MMA WEEKLY - Financial Astrology commentary, Market timing, MMA Cycles, The Merriman Market Analyst

Please note that now the Forecast for 2014 book is now completed and all orders that were received as of December 10 have been sent out as of December 12. Those that were received afterwards will be sent out early this coming week. It is quite amazing. The pre-orders for this year's book were double last year's pre-pub orders - and last year was a record for us. I think that the more uncertain the world seems to become, the greater the demand for the information of Financial and Mundane Astrologers. I am grateful for all the support readers have exhibited. Thank you, and may every one have a very happy holiday season.

Also please note that there will be no column next week, as I will be on holiday in Europe. But I will be giving the Forecast speech in Amsterdam, Saturday, December 20, and I look forward to meeting many readers at that event.

The Market Week in Review :

It was a week that was as complex and dynamic as the signatures of Financial Astrology suggested. In political news, the House passed a bailout loan program for troubled US automakers in the middle of the week, only to have the loan defeated by the Senate late Thursday night, only to have the President and Treasury Secretary announce on Friday that they just happen to have enough money in their bailout program for financial institutions available to help out.

As schizophrenic (and hypocritical and even criminal) as some US lawmakers behaved last week, the financial markets also exhibited quite a frenetic movement in their price behavior. Many of the world's stock indices were strong early in the week, some later in the week, but all fell on Friday following the Senate defeat of the bailout for automakers. In Europe, all the indices we track made new monthly highs last week, and all were up 17-20% from this multi-year lows (or secondary lows) of November 21.

In the Far East, it was a little more extreme both ways. That is the Australian All Ordinaries index was quite subdued. It failed to make monthly high last week, and in fact it only appreciated 12.5% from the lows of November 21. The Japanese Nikkei and NIFTY index of India was more in line with Europe, with both up about 17-18% from their lows of late November. But the greatest excitement was in Hong Kong, which soared to a new 2-month high of 15,781 on Thursday. This was up 33% from its low of November 21, and nearly 50% from its low of October 27. It was nice to see the markets rebound so strongly in China again, and it gives hope for other parts of the world. It virtually assures that the lows of October were at least a 50-week cycle trough, the first market to confirm a longer-term cycle of all the markets we track. Let's hope others soon follow.

In the America's, there was much excitement in Argentina, where the Merval index rallied to 1103 on Thursday, up 28% from its November 21 low of 861. The Bovespa of Brazil was up 20% during the same period. But in the United States, it was even more impressive as the DJIA crossed above 9000 again for the first time in a while. That was up 29% from the 6995 low of November 21. The NASDAQ Composite also made a new weekly high early last week at 1602, up nearly 24% from the 1295 low of November 21.

All in all, it was a good week for stocks until Thursday-Friday. Most were making new monthly highs as we entered the powerful "translation" zone of Sun and Mars conjunct, squaring the Saturn-Uranus opposition, December 10-15. In fact, astrologers will record this period as a T-Square formation. The full moon of Friday, December 12 was even a Grand Square pattern, something rare and a bit tense in the study of astrology. Indeed it was tense if you were a politician or employee of a US automobile company or labor union.

Other markets were also dramatically affected by last week's financial astrology signatures. Treasuries, for instance, roared to another new all-time on Friday's full moon, grand square to Saturn-Uranus. Agricultural and grain prices also rallied smartly last week. Corn, for example, was up nearly 25% in just one week. Crude Oil had a 20+% rally from its multi-year low of one week ago to its high on Thursday. Gold soared from 741 to 835 off its lows of last Friday, nearly a $100 gain in only 4 trading days. Ad the Japanese Yen soared to a new 13-year high against the U.S. Dollar. It was, indeed, a typical Sun conjunct Mars, square Uranus week. The only problem is, under these kinds of signatures, nothing is typical, and nothing is certain. It is one surprise after another.

Short-Term Geocosmics :

We are still in the midst of the December 10-15 time band of important geocosmic signatures. On December 10, the Sun formed a waning square to Uranus. On December 12, Mars formed a waning square to Uranus and the Sun foamed a waxing square Saturn. On December 15, Mars completes this translation with its waxing square to Mars. Also on Friday, December 12, the full moon was forming a grand square to Sun, Mars, Saturn, and Uranus. There is some history here to draw from. First of all, there was also a full moon in hard aspect to the Saturn-Uranus opposition on September 15. You may remember this was the day that the financial crisis began, and by the end of the week, lawmakers could not agree on the form of this bailout plan demanded by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. It was the beginning of a huge decline in stock markets around the world. The Dow Jones for instance, was trading about 11,400 on the day of that full moon as our most reliable selling indicator - Hank Paulson - gave public TV address to the nation. Congress was hastened to convene to pass his new idea of a financial rescue package - and they couldn't agree. Does it sound a little bit like what happened this week with the US automakers and Congress ? One arm says it is a "go" and we have to do it or else we risk catastrophic consequences, and the other arm defies the threat. Everything fell apart as financial markets - and society - entered a state of panic. We are still in the midst of the December 10-15 time band of important geocosmic signatures. On December 10, the Sun formed a waning square to Uranus. On December 12, Mars formed a waning square to Uranus and the Sun foamed a waxing square Saturn. On December 15, Mars completes this translation with its waxing square to Mars. Also on Friday, December 12, the full moon was forming a grand square to Sun, Mars, Saturn, and Uranus. There is some history here to draw from. First of all, there was also a full moon in hard aspect to the Saturn-Uranus opposition on September 15. You may remember this was the day that the financial crisis began, and by the end of the week, lawmakers could not agree on the form of this bailout plan demanded by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. It was the beginning of a huge decline in stock markets around the world. The Dow Jones for instance, was trading about 11,400 on the day of that full moon as our most reliable selling indicator - Hank Paulson - gave public TV address to the nation. Congress was hastened to convene to pass his new idea of a financial rescue package - and they couldn't agree. Does it sound a little bit like what happened this week with the US automakers and Congress? One arm says it is a "go" and we have to do it or else we risk catastrophic consequences, and the other arm defies the threat. Everything fell apart as financial markets - and society - entered a state of panic.

This set up is known as a "translation" of the faster moving bodies to the slower moving planets, notably Saturn and Uranus. The last "translation" we had to Saturn and Uranus happened on Election Day, November 3-4, when Venus transited in a hard aspect to Saturn and Uranus, just as the Sun and Mars are doing right now. You may remember stock markets around the world were rallying into that time frame too, only to start a swoon down for the next 17 days to new multi-year lows in many of them.

So here we are again. We have entered another important full moon - just 90 days later (that's important when it is 90 days later). Just as 90 days ago, Congress cannot agree on an important financial bailout program, and they close the week in total disarray, with the American public shaking their heads wondering who these people are that they have elected to serve the interests of this nation. Who are they serving? This is the question on most Americans minds, and this is why the nation (and the world) is so eager to see the new leadership take over. And just like November 4, the last time a planet made a "translation" : to the Saturn-Uranus opposition, we also see the stock markets of the world making new monthly highs. The question now is will history repeat, and will we see another stock market crash into the end of this year? Or will it be different this time?

We may get that answer in about a week. From December 22-31, we will find the Sun and Mars both forming a conjunction to Pluto, ending with Saturn turning retrograde. What makes this especially interesting is that the Sun and Mars are essentially now making a "translation" to the forthcoming Uranus-Pluto square of 2012-2015, the heaviest planetary aspect of all within the greater celestial pattern known as the Cardinal Climax (2008-2015... for more information on this, please refer to a more detailed article on my website at www.mmacycles.com). This translation of Sun-Mars to Uranus-Pluto is taking place from December 10-28. We will have a preview of what to expect in 2012-2015 during this period. But for now, our concern is that stock markets have been rallying into the start of this period. We are also concerned because Mars is about to ingress from Sagittarius into Capricorn, December 27 a time which has been historically a historically dangerous time for Israel and its neighbors, and a time corresponding to big reversals in interest-rate related markets. Could it happen during the High Holiday season, traditionally a time when markets and the world are quiet and in peace? I suppose if the U.S. financial markets can fall into a panic just six weeks before a U.S. election (instead of afterwards), anything is possible under the Cardinal Climax. This set up is known as a "translation" of the faster moving bodies to the slower moving planets, notably Saturn and Uranus. The last "translation" we had to Saturn and Uranus happened on Election Day, November 3-4, when Venus transited in a hard aspect to Saturn and Uranus, just as the Sun and Mars are doing right now. You may remember stock markets around the world were rallying into that time frame too, only to start a swoon down for the next 17 days to new multi-year lows in many of them.

So here we are again. We have entered another important full moon - just 90 days later (that's important when it is 90 days later). Just as 90 days ago, Congress cannot agree on an important financial bailout program, and they close the week in total disarray, with the American public shaking their heads wondering who these people are that they have elected to serve the interests of this nation. Who are they serving? This is the question on most Americans minds, and this is why the nation (and the world) is so eager to see the new leadership take over. And just like November 4, the last time a planet made a "translation :" to the Saturn-Uranus opposition, we also see the stock markets of the world making new monthly highs. The question now is will history repeat, and will we see another stock market crash into the end of this year? Or will it be different this time?

Long-Term Thoughts :

As much as financial analysts and talking heads on TV financial shows are projecting even lower interest rates, my interpretation of geocosmic and cycle studies suggest just the opposite. We are very near to a critical turning point, and once it turns, we may not see these low interest and mortgage rate levels again in our lifetime. I happen to be in the camp that this deflationary period is going to end very abruptly with a new inflation monster. Combined with the forthcoming stimulus package, and ramped up government spending programs and unbelievable federal deficits, I think that by the time we get to the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in the spring and summer, we have shifted from deflationary fears to inflationary fears.

We will talk more about the 14-year Jupiter-Neptune cycle in coming columns. In fact, Jupiter and Neptune will both be in a powerful mutual reception with Uranus for almost the entire year of 2009. For now, suffice it to say that it is the "Return to Camelot", a resurgence of hope and faith in a new leader. We need that, because just before and after this period lays the intense signatures of Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, which might be equated to a fear of Armageddon. Yes, that the kind of dualistic reality (or illusion) we are living in now and next year : Camelot versus Armageddon. It is enough to make you feel like a character in an X-Box video game.

Announcements :

The next "MMA Cycles Report" and "MMA Japan Markets Cycles Report" will come out this Monday and Tuesday (December 15-16) to email subscribers, and one day later to others. These reports come out at the end of every month to subscribers of these reports The "MMA Cycles Report" is our market advisory report for traders of the U.S. stock indices, T-Notes, Gold, Silver, Euro, Swiss Franc, Grains, and Crude Oil. This report may be issued Tuesday night to those who receive it via email. The "MMA Japan Cycles Report" covers the Nikkei, Dollar/Yen, and JGB Bonds, and will come out Wednesday night or Thursday. For more information and subscription, please go to :
http://www.mmacycles.com/services/.

You can now order Forecast for 2009 in four languages ! It will be available in Japanese, via Toshi Nippou Ltd in Tokyo at http://www.toushinippou.co.jp, in German at www.mma-europe.ch and www.mma-europe.de, and in Spanish via www.mma-spanish.com. In English, you can order directly from us, via our web site, or you can order from www.markettiming.nl in Netherlands, www.astrodata.com in Zurich, Earlthorn Ltd in Hong Kong at www.earlthorn.com or email at earlthorn2000@yahoo.com. In Melbourne, Australia, you may order the Forecast 2009 book through email at investorbooks@iprimus.com.

For those of you unable to attend our first "Forecast for 2009" speech (via the web) on Saturday, December 13, please know that you can order a viewing of the event at your leisure. It will be available for four weeks after this Saturday's live presentation, which is now sold out. You can experience this unique presentation in the comfort of your own home or office. All you need is computer with speakers and screen. Please visit www.mmacycles.com for details, or call 1-248-626-3034 to sign up. Log in instructions will be provided after sign up. The cost is $45.00.

The first "Forecast for 2009" speech will take place December 20, 2008, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. For more information, please contact info@marketttiming.nl, or go to the website. We will have a special reception afterwards for all MMA subscribers. The second public presentation of Forecast For 2009 will take place in Lansing, Michigan on January 4, 2009. Please see our web site for further information on this event.

Our next Forecast 2009 presentation and Financial Market Timing Workshops will take place January 15 and 17, 2009, in Zurich, Switzerland. There is also a possibility we will have a special Sunday question and answer gathering for all MMA Subscribers who are present. We will keep you posted on this development via our websites at www.mmacycles.com and www.mma-europe.ch. On January 22, 2009, Forecast for 2009 will be presented in Belgrade, Serbia. Plans are being made for a Saturday workshop to follow. For information on the Zurich gathering, please contact AstroData at 044-700-1012. For more information on the Belgrade event, please contact info@kepler.edu.yu. Plans are also being considered for a Forecast 2009 speech and workshop on Financial MARKET Timing in Buenos Aires, Argentina in March 2009. We will keep you posted with this via our web site in USA, and also our new website in Spanish at www.mma-spanish.com. That web site may not be functional for another week or two, but it is coming. We are now developing a presence in the second most-spoken language on the planet.

We have added an exciting new feature to our web site. Now, on the very front page, you can get a daily update on the weighted values of the Solar-Lunar cycles for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Silver market, via the studies conducted in "The Ultimate Book on Sock Market Timing Vol 4 : Solar-Lunar Correlations to Trading Cycles," and "The Sun, Moon And Silver Market : Secrets of a Silver Trader." These are the studies, I use personally when trading stock index futures, ETFs (like DIA and Silver fund), and Silver futures. Anything over 100 means it has an above average correlation to reversing from an isolated high or low if it forms that day. The higher the value, the more probable the reversal. To see these daily values, please go to www.mmacycles.com , and just check it out.

Our new MMA 2009 catalogue is now out. If you are interested in receiving this catalogue, you can download it directly Or just click here. A list of all our products and services and software programs is included therein.

The German version of "Merriman on Market Cycles: The Basics" is now in print. It is also a revision of the earlier work in English. For more information on this book, please go to our German web site at www.mma-europe.de.

The newly revised The Sun, The Moon, and Silver Book : Secrets of a Silver Trader, is now out. This is a book that you will use as a reference guide for...many, many years. It identifies all the key Sun-Moon combinations that have a higher (and lower) than expected probability of correlating with 4% or greater reversals in COMEX Silver. It also identifies "Big Range Days" - those days in which the range of Silver is most likely to be 3.5% or more of the price of Silver, which is a great tool for day traders. This book fulfills the dream of all traders: high probability winning trade possibilities, with minimal market exposure. It is that "extra edge." And Silver is a great market to trade now. The cost is $125.00. For ordering on line.

If you are an active short-term trader, you may wish to consider subscribing to our Weekly or even Daily Market Reports with short-term trading recommendations. It is the only way I keep in touch with traders on a daily or even weekly basis. These reports give in-depth analysis of the DJIA, S&P and NASDAQ futures, Euro currency (cash and futures), Swiss Franc, Dollar/Yen cash and Yen futures, T-Bonds, Soybeans, Wheat, Gold and Silver. The daily reports cover all stock indices listed above, as well as futures in Euro, T-Bonds, Soybeans, Gold and Silver. Subscription to the daily report also includes the weekly report. For more information, or call our offices at 1-248-626-3034. In the words of one of our subscribers : "I recently subscribed to your weekly report and am finding it to be excellent and a very useful companion to the MMA Cycles Report. I can't imagine now managing my investments without them."

I have had several calls regarding a “crisis investing” portfolio that I suggested could be developed with the help of a money manager who subscribes to my reports, and shares my views about the next few years. If you are interested, you can contact him at ted.fisher@comcast.net.
He will be more than happy to assist you.

Disclaimer and statement of purpose : The purpose of this column is not to predict 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 oftentimes report 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 will likely affect human activity in the times to come. The author (Merriman) will do this from a perspective of a cycle’s 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 these psychological dynamics that underlie (or coincide with) the news events and hence financial markets of the day.

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 assume any responsibility at all for those individual decisions. Reader should understand that futures and options trading are considered high risk.

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