REVIEW AND PREVIEW
President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on Thursday afternoon. The plan, his top priority as president, sends direct payments of up to $1,400, extends a $300 per week unemployment insurance supplement, expands the child tax credit, and puts funds into vaccine distribution. Democrats passed the bill in Congress without a Republican vote through the budget reconciliation process. – Jacob Pramuk, “Biden Signs $1.9 Trillion Covid Relief Bill, Clearing Way for Stimulus Checks, Vaccine Aid,” www.cnbc.com, March 11, 2021.
Soon after I went to work in institutional sales at Montgomery Securities, in the early 80’s, our managing partner brought in a consultant to instruct us on macro considerations affecting markets. The most important thing, he said, is that the key determinant of constructing an investment strategy is to assess the liquidity cycle. If liquidity is improving you should be looking to go long something. If liquidity is contracting you should look to be short something. Len Oppenheim, “Observations From the Middle End,” March 7, 2021
And so it was last week as the U.S. stock market – and several other world stock indices (not including the NASDAQ) – soared to new or multi-year highs, following the passage of yet another huge stimulus relief package by the U.S. Congress. It feels really good to be getting all this free money in the form of stimulus checks, increased unemployment payouts, and Payroll Protection Loan Forgiveness Programs. And this is just to name just a few of the giveaways compliments of our U.S. government’s decision on how to handle all the revenues we pay to the U.S Treasury in the form of our tax payments. They obviously know better than us on how to spend our hard-earned money they receive through taxing our income.
This extravagant spending package is being passed as we head into the new moon this weekend in Pisces that conjoins both Venus and Neptune. As discussed in this column two weeks ago, following the sharp stock market decline into the full moon of February 26, the Pisces new moon of March 13 looks like another case of “irrational exuberance,” or delusionary euphoria.” If so, this might be a time to “buy the rumor (leading into it) and sell the fact (now that it has passed).” The liquidity cycle continues to expand and explode, and the next step is the realization that the treasury (debt) market may be spiraling out of control (see “Short-Term Geocosmics” below).
Despite all this money being given out and the rally to new (or close-to-new) highs last week, world equity markets continue to flash a host of intermarket bearish divergence signals from their respective highs formed within one day of the Saturn/Uranus square of February 17. In Europe, the German DAX index soared to a new all-time high of 14,595 on Thursday, March 11, as the Sun conjoined Neptune in Pisces, the center of this romantic but delusionary geocosmic set up of March 11-14. The Netherlands AEX also made a high then, but it was lower than its 20-year high made on February 16. Neither the London FTSE nor Zurich SMI could exceed their recent highs last week either.
The bearish divergence was even more striking in the U.S., where the DJIA made a new all-time high on Friday, March 12, but the NASDAQ Composite remains far below its all-time high of February 16. The S&P nearby futures came very close to making a new all-time high on Thursday, March 11, but failed by less than a point from its current all-time high of February 16. This is yet another example of bearish divergence, but it could be negated if the S&P rallies smartly next week.
In Asia and the Far East, the equity markets we follow rallied, yet all remain well below their multi-year highs of February 16-18.
It wasn’t only equity markets that benefited from this new spending spree of the U.S. Congress. Crude Oil soared to a new 2-year high on Monday, March 8. Bitcoin is back up, near its all-time high of just over 58,000 last month after falling 26% in between. The Dollar rallied to its highest level against the Japanese Yen since the pandemic crisis of one year ago. But Gold fell to its lowest level in nine months last Monday, March 8. And then heliocentric Mercury in Sagittarius (March 7-18) kicked in as Gold and Silver also staged impressive rallies late into this last week.
SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS
Surging bond yields sent technology shares sliding into correction territory at one point, and there could be an even more severe sell-off ahead if rates keep going higher, according to Ned Davis Research. – Yun Li, “A 2% 10-Year Yield Could Knock 20% Off Tech Stocks, Ned Davis Research Calculates,” www.cnbc.com, March 12, 2021.
Now what? What happens when the euphoria of the new moon in Pisces conjunct Venus, and Neptune, starts to wear off after this weekend? What happens when heliocentric Mercury moves out of “the big spender” sign of Sagittarius into Capricorn, the sign of sobriety that demands accountability, as its ruler Saturn continues its year-long, in-and-out waning square with the unpredictable and disruptive Uranus? The transition from optimism to realism is scheduled to begin this week. In April, we find Venus touching off the Saturn/Uranus square (April 23), followed by the Sun doing the same in the April 30 through the first week of May. The second passage of the Saturn/Uranus waning square will then occur on June 14.
Still, on many levels, matters look encouraging. The COVID-19 pandemic is waning, at least here in the U.S., and right on time as forecasted in this column and the Forecast 2021 Book. The peak was projected to be February 2021 +/- 3 months. Progress on the vaccination program has accelerated. Originally the government called for the majority of Americans to be vaccinated by the end of this year. Then it was moved up to September. Then to July. And this week, the White House Press released announced that every American would be eligible to receive a vaccine by the May 1, putting the nation on a path to get closer to normal by July 4. Furthermore, the CDC has eased their restrictive guidelines on travel for those who do receive the vaccination. Jupiter (freedom and travel) has left Capricorn and is separating from Saturn (restriction in travel). Life is beginning to return to “normal,” at least in terms of some human activities. Many schools and businesses that have been closed are readying to re-open. The in-person, live conferences will soon return.
It is all part of the bigger Jupiter and Saturn cycle, where the “Great Mutation” (of December 21, 2020) has finally left the earth element and is now beginning its new air element cycles for the next 140 years. It is truly a “New Aira.”
Now, if politicians can reignite a healthy approach to global trade with one another, the world might be able to start paying down all this hugely increased debt it has taken on in the past year. Well, forgive me. I am thinking like a new moon in Pisces conjunct Venus and Neptune. I, too, like the feeling of irrational exuberance. But the Capricorn in me understands that there is a consequence to every decision I make and action that I take. Maybe the government has figured out a way to create hybrid saplings to justify their apparent belief that “money must grow on trees” and won’t have to be paid back to the central banks of the world.
Nah. That’s too much Neptune and Pisces wishful thinking. But I admit, it’s fun to imagine that all of this money is really free and doesn’t have to be paid back. Next week I will start to worry about “What was I thinking?”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NOTE 1: The March issue of the MMA Monthly Cycles Report was issued last week, Tuesday, March 9. Every issue provides MMA’s intermediate-term outlook for the U.S. stock market, Gold and Silver, Treasuries, 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, complete with trading strategies for position traders during the next month. If you are not a subscriber to the monthly MMA Cycles Report and wish a copy of our outlook for financial markets, consider trying the March issue for only $35.
NOTE 2: The recordings of Course 1 in the MMTA series of 8 courses are now available on the MMA website. Course One covered the methodology of market timing via cycle studies as developed by Raymond A. Merriman, C.T.A. (registered Commodities Trading Advisor). Course One took place over 7 class times, lasting 2-3 hours each, in January-February. The course was taught by Gianni Di Poce, MMTA graduate, and Raymond Merriman. This is an excellent way to understand the timing and patterns of market cycles in any financial or commodity market as developed in “The Ultimate Books on Stock Market Timing” series, with the emphasis here on Volume 1: Cycles and Patterns in the Indexes. The course was not limited to the stock market, however. Cycles in precious metals, currencies, grains, and treasuries were also covered. For more information on the title of each of the 19 classes taught over seven weeks, Click here.
NOTE 3: MMTA Course 2 will begin April 3! The subject of this course will be “The Correlation of Long-Term Market Cycles to Geocosmic Studies.” This course is also open to anyone who simply wants to learn the MMA method of determining the time bands for long and intermediate-term cycle highs and lows related to the overlapping of market cycles and longer-term planetary cycles (the correlation is impressive). The cost for this valuable investment timing Course 2 is $1800 and includes 7 classes from 1 –3:30 PM, Eastern Time, every Saturday, for seven weeks, via Zoom. A recording of each plus the workbook, plus the slides from each class, are provided to those who sign up. Registration is now open (Click here). Several markets will be studied, with most emphasis upon the correlation between longer-term planetary cycles and long-term market cycles in stock indices and precious metals.
NOTE 4: MMA is pleased to announce that Great Conjunctions: Shifting Times is now available! Written by Chris McRae, who was one of the world’s leading Mundane Astrologers before her sudden passing to the cloud, this fascinating book on the history of Great Conjunctions involving the outer planets throughout history is of great importance to all astrological historians. 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 – took 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 cost is $24.95 plus postage.
NOTE 5: The print edition of the Forecast 2021 Book is now available while supplies last! The e-Book English version is also available.
This year’s printed and/or e-Book versions of Forecast 2021 are also 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 now available as of Monday, December 7! The cost of this book is $25, with a further discount if ordered with the Forecast 2021 Book.
EVENTS
APRIL 3, 2021: MMTA Course 2 begins! The subject of this course will be “The Correlation of Long-Term Market Cycles to Geocosmic Studies.” Course 2 is open as a solo to anyone who just wants the information and does not want to take the entire MMTA 2-year program or its tests and research projects with the current class of MMTA students. The cost for this valuable investment timing Course 2 is $1800 and includes 7 classes from 1 –3:30 PM, Eastern Time, every Saturday, for seven weeks, via Zoom. Registration is now open (Click here). Several markets will be studied, with most emphasis upon the correlation between longer-term planetary cycles and long-term market cycles in stock indices and precious metals.
MAY 22, 2021, 12:00 PM MST: MMA’S FINANCIAL MARKETS WORLD WEBINAR AND FORECASTS 2021 UPDATE. This broadcast will take place on Saturday, May 22, 2021, 3:00 PM EDT (that’s 12:00 PM PDST, 8 PM UK, 9 PM CEDT. 5 AM Tokyo, 6 AM Sydney). In the comfort of your own home or office, you can tune into Raymond Merriman’s Webinar on Financial Markets and Forecasts 2021 Update. This 2.5-hour webinar will give an intermediate-term update on several financial markets that were covered in the Forecast 2021 Book, including the U.S. stock market, Gold, Silver, Crude Oil, the Euro currency, and Bitcoin. This will be an especially timely presentation because 1) the 12-year Jupiter orbital cycle will be making its first entrance into Pisces on May 13, and 2) May 3-July 9 has been highlighted as one of the more probable times in 2021 for an intermediate-term (and possibly long-term) trend reversal in several financial markets, including world stock indices. Joining Ray to share their outlook will be Ulric Aspegrén (Euro, U.S. Dollar) and Gianni Di Poce (U.S. Treasuries, Crude Oil). Ray will be covering equities, metals, and Bitcoin. There will be a Q&A with attendees during this webinar. The cost to attend is $55.00 and includes the slides of the presentation, plus access to the video recording of the event. If unable to attend live, you can still sign up, as everyone who orders the Webinar will receive the video recording following the live event. For more information, click here and SIGN UP NOW TO LOCK IN YOUR PLACE for this event!
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.