus, we cannot rule out another strong reversal zone this week or next (and ideally March 3-9) +/- 3 trading days, when Jupiter semi-squares Neptune (irrational exuberance or panic), which takes place between Mars and Venus squaring Uranus (dramatic price moves).
So, as the next two weeks signify the possibility of “irrational exuberance” and also the potential for a “mini-panic,” it will be necessary to manage your risk and not fall to the temptation of abandoning your trading plan, which is precisely what Jupiter and Neptune in conflict tend to do. This is not the best of times to go rogue on discipline protocol. To do so may result in financial loss or social embarrassment. Truth is in short supply in the days of heavy propaganda and misdirection (Saturn in Pisces), so just remember to at least be true to your (higher) self. That truth will always serve one well in life.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NOTE 1: THE MMA’s Annual Forecast 2024 Webinar Recording is now available!!! This broadcast addressed themes from this year’s Forecast 2024 book, with updates on the U.S. stock market, Bitcoin, Gold, Silver, Crude Oil, and Natural Gas. It covered strategies of each market based on the possibility of big moves related to the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction of April 21 and afterwards. The recording of this excellent presentation is available for $55.00 at Forecast 2024 Webinar.
Here are a couple of comments on last week’s webinar:
“That was a spectacular webinar you put on! I watched it from beginning to end. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! The webinar covered every possible question I could come up with, and you gave succinct and direct advice. This webinar is the best performance I’ve ever seen you give.” – D.G., Astro-Researcher
“I think that was your best webinar yet. I have a feeling we are entering a time we won’t soon forget. A lot of your comments and information resonated very strongly with what I feel is approaching.
Really nice job! “ Garrett Jones., market analyst, editor of “Obsevations.”
NOTE 2: OPTIONS STRATEGIES FOR FINANCIAL MARKETS, March 16, 2024, 1 PM EDT, with Derek Panaia and hosted by Raymond Merriman. This event is timed to identify top candidates for potentially big price moves into the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction of April 21. We think the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction could be explosive for some financial and commodity markets, and thus worthy of a limited but favorable risk/reward options strategy if correct. Cost to attend is $95, and a participant should have a basic understanding of options before attending this presentation. To register, click here.
NOTE 3: THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF THE MMA Monthly Cycles Report Plus+, edited by Pouyan Zolfagharnia, will be issued this week. This market letter has become a very popular addition to the MMA Cycles Report (less technical, more visual and contains horoscopes of current importance, high-quality analysis, and updates on MMA Cycles Report markets). The mid-month addendum to the MMA Cycles Report has stunning graphics and charts (people love it!) and is very readable. It contains more illustrations and references to geocosmics than most MMA Cycles reports and is only available for subscription to those who also subscribe to the MMA Monthly Cycles Report. If you wish to try this month’s addendum, along with the latest issue of the MMA Monthly Cycles Report, sign up online at the link above. Subscription for a monthly copy of both reports is $55. That will give you both the most recent February copy of the MMA Cycles Report and the February MMA Cycles Report Plus+ addendum coming out this week. For further information and ordering instructions, please click here.
NOTE 4: THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF THE MMA Monthly Grain Cycles Report by Wyatt Fellows will also be issued this week. With Soybeans now in the time band for a primary cycle, and the spring planting season about to begin, this month’s report is very timely. Wyatt has been exceptionally accurate in his forecast for grains since this report we recently started issuing this report. To subscribe to this report, please click here.
NOTE 5: 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 market activity of the previous week and offers a preview of the geocosmic signatures in effect for the coming week and beyond.
NOTE 6: 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! 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 Apple Music. It makes for great listening!
EVENTS
March 9, 2024: THE ARIES VORTEX: THIRD PHASE OF THE “NEW AIRA” with Raymond Merriman. Hosted by Astrology University. This is a 90-120-minute webinar presentation that explores the hope for humanity as shown by the unusual planetary arrangement of 2025-2027 involving the Saturn/Neptune conjunction on 0° Aries, the vernal equinox point that marks the start of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. It is also the midpoint of the Uranus/Pluto trine, creating a funnel, or vortex, at 0° Aries. This has huge symbolic importance to the world and aligns with other important economic and socio-cultural time cycles. Cost is only $30.00 if registered before March 7! For further information, click here.
March 16, 2024, 1:00 PM EDT: OPTIONS STRATEGIES FOR FINANCIAL MARKETS Webinar with Derek Panaia and hosted by Raymond Merriman. Cost to attend is $95, and a participant should have a basic understanding of options before attending this presentation. To register, click here.
April 20, 2024: “FORECASTS 2024 AND THE APPROACHING ARIES VORTEX,” Nova Southwestern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, with Ray Merriman. An in-person, live event and workshop, 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM, with a 90-minute lunch break. We will also update financial markets that are likely to be at critical stages in their cycles then, as it takes place under the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction that day. Cost is $95.00. This is one of the few live in-person events to be given by Ray Merriman this year. This event will not be broadcast via Zoom, but recordings will be made available for sale a few days afterwards. For further information and registration, please click here.
September 19-22, 2024: MMA’s 2024 Investment Retreat. SAVE THE DATES!!! We will be hosting our 2024 Investment Retreat in Europe for the first time since 2015. You won’t want to miss this chance to meet with the top MMA analysts (plus special guest speakers Claude Weiss and Aleksandar Imsiragic) live and hear our long-term investment and wealth-building strategies using MMA market timing methods. There is nothing quite like a life-altering MMA Investment Retreat! This one will be very special, and it will be our first investment retreat in Europe since 2015! The location is Lake Bled, Slovenia, a premier (and affordable) destination on a beautiful lake with a historic castle nestled in the mountains. More information and the opportunity to sign up early will be released in early March.
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 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.