MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING MAY 4, 2026

 Contributor: Raymond Merriman

REVIEW

 US President Trump vowed to keep the (U.S.) Hormuz blockade, declaring the Iranian economy was “crashing,” which would force negotiations. Investors are more inclined to look at the state of the U.S. economy as determining how the situation evolves. In the Wile E. Coyote scenario, the U.S. is off the edge of the cliff but happily running on thin air.

—Dr. Paul Donovan, “Crashing Economies,” UBS Morning Comment, UBS, www.ubs.com/cio, May 1, 2026.

“My concern is really about the series of legal attacks on the Fed, which threaten our ability to conduct monetary policy without considering political factors,” (Fed Chair Jerome) Powell said at his news conference. “I worry that these attacks are battering the institution.” Trump mocked the decision later Wednesday. Powell wants to stay, he said, “because he can’t get a job anywhere else.”

—Nick Timiraos, ”Powell Won’t Leave. The Fed Won’t Cut. Warsh Will Have to Deal With Both,” The Wall Street Journal, www.wsj.com, May 1, 2026.

It was another interesting week with no real progress on the war front, but still with nasty Scorpio and Plutonian overtones reflective of the Full Moon in Scorpio on May 1 and heading into Pluto turning retrograde mid-week on May 6.

Yet, despite the increasing debt debacle, Crude Oil prices stubbornly remain above $100, and concerns that inflation is not coming down, world stock indexes continue to perform well, with many notching new all-time highs in various regions, especially in the U.S. As economist Dr. Paul Donovan notes, it is as if the U.S. Wile E. Coyote economy is “… off the edge of the cliff but happily running on thin air.” From a cosmic perspective, this may be related to the unusual Jupiter convergence approaching in July, where the Great Benefic (Jupiter) will sextile Uranus, trine Neptune, and be in opposition to Pluto. The first two signatures are consistent with the mindset of “irrational exuberance,” driving stock markets to even higher highs. The last aspect mentioned—Jupiter in opposition to Pluto—is more akin to the possibility of financial panic, debt crisis, and hysteria in world equity markets. Banks need to be careful here, as a sudden loss of depositor confidence may erupt under such a hard Pluto aspect.

Bitcoin and other cryptos may also need to be cautious, as this period can correlate with unexpected news of corruption and/or mismanagement. Such developments have accompanied each four-year cycle collapse in BTC (Bitcoin) so far, during which prices declined 76–84% from their all-time highs, typically made about one year earlier. The all-time high so far was $126K on October 5, 2026. The 4-year low, if it happens, will be due between August and November 2026. More on the cycle in this month’s issue of the new MMA Monthly Crypto report, coming out this Wednesday, May 6, as Pluto turns retrograde. If you trade Crypto, it might be wise to sign up for this new report now.

In Asia and the Pacific Rim, equity markets were mixed. Japan witnessed another new all-time high right on MMA’s April 27^th three-star geocosmic critical reversal date (CRD) as its Nikkei hit 60,903. China’s Shanghai Composite was also strong, rising to 4119, not far from its 10-year high of 4197 made on March 30. But the Australian ASX, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, and India’s Nifty indices experienced corrective downturns most of the week.

Most equity markets were closed in Europe due to the May 1 holiday. But all pulled back into trading cycle lows last week until the last trading day on Thursday, when most followed the U.S. lead and exploded with strong rallies under the favorable Libra Moon (generally stocks like lunar air signs), just before Friday’s Full Moon changed signs into Scorpio, where optimism gives way to seeing things a little more realistically.

In the U.S., the S&P and NASDAQ continued their scream to new all-time highs, consistent with Venus conjoining Uranus as both entered the sign of Gemini last week. Venus-Uranus can either be a breakout to new highs or a reversal, but in the case of the S&P and NASDAQ, it has been an upside breakout, whereas in Europe, it was more of a reversal from a trading cycle low. However, concerns remain in U.S. stocks. Despite the strong rally last week, the DJIA has still not made a new all-time high (ATH) since February 10. The case of intermarket bearish divergence continues in effect until 50,512 is exceeded.

In other markets, both Gold and Silver declined to possible major cycle lows last Wednesday, April 29, well within the orb of the 3-star geocosmic critical reversal period of April 24-27. Bitcoin also pulled back for a trading cycle low on the same day. Crude Oil made a weekly high of 110.53 on Thursday and seems to be locking into a wide trading range between 80.00 and 120.00 as the Persian Gulf blockade remains in effect, with traders bidding between an “end” versus an “escalation” of the Iranian situation. As President Trump mentioned last week, the price of Crude will come down very fast once the war ends, which he continues to proclaim will be very soon. I think this could happen between mid-May and late June due to Mars entering Taurus. Everyone will want a ceasefire and end to the war during that period, to get back to the Taurus’s passion for making money (and love). And with Jupiter entering Leo in late June, the next year is projected to be more of a social and party climate than the last year has been, with Jupiter in emotional Cancer during the Saturn/Neptune conjunction. However, that doesn’t mean the stock market will be bullish during Jupiter in Leo, a time when intermediate or long-term cycle lows are common.

SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS

 “Where Americans Are Drawing the Line on Price Increases: Shoppers are buying less where prices are rising fastest, showing that inflation isn’t being driven by demand but by companies passing on costs.”

— Mohamad A El-Erian, The Wall Street Journal, on X, April 28, 2026.

The U.S. national debt now exceeds 100% of gross domestic product, crossing a once-unthinkable threshold… Still, the triple-digit mark is a potent symbol of the fiscal stresses on the U.S. that have been building for decades. Lawmakers in both parties have expressed alarm but given priority to tax cuts and spending increases with clearer short-term political benefits.

—Richard Rubin, “National Debt Now Tops 100% of GDP,” The Wall Street Journal, May 1, 2026.

And now we enter May, the month that gave rise to the popular adage, “Sell in May and Go Away” (until October). Sometimes it works out that way, but not always.

There will be opportunities to test that adage in U.S. stocks this month. First, Mars will square Jupiter on Monday, May 4, which is a fairly strong reversal signature, with a 67% frequency of sharp reversals within four trading days. On Wednesday, May 6, Pluto turns stationary retrograde, which highlights debt crises amid the lack of fiscal or monetary controls by government and/or central banks. On a more mundane level, it can coincide with danger and threats to human life or crop damage, such as the concerns about a drought affecting the worldwide supplies of Wheat, and also due to a fertilizer shortage heightened by the Iran war and blockage of the Straits of Hormuz (or is it just the “Iranian situation?”).

May 8-15 will find Mars in late Aries, conjoining the NYSE natal Saturn, but opposing its Jupiter/Neptune in Libra. This can propel another thrust higher in U.S. stocks, but it can also indicate another sharp reversal period from the highs formed going into this period.

Mars, the god of war, will next ingress into Taurus on May 18 (one day after the NYSE’s solar return of May 17) through June 28, which might lead to serious peace negotiations. Taurus likes stability, not war. Coming out of Aries, the sign ruled by Mars for the prior six weeks, this could bring welcome news.

The most powerful geocosmic signatures for this month will be in effect May 22-28, when the Sun conjoins Uranus in early Gemini and makes an early translation to the Jupiter convergence of mid-July. That is, the Sun will touch off the powerful 3-year Uranus trine Pluto aspect (creative destruction via innovation) during this time. Additionally, Mars will square Pluto on May 25, and Venus will square Saturn on May 28. Watch for early fireworks then, especially with currencies and the U.S. Treasury market, and a new leader takes over the reins of the Federal Reserve Board. Any new lows in Treasuries, and possibly stocks and metals around that period, could represent an excellent buying opportunity for traders as we then head into the July 18-25 peak of “irrational exuberance” versus “hysteria and panic.”

It will be interesting to see which mass psychology will dominate this summer. My bias is that the irrational exuberance comes first, followed by hysteria and a mini-panic, both within two months of that time band.

Thus, the month of May promises some excitement and drama, a little different than the season of the Taurus Sun is usually known for. Of course, the biggest bang is due right after it leaves Taurus for the more volatile Gemini, May 22-28.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 NOTE 1: JUST OVER TWO WEEKS TO GO!!! THE MMA 2026 TRADING AND INVESTMENT RETREAT WILL TAKE PLACE MAY 20–24, 2026, AT THE RIKLI BALANCE HOTEL IN BLED, SLOVENIA, OVERLOOKING THE STUNNING LAKE BLED IN THE JULIAN ALPS. And yes, it will be offered online as well for those who cannot be in Bled at that time (SEE BELOW FOR NEW REDUCED RATES FOR ONLINE ATTENDEES ONLY!!!).~260504

 This special four-day retreat will focus on trading strategies for position and short-term traders in 2026. It will cover the unique, research-based MMA methods for identifying primary, half-primary, major, and trading cycles. It will then apply those market-timing techniques (cycles and geocosmic studies) to the current situation in the stock markets, Gold, Silver, Bitcoin, currencies, interest rates, and grain markets, with strategies for each on both a short- and intermediate-term basis (one week to 12 months ahead). This retreat will also cover the setup and steps to take for applying MMA’s solar/lunar reversal dates for very short-term aggressive trades in Bitcoin, stock indices, and precious metals.

There will also be special presentations and interactive discussions on current and future world conditions through 2032 that are likely to affect financial markets. These sessions will be led by world-class mundane astrologers Claude Weiss (Switzerland), Christeen Skinner (UK), Christof Niederwieser (Germany), Pouyan Zolfagharnia (UK), and Raymond Merriman (USA). Joining them on MMA timing methodology and trading strategies will be MMTA Director Wiebke Held (Germany) and MMA analysts Wyatt Fellows (USA), Ulric Aspegrén (Switzerland), Gianni Di Poce (USA), and MMA Trading Coach Rita Perea (USA).

For the schedule, registration, speaker bios, topic descriptions, hotel information, and the booking code, please click here. For a trailer video of what to expect, click here. Please note that all 45 rooms reserved for MMA at the Rikli Balance Hotel are currently booked. In fact, 50 have now been booked, as the hotel continues to open up new rooms from our waiting list. We have a list of other hotels within walking distance and will continue working with the Rikli Balance as more rooms are added. If you find that rooms at the Rikli Balance are filled, you can book a room at another hotel and cancel it within 72 hours of arrival if a room becomes available at the Rikli Balance (a high probability).

The MMA Annual Investment and Traders’ Retreat is an incredible event! Don’t miss it if you can make it!

NOTE 2: REDUCED RATES for online attendees at the May 20–24 MMA Traders Retreat have just been announced. For those who cannot be present at Lake Bled for the Retreat, the cost to attend online will be $300 less ($3600 instead of $3900). In addition to viewing the live presentations, recordings of each day’s presentations will be uploaded and made available with PowerPoint slides within 24 hours.

 NOTE 3: THE SECOND EDITION OF THE NEW MMA MONTHLY CRYPTO REPORT WILL BE ISSUED THIS WEEK, ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 6!!! Each report will feature a cyclical and macro overview by Gianni Di Poce on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and one additional cryptocurrency selected based on current market interest, beginning with Cardano. Pouyan Zolfagharnia will then provide a geocosmic overview and explain how it ties into the cycles. Together, they will share strategies for both position and shorter-term trading in cryptocurrencies. CLICK HERE to subscribe to this new report.

Click here for a short AI video on this new Crypto Report.

NOTE 4: THE RECORDING OF THE FREE CRYPTO WEBINAR, HELD ON APRIL 8, IS NOW AVAILABLE!!! Click here to watch it on YouTube. Are you new to the Crypto world? Do you wonder how to trade cryptocurrency via wallets, futures, or ETFs? These and other topics are covered in this special instructional webinar on the new MMA Monthly Crypto Report. This FREE WEBINAR explains how to use the new monthly Crypto report for maximum value. Ray Merriman hosted this webinar, joined by Gianni Di Poce, Pouyan Zolfagharnia, and MMA President Wyatt Fellows.

 NOTE 5: WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED A NEW UPGRADE FOR THE FAR FOR GALACTIC TRADER SOFTWARE PROGRAM!!! We can now conduct solar/lunar weighted value studies for any market by isolating or omitting any planet that is retrograde! For instance, we can now compare solar/lunar values for any market when Mercury (or Venus, Mars, or any planet) is retrograde or direct, or both. This is important because we have noticed that when Mercury is retrograde, the lunar values for Bitcoin perform differently in many cases than when Mercury is direct. If you don’t own the FAR for the Galactic Trader program, which is key to conducting MMA research studies to identify turning points in any financial market, and you wish to know more about it, please click here. The cost is $1895 (end-of-day version) and includes Jeanne Long’s Galactic Trader software, featuring extensive W. D. Gann trading tools that she created.

 NOTE 6: 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 two-year program offered by the Merriman Market Timing Academy 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 an excellent economic astrologer! Click here to order now!

 NOTE 7: THE JUPITER REPORT: YOUR MOMENTS OF OPPORTUNITY! 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 if 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 that can be costly? The price for a personal 14-month Jupiter Report based on your birth data is $69.

Coming soon! The Saturn Report: Mastering Your Life Cycles. Due out in late summer.

 NOTE 8: THE MMA SOLAR-LUNAR APP 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. Please note that this should not be used as a standalone system. It works best as an adjunct tool when cycle lows or highs are due, when a market is in a technically overbought or oversold condition, or when it is exhibiting intermarket bullish or bearish divergence relative to a related market. The app is currently available only on Apple devices (iPhone and iPad). 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 9: 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 10: For a look at MMA’s newest advances in AI, click here. New short videos are now available — click here to watch.

 EVENTS

 MAY 20–24, 2026: MMA’S NEXT INVESTMENT RETREAT, LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA.

Registration is now open. The presentations will also be available via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. The theme of this event will focus on market timing and trading, including how to calculate and use solar/lunar reversal cycles. But there will also be coverage of longer-term cycles, with strategies for all! It’s going to be great!

JUNE 20, 2026: MMA’S ANNUAL MID-YEAR MARKETS UPDATE WEBINAR. Save the date! Note that the date has been moved up one day to Saturday, June 20, at 1 PM EDT. Registration details will be released soon.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2026: A UAC 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, which is held every four to eight years. More than 150 world-class astrologers will be presenting, and over 1500 attendees will be present. The conference will be held at the Marriott Downtown Chicago Magnificent Mile Hotel. In addition to the workshop, Ray will present another lecture during the six-day event on mundane astrology, titled “What Is Happening in the World from an Astrological Viewpoint,” on September 5. For more information, visit www.uacastrology.com.

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 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) 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.