MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING MAY 19, 2025

REVIEW

 Walmart expects to raise some prices because of the impact of President Trump’s tariffs, officials said Thursday. The world’s largest retailer, which had pledged to hold the line on pricing, said it was now too late to avoid higher costs for consumers, even with the China trade deal earlier this week.

— Kelly Tyko, “Walmart Warns It Will Raise Prices Due to Tariffs,” Axios, May 15, 2025.

President Trump basked in this desert kingdom’s glitzy welcome as he announced an end to sanctions on Syria, signed investment deals with Saudi Arabia and issued a pointed warning to Iran. On the first of a four-day Middle East visit, Trump sealed $300 billion in deals with the Saudis, with an eye toward doubling that total within four years.

— Stephen Kalin, Alexandra Ward, and Alex Leary, “Trump to Lift Sanctions on Syria, Touts Deals in Middle East Tour,” Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2025.

Global stock indices soared to their highest levels in nearly three months, recovering nearly all of the losses incurred from the disruptive trade tensions that started then. Last week’s announcement of a temporary truce with China that reduced the tariffs imposed on one another started the most recent part of the rally. However, there is still no permanent agreement. These are just the first steps that will be reviewed later, which means that chaos and uncertainty may still remain. Nevertheless, investors cheered at the progress. This was further augmented by the president’s major deals with Middle Eastern countries during his travels last week. He proved to be a good deal-maker for the U.S. last week, which is not surprising given that transiting Jupiter is still within orb of his natal Sun. Now it begins to separate, and the real test comes in the next four weeks.

Most of the world’s stock indices closed the week sharply up from their crisis lows of April 7-9. However, this weekend, we will enter the first strong geocosmic critical reversal zone since the secondary low of April 21, as the Sun conjoins Uranus, which is very close to the Sun in the founding chart of the New York Stock Exchange. In the majority of cases, a stock index that rises into a Sun/Uranus conjunction will reverse and fall sharply within four trading days afterwards. The question is whether that decline ended on Thursday before Friday’s rally, or if it ends now and begins another decline by next Thursday.

In other markets, Gold continued its sharp decline from its all-time high of 3509 on April 22, one day after the three-star CRD of April 22. On Thursday, May 15, it had fallen as low as 3123, nearly $400 off its high of three weeks ago. Silver also fell to a new 5-week low on May 15, dropping to 31.78. A concern now is that the Sun will enter the air sign of Gemini this week. That means we need to be alert when the Moon also enters an air sign in the next month, for at least one of those air-air days usually corresponds to a sharp decline. The first will take place with the New Moon on May 26 and last until May 28.

SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS

Coinbase Global said Thursday that it has refused to pay a $20 million ransom demand from cybercriminals who bribed the company’s overseas customer support agents to steal sensitive user data.

— Colin Kellaher and Vicky Ge Huang, “Coinbase Says Cybercriminals Stole Customer Data, Sought Ransom,” Wall Street Journal, May 15, 2025.

As the Sun conjoins Uranus this weekend, along with Mercury square Mars, let’s discuss cyber subjects, like innovation, as well as cyber theft. After all, Uranus rules technology, and Mercury pertains to information. Both Uranus and Mercury (along with the Sun) are in Taurus, the sign of money and currency, and in a hard aspect respectively with the fiery Sun and Mars. Expect surprise announcements here that may have combative rhetoric and disagreements. Perhaps it has to do with the Conservatives blocking the GOP’s big, beautiful mega tax bill. They aren’t getting along, yet the stock market keeps rising.

We note that the recent rise in global equity markets has been led by the tech sector, which is related to Uranus and its ruling sign, Aquarius (Pluto is in Aquarius now for approximately 20 years, indicating the powerful transformational nature of technology on the world stage that started in 2023). But now that the equity markets have been up sharply for five weeks, a corrective decline may be about to begin, as suggested by the geocosmic configurations (Uranus & Mars).

In the coming week, the Sun will enter Gemini, the sign that is ruled by Mercury. And in about two months, Uranus (tech and innovation) will also enter Gemini (information). By itself, this would appear to bode well for the NASDAQ and other tech-heavy global indices this year. Yet, the hard aspects of this weekend can also indicate problems nearby, especially if 1) the next rally doesn’t make a new high and 2) reports of increased cyber-attacks and thefts continue to financially harm businesses, as 3) we enter Jupiter square Saturn and Neptune (and Mars square Uranus), June 9-24.

Coinbase is not the only company being attacked by cyber thieves. PayPal is, too. Our PayPal account was compromised in the past ten days, as were several of our associates. The source of this breach appears to have originated in Belarus, a close ally of Russia, whose business model includes such odious activities as internet/computer hacking.

Incidents like the one reported by Coinbase serve as urgent reminders to secure your technology now. One of the simplest and most effective ways to block cyberattacks is by enabling two-factor authentication. PayPal and even Amazon Prime do not usually do this automatically. You need to request it. The cyber-attacks on us have now stopped with the 2F verification set up and change of passwords. Our cybersecurity is now like a fortress. PayPal and Amazon have both stopped the cyber criminals’ attempted payments. Still, if you receive an invitation letter from me (or anyone) with an envelope appearing with the prompt to open (this is the hook), please do not open. It may lead you to the negative side of the Sun/Uranus conjunction and Mercury/Mars square. Stay alert. Stay safe. Protect your accounts with the 2-factor verification steps!

As far as markets are concerned, you may use this period (+/- 4 trading days from this weekend) to buy or sell any market that is in the process of making a corrective decline or rally to the underlying trend, such as stock indices, metals, currencies, and/or grains. If the reversals that follow do not make new highs (or lows in the case of bearish trends), be careful of yet another reversal against that trend into mid-June.

LONGER-TERM THOUGHTS (My column, my opinions, as seen through my lens of the cosmos)

 When people ask me, “Do you believe in astrology?” my answer is, “No, I don’t believe in astrology. I experience it!” Astrology teaches me that the laws of physics might be true, but they are not the most important of all principles. The most important principle is that the Universe behaves as if it were a Living Being. It talks to us! As in all communication between conscious beings, the language is negotiated by both speakers.

— Rob Hand, legendary astrologer, quoted in an interview by Tore Lomsdalen, “The Modern Astrologer with a Medieval Heritage,” www.academia.edu, 2008.

When bitcoin was started in 2009, a utopian, anti-authoritarian movement welcomed it. Crypto’s earliest adopters had lofty goals about revolutionizing finance and defending individuals against expropriation and inflation. They wanted to hand power to small investors, who would otherwise be at the mercy of giant financial institutions. This was more than an asset: it was technology as liberation. That is all forgotten now…. The industry has developed a grubby relationship with the executive branch of America’s government that outstrips that of Wall Street or any other industry. Crypto has become the ultimate swamp asset…. In hailing Mr. Trump as a savior, and becoming the favored swamp asset, Crypto has a new role at the policymaking table. But the industry’s reputation and fate are now tied to the ups and downs of its political benefactor. Crypto has been good to the Trumps. But ultimately the benefits of this deal will flow only one way.

— Zanny Minton Beddoes, “Crypto Has Become the Ultimate Swamp Asset,” The Economist, May 17, 2024.

As we approach the 36-year cycle of Saturn conjunct Neptune in Aries this summer, corruption at the highest levels of governments may be witnessed. Is there any planetary aspect more representative of corruption and the gains it can bestow to one at the expense of others than Saturn (government) in a hard aspect with Neptune (deception), when in their most negative expression? On the other side, is there any aspect that relates to the principles of integrity and honesty more than these two planets when applied positively? It’s the two sides of the same coin: The saint and the sinner.

Let’s look at this Saturn/Neptune conjunction in Aries, which will be strongly in force from late May into September, then again in early 2026. First off, Saturn in Aries is capable of extremely hard work. It is demanding of itself to meet deadlines, and of others to acquiesce to its demands. Often, it experiences delays and frustrations in meeting its goals, usually because it depends upon others who fall behind, resist,  or obstruct progress. This can cause anger and frustration if one has not prepared by making sure all tasks and personnel are on schedule. For this reason, Saturn in Aries can be like a “bully,” demanding (unreasonably, in many cases) large sacrifices, on the part of others, to meet its “me first” needs, or suffer undesirable consequences. Additionally, Saturn in Aries (2025-2028) can be a time of increased war threats, as leaders may be in an “attack” mode to relentlessly force their enemies into submission.

Neptune is a very different dynamic from Saturn. At its best, it is the willingness to venture into the realms of the creative, spiritual, metaphysical, religious, and philosophical. It can be creative in the arts, music, and theater. However, it can also be evasive and deceptive in the mundane world of business matters. It can blur lines between right and wrong, good and bad, often reinterpreting the meaning of words and actions as if they are something wonderful when in truth they are designed to foster personal gain at another’s expense. Theft comes under the heading of Neptune. So does the lack of integrity and ethics, qualities associated with Saturn, when in the hard aspect of Neptune.

With Saturn ruling governments and controls, one has to wonder what the Trump family is doing by engaging in questionable financial ventures while the head of the family is the President of the United States. The family is making a financial killing (Saturn in Aries) with its dubious activities in fields like crypto and meme tokens. It blurs the lines of decency versus corruption via the reinterpretation of actions that suggest a lack of ethics and integrity (Saturn/Neptune). Why do this, except for personal gain (Aries and Mars)? The public does not benefit from this. And it undermines the original purpose and spirit behind crypto when it enters the realm of “the swamp,” which the president was elected to drain.

On the one hand, you have President Trump working tirelessly (Saturn in Aries) on ending international conflicts and wars, and establishing world peace (Neptune in Aries). You see him protecting the borders from the overwhelming influx of illegal immigrants (Saturn moving into Aries while being squared by Jupiter). This may be the benevolent and virtuous side of Saturn and Neptune. It would be deserving of a Nobel Peace prize if it weren’t for the other side, which is beset by the pattern of “always too much and never enough” when it comes to personal profit. President Trump was elected to serve the nation, not to have his family exploit his position for personal profit and gain (yes, I know many think he does not personally profit from this, but follow the money and see who does). The same could have been said of the Biden family enterprise. At some point, Saturn with Neptune need to do their duty and draw the line, the boundary. That’s Saturn’s cosmic mandate for humanity. We seem to be canceling Saturn’s role.

This is a turbulent time as all the outer planets continue to ingress into their new signs. But it is also exciting and can lead to positive cultural, social, and economic benefits. It just requires integrating the principles of Saturn (structure and rules) positively with those of Neptune (peace and creativity) for the benefit of all (or most), and not just for oneself or one’s closest associates.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 NOTE 1: TWO MORE WEEKS UNTIL MMA’S SPECIAL SIX-WEEK COURSE ON “THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GEOCOSMIC STUDIES FOR FINANCIAL MARKET TIMING” BEGINS!!! This course, starting May 31, is designed to teach attendees 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 will also explain which planets and signs rule the various sectors of the economy and financial markets. In addition, it will cover how to use an ephemeris and an astrological software calculation program (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 begins on September 27, and who feel their astrological knowledge is at a beginner level. However, it is open to all interested participants. The instructor will be MMA market analyst Gianni Di Poce, with support from Ray Merriman. Gianni is the author of the newly released book Esoteric Economics, an excellent resource on the correlation of geocosmic cycles with economics and financial markets. The cost for this six-week introductory course is $300. Classes will be held online on Saturdays at noon Eastern time through July 12, with a break on July 5 (no class that day), and each session will last approximately two hours. The classes will be recorded and made available for download within two days of the live meeting. This is a great opportunity to learn basic astrology from a master economic astrologer! Click here for registration information!!!

NOTE 2: THE NEW monthly MMA Technology Cycles Report by Wiebke Held will be issued this week on May 20. The first issue was launched three months ago and prepared readers for the imminent decline in the NASDAQ, which started immediately after and lasted through April 7-9. Wiebke’s excellent two-year research papers were based on extensive studies of long-, intermediate-, and short-term cycles in the NASDAQ spot index (not futures). This report provides an outlook not only for the NASDAQ but also for the QQQ (ETF) and specific technology stocks such as Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, Tesla, and Apple. It will also include unique CRDs (critical reversal dates) specific to the NASDAQ based on Held’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 20 years and Uranus about to enter Gemini for seven years, starting in July 2025. Additionally, much of this report will be generated by Wiebke’s own AI applications.

If you want to receive the next issue of this new report, sign up now by clicking here.

 NOTE 3: REGISTRATION FOR THE TWO-YEAR MERRIMAN MARKET TIMING ACADEMY (MMTA4) IS NOW UNDERWAY!!! SIGN UP BY THE FIRST CUTOFF DATE (JULY 1) AND SAVE BIG BUCKS!!! This highly valued two-year educational and training program, created by Raymond Merriman (CTA), is an experience that will change your life and the way you view financial markets. Yes, the course is challenging, but it is also incredibly exciting! Through this program, you will learn how to identify where the market is at any given point in time — and which trading or investing strategy to apply.

The eight-course program includes six to eight Zoom meetings per course — over 100 hours of live instruction and interaction — with instructors Wiebke Held and Raymond Merriman, along with special guest MMA analysts such as Pouyan Zolfagharnia, Gianni Di Poce, Wyatt Fellows, Derek Panaia, and Kat Powell.

Classes will meet on Saturdays, approximately 20 times per year, at noon Eastern time, starting on September 27. There are one-month breaks between each course and a two- to three-month summer break. The program also includes at least one live, in-person (or optional online) weekend session, plus a voluntary review session after each course, held prior to the exam for those wishing to receive a certificate of completion. There is nothing else as comprehensive in the field of market timing as the MMTA program! It covers MMA’s market timing methodology for long- and intermediate-term investing, as well as position trading and aggressive short-term trading.

Acceptance into the MMTA requires an interview prior to enrollment. If you are interested in exploring whether the MMTA is right for you, please let us know, and we will schedule a time to talk. To register or inquire about the MMTA4 program, click here. The cost for the entire two-year course is $25,000. A 10% discount is available for those who sign up by July 1. Other payment plans are available upon request.

Here are just a few of the many very positive reviews from graduates of the last MMTA3 program (2023-2024):

I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for generously sharing your knowledge and teaching it. As you know, I am fairly new to trading and joined MMTA3 to learn a system to approach the stock market. Starting the year, I set myself the goal of doubling the money that I had in my trading account, thinking at the time that this was impossible to do. Thanks to the knowledge and tools MMTA3 teaches, I was actually able to accomplish this goal! In fact, I even exceeded it. — W.H., Germany

 Thank you, Ray and Gianni, for the fantastic course material and support. I have made money — and every dollar for the courses was paid back and more! — J.L., Netherlands

 This course was truly mind-blowing! I learnt in abundance. Thank you all for sharing the excellent trading data and knowledge. This course is worth more than a college degree — and at a fraction of the price, too. — K.L., Australia

My perspective on the markets — and perhaps life — has changed dramatically since being gifted the privilege of joining MMTA2. I am extremely grateful for having been given the opportunity to learn directly from you. — K.M., USA

Doing these research projects and really dissecting the markets during this course has allowed me to trade very successfully over the past year. It is extremely rewarding to do the work and then watch it unfold according to plan. — W.F., USA

NOTE 4: June 15, 2025, at noon EDT (9 AM PDT, 5 PM Greenwich), the Annual MMA Mid-Year Market Webinar with MMA Market Analysts!!! In the comfort of your own home or office, you can tune into MMA’s annual Mid-Year Financial Markets Update Webinar. This broadcast will be hosted by Raymond Merriman and will include updates for the next several months from top MMA market analysts as follows: Bitcoin (Merriman), NASDAQ (Wiebke Held), S&P and T-Notes (Gianni Di Poce), Euro (Ulric Aspegren), Silver and Crude Oil (Pouyan Zolfagharnia), and Gold and Soybeans (Wyatt Fellows). This webinar will last approximately four hours (about 20 minutes per market plus Q&A), with two five-minute breaks. The cost is $66, which includes access to the live presentation via Zoom, the slides of the presentation, plus the video recording of the live event 24 hours after the presentation. This is MMA’s once-a-year midterm market update. If you are unable to attend live, the video recording will be available the following day. To register, click here.

 NOTE 5: THE “JUPITER REPORT“ — YOUR MOMENTS OF OPPORTUNITY — IS NOW AVAILABLE. This new product, written by Raymond Merriman, 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. It delineates the meaning of Jupiter’s transits to your natal planets and angles over a 14-month period (including one month before your order 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 successes? Or a –3 transit with stronger-than-usual potential for misjudgments and losses? You betcha! The cost for your 14-month Jupiter Report is $69. Click here to order!!!

NOTE 6: THE MMA Solar-Lunar App now offers reversal signals on the NASDAQ to all subscribers! The app provides daily weighted values for four markets: the DJIA, NASDAQ, Gold, and Silver. This app 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 the DJIA, NASDAQ, Gold, and Silver markets. It is currently available only on Apple products (iPhone and iPad).

To learn more about the MMA App, click here. To order it, go to the Apple App Store and search for Merriman Solar/Lunar Reversals.

 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 offers a preview of the geocosmic signatures in effect for the coming week and beyond. Last week’s special guest was Crypto Damus (Robert Weinstein), a well-known market analyst specializing in crypto, with an interesting outlook on Bitcoin.

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, narrated by Thomas Miller, every Saturday! 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!

NOTE 9: MUST READ!!! A NEW BOOK, “ESOTERIC ECONOMICS” BY GIANNI DI POCE, IS NOW AVAILABLE!!! This is an excellent introduction to the correlation between geocosmic studies and the fields of economics and financial markets. In many ways, it is the perfect book to launch one’s journey into the world of financial astrology — but it is more than that. Esoteric Economics offers a clear and accessible explanation of how economics and financial markets work, then beautifully ties these fields together through an esoteric lens. It is ideal not only for those beginning this journey but also for readers seeking a deeper understanding of how economics operates on both a practical and esoteric level.

Gianni Di Poce is a well-respected MMA analyst and served as the director and lead instructor of the MMTA2 and MMTA3 (Merriman Market Timing Academy) programs from 2021 to 2024. He was personally tutored by Raymond Merriman in the MMA methodology from 2019 through 2020 in preparation for this role. Gianni also holds an MBA in economics from the University of Michigan. The cost of this excellent 288-page book is $55 for the softcover or $60 for the hardcover (plus postage). It is also available as an eBook for $50 (no postage required). To order, click here.

NOTE 10: THE MAY ISSUE OF THE MMA Monthly Cycles Report was released last week on May 13. Each issue includes our outlook for the U.S. stock market, Gold, Silver, Copper, Treasuries, the Euro currency, Crude Oil, and Soybeans. The MMA Monthly Cycles Report also provides MMA’s original geocosmic critical reversal dates (CRDs) and solar/lunar reversal dates for traders over the next several weeks, as well as trading strategies for position traders.

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

EVENTS

 MAY 31, 2025: SPECIAL SIX-WEEK COURSE ON “THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASTROLOGY FOR FINANCIAL MARKET TIMING”  BEGINS. The cost is $300. For registration information, click here!

JUNE 15, 2025: THE ANNUAL MMA “MID-YEAR MARKET UPDATE” will take place on Sunday, June 15 — just in time for the powerful Jupiter square Saturn/Neptune event. Save the date! To register, click here!

SEPTEMBER 27, 2025: MMTA4 begins!! Special rates apply through July 1. Click here for details.

 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 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.