REVIEW AND PREVIEW
The Dow Jones Industrial Average vaulted above 30,000 for the first time, a remarkable rally that lifted the stock market to records even in the midst of a devastating pandemic. Tuesday’s advance came after President Trump said his administration would cooperate with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition to the White House, giving investors hope that the country would have a smooth transition of power. More broadly, much of the market’s rise has been powered by building hopes that scientists are on the brink of pushing out vaccines effective enough to fight the novel coronavirus. – Arkane Otani, “Dow Eclipses 30,000 for the First Time,” Wall Street Journal, November 25, 2020.
It was a very nice Thanksgiving gift for investors. It also correlates with the movement of the Sun into Sagittarius last week, the sign that just loves to break records and give cause for celebration. With Sagittarius, everything is enlarged. And even if it’s not, just the proclamation that “it is” will often suffice. It is the spirit of something that matters in Sagittarius, not the facts. However, facts that are supportive can certainly add to the spirit of optimism that is the trademark of Sagittarius. It also helps that Neptune is turning stationary direct this weekend. A little irrational exuberance is always good for the holiday spirit.
When Neptune is highlighted, especially when Jupiter or its rulings sign of Sagittarius are also highlighted, markets (and people) do not always make sense. Logic is not part of that package. An example of that was very evident last week as the U.S. Dollar fell on Friday, November 27, to 91.75, re-testing its low of September 1, 2020, which was its lowest price since April 2018. A falling dollar is supposed to be bullish for Gold, right? But not last week, as Gold fell to 1770 intraday on Friday, November 27, its lowest price since July 2.
Bitcoin was another example of what can happen when irrational exuberance is present. The cryptocurrency soared to a record high of 19,512 on November 25. But when the irrational exuberance of Neptune and Sagittarius is being highlighted, and it is faced with reality, panic can set in quickly. Within 24 hours, Bitcoin sold off over $3000 to a 16,200 low on November 26.
Speaking of Neptune and Sagittarius, Crude Oil (ruled by Jupiter and Neptune and their ruling signs of Sagittarius and Pisces) also had a spectacular week. Crude rallied to 46.26 last week, its highest price since the pandemic crash of March. Other commodities turned in multi-year highs last week, such as Corn and Soybeans.
However, the world’s attention was mostly on the stellar performances of equity markets around the globe. In addition to the DJIA, record highs were also posted in India, and post-crash highs (after March 2020) were noted in the Netherlands, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong (not sure that makes sense either), and Brazil. The NASDAQ cash index made a new all-time high as well, but not its futures market. The S&P fell a little shy of its all-time high in both its cash and futures market. There is not a lack of intermarket bearish divergence signals in any region at the moment, which means a pullback is certainly possible to begin at any moment. I wonder what that would mean with Sagittarius and Neptune highlighted? Better ask the Bitcoin market. Maybe it can all last until Capricorn starts on December 21, the same day the much anticipated 20-year Jupiter/Saturn conjunction occurs.
SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS AND LONGER-TERM THOUGHTS
“There are two different ways to living your life: cultivating differences and deepening communion.” – Andre Malraux, from the same book as the next quote.
In the exploration of planetary cycles and their relationship with history, it seems to me that the brazen rejection of astrology is daringly audacious. It is true that “It’s harder to crack a prejudice than an atom” (Einstein).– Andre Barbault, “Planetary Cycles: Mundane Astrology,” The Astrological Association CIO, London, UK, 2016, from the French publication “Les Cycles Planetaires Astrologie Mondiale,” 2014.
In a forceful and eloquent victory speech, President-elect Joe Biden vowed to usher in “a time to heal” in America. – Charlotte Alter, “President-Elect Joe Biden Vows to Usher in “A Time to Heal America,” https://time.com, November 7, 2020.
A time to heal…. that could also fall under the heading of a highlighted Neptune in Pisces this week. And as we approach the critical solar eclipse of December 14, it is the very date the Electoral College electors meet and vote, and thus confirm the next president of the United States. It is also the date that the solar eclipse at 24° Sagittarius falls on the natal Moon of Donald Trump, who was born on a lunar eclipse, which means this solar eclipse will also be in opposition to his natal Sun. This also happens to be the same degree as the natal descendant in the chart of Kamala Harris and her progressed Sun. A solar eclipse on such critical degrees of one’s chart usually corresponds to a major change in one’s life, whether via residence, career, relationships, or even health. The path one was on is disrupted, and a new path in life is born. But the new course comes with challenges one is not always prepared for. One is forced to learn new coping skills, new tools to enhance success, and sometimes even survival. The more one holds onto the past, the more difficult it becomes to benefit from starting the new path.
Last week’s column generated a lot of responses from readers of all political preferences. I was struck by some readers who wanted to know if Donald Trump will be prosecuted or pardoned or if he will continue to control the Republican Party and run again in 2024. First off, I refer to Joe Biden’s own words. He vowed to usher in “a time of healing.” Do you accomplish that by pardoning the outgoing president from any legal consequences for perceived illegal actions? Or does the nation heal from exacting a punishment – “justice” they call it – for these wrongdoings if they can be proved to be illegal?
Furthermore, as Trump supporters also allege, what about the potentially unlawful dealings of Joe Biden regarding financial favors to and from his son Hunter Biden while he was VP? Or Hillary Clinton and her missing emails containing classified government information? Or, for that matter, the role the President Obama, his administration, and Clinton played in approving the spying on the Trump campaign and the fabrication of the Russian Conspiracy theory via the discredited Steele dossier that resulted and put America through so much grief? How is that much different legally than Nixon’s Watergate wrongful intrusion into the election of 1972? Is Republican Senator Lindsay Graham’s alleged attempt to have Georgia’s election officials toss out thousands of mail-in votes to help Trump gain those Electoral College votes legal and “above the law?”
The point is: are we serious about healing our country’s division or not? It seems to me that if we are, we must begin with another Neptunian theme: forgiveness. It would be great if we could apply the cure that Neptune demands in order to move forward: acknowledge the truth, see reality for what is, and get past the habit of denial, as if negotiating reality is actually possible.
As a nation, even as a global community, we have a lot of work ahead. This weekend finds the lunar eclipse taking place on Monday, November 30, following Venus in opposition to Uranus on Friday, November 27, and Neptune turning direct on Saturday, November 28. That’s enough firepower (well, with Neptune and the full moon eclipse, it’s more like vapor power) to start the next week with a change of investor sentiment. We saw that with Bitcoin late last week. It can happen with other markets this week, for with Uranus, trends can change suddenly, without much warning. And with Neptune passing out of influence, the allure of irrational exuberance could quickly give way to new bouts of alarm and even hysteria, especially as we move from the lunar to the solar eclipse over the next two weeks. In Sagittarius, everything is exaggerated. Try to keep it focused on charity and fun. Sagittarius likes that too.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NOTE 1: ONLY 2 MORE WEEKS FOR BEST PRICE! THE MERRIMAN MARKET TIMING ACADEMY (MMTA) will offer its next series 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). 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 classes will be offered live online via Zoom. The course will be taught by Gianni Di Poce, MMTA graduate and apprentice, and Raymond Merriman. The cost for the two-year program is $12,000, with a 10% discount if registered by December 14, 2020, and a further discount if you 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. In fact, the first six-week course on Cycles and Their Patterns in the Financial Markets” is recommended for everyone. 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. 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.
SIGN UP NOW, BEFORE DECEMBER 15, 2020 AND SAVE BIG BUCKS!!! 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.
NOTE 2: The Forecast 2021 Book is now at the printer and on schedule to be released on December 15. The cost is $55.00 plus postage for the print edition (no postage, of course, for the e-Book edition). There is a discount for those who order both the print and e-Book editions together. Our outlook is that 2021 will be another very important year with the long-term Saturn/Uranus waning square aspect taking place. February through December 2021. Although 2020 is not yet over, several forecasts made in the 2020 book have already unfolded. For a review of the Forecast 2020 Book so far, please visit our Scorecard.
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. Antonia has written an annual Sun Sign book in German for the past several years, based on interviews conducted with Ray beforehand. We will follow that same format for the Trends for the Twelve Signs 2021 book. The cost of this book will be $25, with a further discount if ordered with the Forecast 2021 Book.
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 further notice.
NOTE 4: We would also like to recommend a new book just released by an excellent astrologer, Julia Purdy, titled: “The Jupiter Advantage” Astrology’s Path to Opportunity.” I love this book. I love reference books on Astrology, and this is an excellent book for easily referencing the meaning of Jupiter in all signs, according to one’s sun sign (144 interpretations in all). On top of that, Julia is a wonderful writer. She even made it sound OK that my Sun in Capricorn with Jupiter in Scorpio matches up well with Al Capone (and Jimmy Buffet, Elvis Presley, Alexander Hamilton, Conrad Hilton, and David Bowie). Yeah, I can see that! Well, maybe not Jimmy Buffet quite so easily. But Elvis, Conrad, Alexander, and David? Sure thing. The book is nearly 500 pages of easy-to-locate combinations. Cost is $37.50 for hardcover. You can order directly through her website at www.TheJupiterAdvantage.com and it will soon be available as an eBook too through Amazon. And if you don’t buy a copy of this book for this holiday season, I may send my boys over to pay you a visit.
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 the future courses and books. The course comes with a workbook and power point 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 a 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.