MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING OCTOBER 5, 2026

REVIEW: by Raymond Merriman

The U.S. economy created far fewer jobs than expected in September, pointing to a surprising soft spot in the labor market and broader economy. Nonfarm payrolls rose a seasonally adjusted 29,000 for the month while the unemployment rate increased to 4.2%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. In addition to the weakness in September, the August jobs count was revised lower to reflect a gain of 133,000 while July switched from a gain to a loss as payrolls fell by 10,000. The revisions in total showed 60,000 fewer jobs than previously reported.

—Jeff Cox, “Labor Market Faltered in September,” www.cnbc.com, October 2, 2026.

The rapidly changing world of the 2020s leaves statisticians using economic measures constructed in the 1920s. This means data (in real time) misses swathes of the economy and underestimates growth. The rise of self-employment and side hustles complicates labor market data (designed to count people clocking in and out of a factory, not dancing about on TikTok)… The risk with such imprecision is that time is wasted pursuing non-existent problems—or worse, that policy mistakes are made because of an incomplete, overly pessimistic understanding.

—Dr. Paul Donovan, “What Are We Missing?” UBS Weekly Blog, October 2, 2026.

We are in the midst of one of the three most important geocosmic reversal periods of this year as outlined in our recent webinars, extending from September 25 through mid-November. Within this time band, we find an even tighter band of important Level 1 (strongest) geocosmic reversal signatures in effect right now, from the Sun/Neptune opposition of September 25 through the Venus retrograde and Sun/Saturn opposition of this weekend. Each of these is amongst the strongest and most consistent reversal signatures in astrology, given a 2-week trading range.

Last week, a few global stock indices attained new all-time highs (ATHs), while at the same time also exhibiting sharp but brief declines. This type of behavior is not uncommon when longer-term cycle crests are forming, as charts of previous 18-year cycle crests will demonstrate. For example, the last 18-year cycle crest unfolded in October 2007, with intermarket bearish divergence between the DJIA, which topped out first, and the NASDAQ which followed three weeks later. However, the divergence this time is even more striking, as several more global stock indices made new multi-month and possibly primary cycle lows last week while others were making new all-time highs. This divergence implies something fundamental is changing in the economies of the world, probably related to the techno-renaissance that’s underway. The foundation of many world economies is no longer as dependent on manufacturing as it is on new innovations and applications in technology, which relates to Uranus in Gemini trine Pluto in Aquarius, 2025–2028. Uranus and Aquarius both rule technology. The trine to Pluto points to the destruction of old structures, forcing new inventions to meet the needs of the emerging economies that are being created.

In Asia and the Pacific Rim, the technology-heavy Nikkei Index of Japan had a smart rally last week, rising to its highest mark in 6–7 weeks, but still below its all-time high of June 22 near the summer solstice. It looks ready to break out above there. However, all other indices we track in this region fell to 8-16 week lows, with India’s Nifty now testing its lowest mark of the year made on April 2.

In Europe, the tech-supportive economy of the Netherlands (AEX index) soared to a new all-time high last week, but the manufacturing-heavy indices of Germany (DAX), Switzerland (SMI) and the UK (FTSE) fell to their lowest levels in 10–16 weeks.

In the U.S., as mentioned above, the major technology index (NASDAQ) soared to its all-time high on Friday, October 2, while the DJIA fell to its lowest level since June. The S&P, like the Nikkei of Japan, rallied into Friday, October 2, but was still below its high made the prior week on September 22.

The Moon entered Gemini on Wednesday, September 30 and was there through Friday, October 2, while the Sun was in Libra, both air signs. Air-air combinations often coincide with sharp selloffs in precious metals, especially Silver. Both metals made their weekly highs on Friday and then sold off, with Silver falling to its lowest level in two months. We cannot rule out new yearly lows in both, as Gold is in the middle of its time band for a 47-month cycle trough—and we are in our third most important geocosmic time band for a reversal this year, as discussed earlier. Abrupt changes of trends are highlighted under these signatures.

In other markets, Bitcoin and Ethereum are testing their yearly highs and continue to point to new all-time highs ahead since their 4-year cycle lows were met in late June and early July. Crude Oil fell to a new 4-week low, down to 88.06 after peaking at 106.75 on September 15. The Euro is falling to its lowest level in eighteen months as rising interest rates strengthen the U.S. Dollar. Metals and currencies are due to change trends by mid-November, if the history of geocosmic cycles unfolds similarly to what has been seen in the past.

SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS

 Nobody knows what these machines can or will do. “There’s never been a product that’s less understood in terms of what its capabilities are than AI,” (said Bill Gates). It is inspiring to imagine the moment an AI lab yields up treatments that will defeat pediatric cancer. It is horrifying to imagine the moment it completes the creation and successful distribution (to a lone sociopath or a terrorist group) of a new synthetic virus. That is where the most urgent energies must be applied… More is being spent on speed than safety in the AI labs.

—Peggy Noonan, “AI: Full Speed Ahead in a Dark Unknown,” The Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2026.

Speaking of the “dark unknown,” Venus—planet of love, credit, and money—is turning retrograde this weekend in Scorpio (debt), as mortgage rates have risen to their highest levels since 2023. There are also two major oppositions unfolding this weekend: Mars opposes Pluto (both co-rulers of Scorpio and debt), and the Sun (leadership) is opposed by Saturn (government and authority). This implies a lot of activity, decision-making, and conflict taking place behind the scenes in these areas. “Money for nothing,” as the Dire Straits song goes. And it won’t buy you love (in most cases). But that won’t stop leaders from trying to buy votes or influence in upcoming elections via negative ads and attempts to expose the wrongdoings of their opponents (it is such a negative way to express Plutonian and Scorpio principles). Yet with Venus retrograde in Scorpio, such attempts to cast a dark shadow over someone can backfire, as witnessed in last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing involving former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations and findings of election interference in 2020 and the January 6 insurrection that followed.

These dark energies of Mars, Pluto, Saturn, and Scorpio are also contributing to anxieties about AI and the potential to wipe out humankind. The danger may not be so much about machines becoming more powerful than humans, but that “bad actors” are gaining the tools necessary to weaponize AI unless regulations are put in place to prevent this (if possible). Keep in mind that we have “bad actors” at the head of many nations today who already have the power to release nuclear bombs that can destroy millions of humans at any time. So far, in the past 80 years, the leaders of these nations have resisted the temptation to press the panic button, even while engaging in wars that are killing millions of humans. Families are being destroyed (everyone killed in these wars is a child, spouse, and/or parent) by these “bad actor leaders,” many of whom claim their actions are to create peace. Such is the diabolical twisting of meanings under Saturn and Neptune in Aries. But the power to destroy via nuclear weapons or AI weaponization has more to do with Pluto in Aquarius, especially as Saturn and Chiron approach their square to Pluto in 2028–2029. It is an existential threat. But so far, it is just a threat (Pluto). Yet time (Saturn) is speeding by (Aries), and instead of trying to establish controls for safety, leaders are choosing to compete in a race to win, faster and faster. Ultimately, there will be no winners if this is to be a competitive race. Pandora’s box will be opened. Maybe Venus in Scorpio will put the brakes on this existential threat.

Heroes In Our Midst (against “bad actors”):

 “On Monday, September 28, Mars moves out of emotional Cancer and into proud Leo. Mars, the planet of action and courage, can express itself much more powerfully in the fire sign of Leo than in the emotional depths of Cancer. Now it can once again step forward like a proud warrior, raise its sword, and show what it is capable of. This means that courage and the willingness to stand up for something can be rewarded. Until Thursday, October 1, Mars also forms a particularly favorable connection with spiritual Neptune. It may well be that during these days we will see some heroes who fight for what is good—or whose efforts to save human lives—will deeply touch our hearts.”

—Antonia Langsdorf, weekly video in German, www.youtube.com/antoniassterne and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/antonias_sterne/, which was published September 25, 2026.

The Indian pilot of the Flydubai plane who was stabbed by his co-pilot and opened the cockpit door to let others in has said he was determined not to let others die. Capt Smit Machchhar said he was on the floor and still being attacked when he realized the plane carrying more than 170 passengers was sinking and he had to do something…Indian social media has been awash with praise for Machchhar…. The prime minister [of India, Narendra Modi] told him that “his courage, patience and quick decision-making saved the lives of so many people” and the whole country was proud of him.

—Vikas Pandey, “I Was Not Going to Let Others Die”, BBC, October 2, 2026.

Most people are not “bad actors.” Some actually step up in the face of danger and perform heroic deeds, such as what happened on the Flydubai plane on September 30, described above, as Mars in Leo formed a trine to Neptune in Aries. Credit to one of Europe’s finest astrologers (and my wife 😊) for her forecast given last week on her YouTube and Instagram accounts (in German). Nice forecasting, Antonia!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 NOTE 1: FOUR MORE WEEKS!!! IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! THE “ANNUAL MMA FORECAST 2027 PRE-PUBLICATION SALE” IS UNDERWAY!!! The sale runs through October 31 and features our once-a-year discounts on both the annual Forecast book and MMA subscription reports.

This year’s book will have special importance because Ray will outline his view of the long-term stock market investment cycle and how to prepare for it. Do you want to be in cash and have liquidity, or lock your funds up in assets such as real estate that might not be liquid enough to take advantage of this cycle, which has an 80%+ historical record of presenting a generational wealth-building opportunity in stocks? The temptation to buy stocks and real estate at record highs will be strong, but doing so could end up being a timing mistake or result in a missed opportunity when the best “deals” arrive. But how will you know when the time is right? This will be the subject addressed at the beginning of this year’s book from the viewpoint of markets and geocosmic cycles.

During this pre-order period through October 31, the Forecast 2027 print edition by authors and analysts Ray Merriman and Pouyan Zolfagharnia, with additional market analysis by Gianni Di Poce, Wyatt Fellows, and Ulric Aspegrén, will be available at the discounted price of $55 (the retail price will be $66 after October 31), and the eBook version will be available for $45. The book is approximately 200 pages (last year’s was 240 pages), measures 8.5″ x 11″, is perfect bound with a glossy cover, and has set the standard for all astrological almanacs written today.

The best deal on MMA subscription reports is also offered at this time! Save 10% on any subscription of $275 or more with the purchase of Forecast 2027. After the pre-order event ends, the retail price of the Forecast 2027 print edition will increase to $66, and the price of the eBook will increase to $55. Subscription reports will also return to their regular prices. ORDER NOW AND SAVE BIG BUCKS!

MMA will also offer a special bundle discount for those ordering both the eBook and print editions of Forecast 2027 for $75. The eBook typically becomes available one to two weeks before the print edition and allows readers, especially those who live overseas, to avoid delays caused by the postal system. However, many readers prefer the print edition, so ordering both through the Forecast 2027 Bundle makes sense. You will receive the Forecast 2027 eBook on December 15, and your print copy will be mailed in mid-December.

MMA’s annual Forecast book has served students of cycles and markets since 1976. It provides a cyclical outlook on collective world psychology, the economy, geopolitical developments, socio-cultural trends, and potential weather events and natural disasters—as well as financial market projections for the U.S. stock market (DJIA and NASDAQ), U.S. Treasury market, interest rates, Gold and Silver, currencies (the Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, and Japanese Yen), Bitcoin, Crude Oil, and Grain markets. For a more personal overview of the Forecast 2027 book, see the recent video featuring Ray and Pouyan in an interview with Alie Schneider on MMA’s YouTube channel by clicking here. To pre-order the Forecast 2027 book at the special rate, click here.

Here are two reviews of the annual Forecast book:

 This will be the 11th consecutive year I’ve ordered Ray’s annual Forecast book. I read it immediately upon arrival and consult the book several times throughout the year. I consider it to be the most important planning tool for my personal trading/investing, not only for the coming year but also when looking several years ahead. For anyone serious about accurate market timing, Ray’s Forecast book is a must-read. —S. R., UT (USA), individual trader/investor and business owner with 26 years of experience trading stocks and futures

 Everything Ray touches turns to gold. Why is this? It is because he is relentless in his search for the truth. He is humble and honest. Those like me who have paid for his services for many years are the fortunate ones. —R. B., USA, individual trader/investor

NOTE 2: MMA CRYPTO WEBINAR ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, AT 4 PM EDT. Join Gianni Di Poce and Pouyan Zolfagharnia, editors of the new MMA Monthly Crypto Report, for an overview and outlook on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and Cardano from both a cyclical and geocosmic perspective, followed by a live Q&A with attendees. This webinar comes at an important juncture for crypto markets in terms of their long-term cycles. The cost is $35.00, but it will be free for those who have an active MMA Daily/Weekly or Monthly Crypto Report subscription at the time of the webinar. Registration links and presentation materials will be added to eligible subscribers’ accounts during the week of the webinar, and a recording along with the session’s slides will be available to all participants by the next day. To register for this special webinar, which includes the October 7 issue of the MMA Monthly Crypto Report and an update on crypto markets, please click here.

NOTE 3: 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 bullish or bearish intermarket divergence relative to a related market. The app is currently available only on Apple devices (iPhone and iPad). HOWEVER, IT WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE BY SUBSCRIPTION ON THE NEW MMA WEBSITE TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING USERS OF ANDROID PHONES! To learn more about the MMA app, click here. To download it to your iPhone, go to the Apple App Store and search for Merriman Solar/Lunar Reversals.

 NOTE 4: RAY MERRIMAN’S NEW BOOK, JUPITER AND SATURN TRANSITS: MASTERING THE CYCLES OF LIFE, IS OUT! This is Book One, the first of five books that will be written over the next four years on the outer planets as they transit the natal chart. Nothing like this has ever been done before in the history of astrology.

This first book, covering the transits of Jupiter and Saturn, is 420 pages, measures 6″ × 9″, has a glossy cover, costs $39.99, and includes all the major transits of Jupiter to one’s natal planets and angles, including interpretations of the opening and closing sextile, square, and trine aspects. The Saturn section also includes interpretations of the opening and closing semi-square and sesquiquadrate transits to all natal planets and angles, plus the “Business Cycle” of transiting Saturn through the natal chart. Each transiting aspect is also ranked on a scale of –3 to +3 in terms of its trading and investment potential, which alone is worth the price of the book.

Ray Merriman’s ‘Transits of Jupiter and Saturn: Mastering the Cycles of Life’ is beautifully and fluidly written, and we know from the first chapter that we are in the hands of a Master with his experience of astrology honed over decades.

 This book is excellent for the novice astrologer as well as for the seasoned practitioner and works as a reference book for either. I loved his descriptions of the Jupiter and Saturn cycles in our lives, detailing the transits to all of the personal planets in one’s birth chart. Even being an experienced astrologer myself, I learned a lot through these descriptions in terms of how these transits affect us personally.

 However, what is unique about this book is that Ray has also written it through the lens of financial market investment potential and timing for each aspect, also differentiating between waxing and waning aspects, which was fascinating. He has used a scale of positive and negative potential for each aspect, also drawing the difference in that potential whether you are a trader or an investor. This is invaluable advice and again comes from Ray’s mastery in this area over his many decades of practice.

 This book is a crowning achievement, sharing his expertise on investment potential as a gift to all those interested in investing using astrology. It undoubtedly forms an important part of his legacy to our world, and I highly recommend this book to all budding and more experienced astrologers. Thank you, Ray, for this unique contribution!

—Pam Gregory, prominent British astrologer, best-selling author (How to Co-Create Using the Secret Language of the Universe and You Don’t Really Believe in Astrology, Do You?), and host of a widely followed YouTube channel

To see other rave reviews by several leading professional astrologers, click here. To learn more about this new book, tune in to Ray’s recent podcast interview with Adam Sommer (click here) or his YouTube video interview with Thomas Miller (click here).

NOTE 5: 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.

OTE 6: 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 the geocosmic signatures that will be in effect for the coming week and beyond. Ray Merriman will be Gianni’s guest on this week’s YouTube show.

NOTE 7: MMA’S FREE WEEKLY COLUMN PODCAST IS AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY, APPLE, and AMAZON! Now you can listen to a podcast of this weekly column by Thomas Miller on Saturdays! 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!

 EVENTS

 OCTOBER 8, 2026: CRYPTO WEBINAR. The webinar begins at 4:00 PM EDT and will last about 90 minutes. Details and reservation information are above. SAVE THE DATE!!!

 MAY 12–17, 2027: THE MMA INVESTMENT RETREAT IN LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA. Save the date and plan to attend! Yes, we are going back to beautiful Lake Bled one more time. If you have never seen this wonder of the world, this might be your last chance to experience it through an MMA retreat. Future MMA Investment Retreats are expected to alternate, beginning the following year, between the U.S. and Europe. More details and registration steps will be forthcoming by year-end, but plan to register early, as our room allotment has sold out in each of the past two years.

 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.