REVIEW AND PREVIEW
The U.S. economy created jobs at a much slower-than-expected pace in September, a pessimistic sign about the state of the economy… Nonfarm payrolls rose by just 194,000 in the month, compared with the Dow Jones estimate of 500,000, the Labor Department reported Friday. The unemployment rate fell to 4.8%, better than the expectation for 5.1% and the lowest since February 2020. – Jeff Cox, “September’s Jobs Creation Comes Up Short With Gain Of Just 194,000,” www.cnbc.com, October 8, 2021.
September’s wage gains provided more fuel to the argument that the current pace of inflation could run longer than many economists anticipate. – Jeff Cox, “Strong Wage Gains Cast Doubt That Inflation Is Going Away Anytime Soon,” www.cnbc.com, October 8, 2021.
It is hard to say which had the stronger correspondence to the sharp price swings in global equity indices last week: the new Moon in Libra, the Sun conjunct Mars, or the midpoint of the Mercury retrograde cycle.
The new Moon in Libra has a greater association with highs in world stock indices, but last week’s lows were the story of the week on October 6 when the lunation took place. Perhaps that is because Mercury retrograde is also, a time when many technical or chart patterns exhibit the opposite of their historical tendencies or give false buy and sell signals that are negated soon afterwards. The midpoint of the three-week retrograde cycle was October 7-8.
Then there is the Sun/Mars 25-month synodic cycle. Historically this geocosmic signature has a strong correlation to 8-20% reversals in stock indices within an orb of 8°. That would cover the period from September 13 through November 1. The exact date the conjunction took place was October 7 in the USA. Whatever the correlation, global stock indices made a Trickster-like sudden reversal from their multi-week decline in the middle of last week and then staged strong rallies.
Looking back, we can see that not all world stock indices suffered an 8% or greater decline from their recent highs. Perhaps the most stunning example of this occurrence was in Japan, where the Nikkei Index soared to a 31-year high of 30,795 on September 14, a geocosmic 2-star critical reversal date (CRD). Three weeks later, on October 6, it plummeted to 27,292, a loss of 11.37%. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong had fallen 10.8%, while the Zurich SMI fell 9.6% into last week’s low. In the U.S., the nearby NASDAQ futures fell 8.5% from its all-time high on September 7 to the low of October 6. But then a funny thing happened on the way to the stock market forum. Everything suddenly reversed from the lows of the new Moon on October 6 and the next two days saw healthy rallies. Was that the end of the Sun/Mars decline? It could be, given that several technical indicators have now switched to a bullish mode. However, with the Trickster still retrograde until October 18, misleading and conflicting signals are still possible. It is never a given when he is on the loose.
In other markets, Crude Oil finally touched the $80/barrel level on Friday, October 8 for the first time since November 2014. Bitcoin exploded again, reaching 56,141 on Friday, and starting to make a challenge to its all-time highs around 65,000. Just three months ago it was making lows around 28,800, so that is a nearly 100% gain for the leader of the cryptos.
In the so-called “stable” currencies, the Euro fell to 1.1527 last week, again on October 6, its lowest point in over a year. However, this didn’t seem to bother Gold and Silver, which on Friday were at their highest levels since their recent lows on September 29. Silver especially looks interesting now, following its yearly low of 21.41 less than two weeks ago.
SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS AND LONGER-TERM THOUGHTS
House prices are rising at a record pace, but incomes aren’t keeping up – which is making home ownership less and less affordable. – Orla McCaffrey, “Home Affordability Hits Lowest Point in Years,” Wall Street Journal, October 4, 2021
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva cited rising risks from inflation, debt, and a divergence in growth prospects between nations with access to coronavirus vaccines and those in need of shots. Martin Crutsinger, “IMF Scales Back Global Recovery Projections,” Associated Press, October 8, 2021.
I always look forward to this time of the year because it marks the time when I go into seclusion to write the greater part of the annual Forecast Book. And that exercise provides me the opportunity to research and review current geocosmic patterns and their correlation to historical events, especially involving world economic and financial market cycles. I feel it gives me greater confidence in developing an outlook for the next year, which in turn helps organize my thoughts for investments and position trading. In many cases, I get a sense of inspiration from the discoveries this process yields.
I had an interesting experience this past week that I hadn’t encountered since college. I had a “writer’s block.” Typically, I wake up in the morning with an idea of what I want to examine and/or write, and begin writing all day, or at least until it is time to write my daily report for subscribers after markets close. But that wasn’t happening the previous week or even last week. Nothing was coming to me. My research was not showing anything that I would call “insightful,” or “attention-getting” about 2022 It was dull; I was dull. I was also getting a little anxious because there were only so many days available to write the Forecast Book and they were passing with nothing to show.
So, I thought I would change it up a bit. Instead of waking early in the morning, I started writing late at night. Voila! There it was! Suddenly I found myself to be a late night writer, and ideas and insights began to flow. “What is this about?” I asked myself. Maybe it’s Mercury retrograde. After all, Mercury is my ruling planet, the planet that rules writing, and it is located in my third house of writing. Maybe it’s not just market trends that reverse under retrograde planets like Mercury. Maybe it is ordinary daily routines that get disrupted too.
Now, when you think of blocks in life, like a “writer’s block,” you tend to associate this with Saturn. And so it is not surprising that the next powerful Level 1 geocosmic signature unfolding will be Saturn stationary, turning direct on Monday, October 11. It is a Level 1 (strongest) signature because it has a very high correspondence (70%) to primary or greater cycles in U.S. stock markets within nine trading days. The low of last Wednesday in several world stock indices may be a primary cycle trough or a re-test of one, as it would be only three trading days before Saturn turns stationary. Saturn’s theme is to depress, contract, hold down. It rules walls. Maybe it rules writer’s blocks, too. After all, this Saturn stationary takes place in my fifth house of creativity, and it just happens to be in an exact opposition to my natal Saturn in Leo.
It is so easy to blame Mercury retrograde and the Trickster for anything that goes wrong. And yes, my computer and essential software programs were on the blink last week too, not to mention my doorbell stopped working and the battery to the key lock in my automobile went dead.
Oh, lord. I am so glad I can now recognize Saturn is going stationary this Monday. I can quit blaming Mercury retrograde for all my writers block and turning me from a morning person back into an evening person. It makes me feel like I am in college again. But wait: isn’t Saturn supposed to make you feel old? Maybe that’s just another case of Mercury retrograde reversing reality from what we would normally expect into something totally different.
As far as next week and markets go, Saturn is not the only planet changing direction within a week of October 11. Pluto ended its retrograde motion on October 6. And on October 18, both Mercury and Jupiter will cease their retrograde motions. That’s four planets reversing their retrograde motions to direct within one week of October 11. That’s huge and rare! It would be no wonder if financial markets reversed their trends too. And since geocosmics reflect changes in human activity, the cause of all this is likely to be a change in the focus of the collective. What seemed important before (i.e., debt ceiling, government shut down, increasing cases of the Delta variant), may transition into something else, and with that comes new trends in both thought and market behavior.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NOTE 1: THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF THE MMA Monthly Cycles Report will be released this week, Tuesday, October 12 (Monday evening, October 11, for the English edition). October is historically the month that is associated with sudden and surprising selloffs for the stock market. Does the primary cycle pattern indicate it will happen again this time? Plus, Mars is approaching late Libra, oftentimes offering an exceptional buying opportunity for Gold. But when is it most likely to happen during this transit? Every issue provides MMA’s intermediate-term and near-term outlook for the U.S. stock market, Gold, 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 MMA Monthly Cycles Report and would like a copy of MMA’s outlook for financial markets, consider trying this issue for only $35. And keep in mind that subscribers to this report will also receive a complimentary mid-term report of MMA Cycles (the “addendum”) written by MMTA student Pouyan Zolfagarnia two weeks later on October 26). Sign up HERE for the October Report.
NOTE 2: Get Ready! The Annual Forecast Pre-Order Event is now underway where you can pre-order Forecast 2022 for only $45. Our preliminary outlook is that 2022 will be another very important year with the long-term Saturn/Uranus square aspect continuing to be in force. Although 2021 is not yet over, several forecasts made in the 2021 book have already unfolded. For a review of the Forecast 2021 Book (which is only sale now for only $10!) as of September 23, 2021, please visit our Scorecard.
This pre-publication period will be in effect through October 31 and will include our once-a-year sale discounts on both the annual Forecast Book and MMA Subscription Reports. You may pre-order Forecast 2022 at the discounted rate of $45. After the pre-order event ends, the price will increase to $55 on November 1st. Order both an eBook and print book (Forecast 2022 Bundle) for only $65, a savings of $45 off the standard rates. This may be a good idea as printers report they are 2-4 weeks behind normal completion schedules this year all over the country. We will have the book completed before December 1st as always, but we cannot promise it will get printed and mailed by December 15th this year as has been the case for the past 45 years. You can also save 10% off any subscription ($275+) with purchase of Forecast 2022 by using code SALE2022 at checkout to receive the discount. Click here for more information about the Annual Forecast Pre-Order Event.
This year we are again pleased to announce the publication of our TRENDS FOR THE TWELVE SIGNS 2022 book, which will include the individual Sun Signs forecasts. This very popular book on the annual outlook for each sign is written by Antonia Langsdorf-Merriman and Raymond Merriman. Antonia has written an annual Sun Sign book in German for the past several years, based on interviews conducted with Raymond beforehand. We will follow a format this year where Langsdorf will cover the health and relationships outlook and Merriman will cover the business, career and overall psychological outlook of each sign for the year. The cost of this book will be $25, with a further discount if ordered with the Forecast 2022 Book as part of the Forecast 2022 Ultimate Bundle.
This year’s printed and/or e-Book versions of Forecast 2022 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/
NOTE 3: THE NEW MERRIMAN ON MARKET CYCLES: THE BASICS book is out! The printed edition was delivered on Friday, October 1st, and the eBook is now available! And already the first edition is nearly sold out! This new edition contains the most comprehensive and modern listing of 175 long-, intermediate-, and short-term financial cycles in over 40 financial, currency, and commodity markets available anywhere! The book is a clearly written text on the MMA methodology for determining cycles periodicities and recognizing patterns within those cycles. It is a 72-page basic book for those who want to improve their timing skills by integrating cycles analysis with technical studies. It is a glossy softcover, 8-1/2” x 11” with illustrations to demonstrate the correct way to count cycle lengths, identify their phases with instruction on the trading strategies used to successfully trade each phase. The cost of the new version is $35. Our eBook and few remaining print copies are available now by ordering here.
NOTE 4: NEW OPTION TO MMA CYCLES REPORT! We are adding a mid-month option to the MMA Monthly Cycles Report by Pouyan Zolfagarnia, one of the top students in the Merriman Market Timing Academy (MMTA). This is for subscribers of that report only and will be issued as a complimentary addendum through December, after which there will be a charge of $95/year (or $45/three months, or $20/issue) to continue to receive it as an addendum to MMA Cycles. The first pilot of this addendum went out last month and the reviews have been extremely favorable from subscribers who received it. It has very attractive graphics, is clearly written with a little more emphasis on geocosmics (including charts) and is an excellent and not-so-technical update of the MMA Monthly Cycles Report. If you wish to receive a copy of this visually and analytically excellent report, you can simply sign up for a one-month subscription to MMA Monthly Cycles Report and you will also receive both the monthly cycles report and this mid-term addendum. As mentioned, this report will be delivered at no cost to subscribers of MMA Cycles through December 2021. To order Sign Up HERE.
Really excellent, with the color-coding and shading, etc. Nice complement to Ray’s work and obvious edge of experience. I would definitely subscribe to this. J.N, trader and subscriber.
Just wanted to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed the first issue of the MMA Monthly Cycle Report Mid-Month Addendum. I felt the analysis was clear and relevant. Looking forward to next month’s analysis. If the following months are as insightful as this issue, I will be a purchaser of this subscription. M.T. MMA Cycles subscriber.
NOTE 5: Coming in January! A new ETF report by MMTA Director Gianni di Poce! We have received many requests for an ETF report from readers who prefer trading ETFs on commodities and financials rather than futures contracts. So, we are organizing a new service for those who wish to have a monthly ETF report. The ETFs to be covered will include a precious metal (probably GLD), stock index (probably an S&P), Treasury Notes or Bonds, and Bitcoin. Stay tuned for more information as plans develop. Gianni, like Pouyan, is an excellent and easy-to-read analyst trained in MMA’s market timing methodology. He also has an MBA from the University of Michigan. He understands and uses fundamentals in his analysis.
EVENTS
January 13-15, 2022: Zurich, Switzerland: Trends for 2022, sponsored by AstroData, and featuring Claude Weiss, Alexandra Klinghammer, Monica Kissling, Verena Bachman, Antonia Langsdorf, Raymond Merriman and others. Details and location to be announced in late October. Stay tuned!
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.