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

The Market Week in Review :

The high of Venus direct on April 17 held in most - but not all - equity markets last week. For most of these markets, prices declined into Tuesday, April 21, then began another rally that lasted into the end of the week.

In the Asia and the Pacific Rim, none of the markets we track exceeded their highs of April 16-17. Each of them declined into April 21-22, and then rallied to close out the week, but that rally failed to exceed the Venus direct high.

In Europe, we saw mixed results. England's FTSE index soared to a new multi-week high of 4156 on Friday, exceeding the prior high of 4137. Germany's DAX nearly repeated that pattern. After hitting a high of 4680 on April 17, it fell back to a low of 4390 on Tuesday, It then came storming back to 4674 on Friday, just shy of the Venus direct high. But the AEX of Netherlands and SMI of Switzerland stayed well off their highs of the prior week, after bottoming April 21. Thus we may have a case of bearish intermarket divergence developing in Europe.

The Americas, however, were much stronger, perhaps because they remained open longer on Friday. The Bovespa of Brazil and Merval Index of Argentina each exceeded their prior week's high this past Friday. So did the NASDAQ Composite. But the Dow Jones Industrial Average stumbled after attempting to do the same. Last week, on Venus direct, the DJIA got up to 8190. This week it had a huge decline on Monday (almost 300 points), bottomed on Tuesday at 7791, and then rallied back to 8127 on Friday before selling off again into the close. Last week we talked about the bearish rising wedge formation in these indices, especially the DJIA. Well, that lower line broke, and on Friday, prices rose back to it and stalled.

In other markets, Gold and Silver exploded upwards after putting in lows Monday morning. This fits our thoughts last week, stating, "In the case of Gold, it tested but held its low of April 6. But Silver took out its low of April 6. If they too reverse here as Venus turns direct, it would be a case of intermarket bullish divergence where one market makes a new multi-week low and a related market does not. When that happens on a critical reversal date, it is usually followed by a very strong counter-trend move". After hitting 865.50 on Monday, Gold soared to 914 on Friday. After hitting 1172 on Monday, Silver soared as high as 1294 on Friday. And it doesn't look like they are done. Crude Oil also performed well. After bottoming at 43.83 on Tuesday, Crude rallied to 51.75 on Friday, with no indication that the rise is completed. The same can be said about the Euro currency and Swiss Franc against the U.S. Dollar. All of this ties in nicely with the nature of Venus changing directions on week ago. It was another good week for Financial Astrology.

Short-Term Geocosmics :

As stated last week, "Venus now ends its retrograde motion as it turned direct on April 17. Since Venus rules assets and things of value (like stocks), there is cause to be concerned that the trend that preceded Venus turning retrograde may now return. That would be the bear market. But in many historical cases, a reversal from a high as Venus turns direct doesn't necessarily result in a decline that takes out the low of the retrograde period. With Jupiter fast approaching its conjunction to Neptune in late May through mid-July, there is a geocosmic basis for thinking that any decline right now may hold above those lows of March 6 - 10, and then be followed by another rally to higher highs. Jupiter and Neptune are normally very optimistic and hopeful about the future". Well, the equity markets did not really decline much since Venus turned direct last week, and in some equity markets, price have even made new highs. This "secondary" high that is now happening may be related to the new moon in Taurus, which takes place Saturday, April 25. Stock prices oftentime do get a lift into the new moon, especially Taurus, which rules assets and equities. If so, look for that decline to start in earnest this week. If not, then we have to shift our focus to the forthcoming Jupiter-Neptune conjunction, a 14-year cycle which - in this market climate and with this new President - would seem more likely to be very bullish, and whose influence may already be starting. I would think that Saturn turning direct on May 16 would temper the market's advance before Jupiter-Neptune takes root. But it is interesting to note that in previous bear markets, stock prices tended to rally into Saturn stations, according to the work of subscriber and friend Lindsay Holt, of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Let us also not forget that the Venus-Pluto square of April 4-May 3 is still in force. As long as it is present, there remains the possibility of another large corporate bankruptcy or failure, another "takeover" by the U.S. government (or any government). Maybe it is General Motors or Chrysler that defaults, and GM already announced it would not be able to pay its bondholders June 1. It could also be the public's outrage at the credit card companies (banks) that have doubled their interest rate charges on clients for no good reason. Sheriff Obama may make them pay dearly for that opportunistic decision. Nevertheless, the financial danger is far from over, even though confidence seems to be returning. It is all consistent with Jupiter-Uranus-Neptune in mutual reception.

Long-Term Thoughts :

The consequences of ethical, moral, and perhaps legal violations that occurred around the time of the Saturn-Neptune opposition are now coming to light. Long-term readers may remember our concerns during that period, which stretched from 2006 through 2007. That was a 36-year cycle that correlates with very questionable "behind the scenes" activities by government leaders that would not be revealed until 2-3 years after the aspect passed. And then when these possibly corrupt, illegal, unethical, and/or immoral behaviors are revealed, accountability is demanded, and if not responded to openly and honestly, consequences will be administered. The previous time this happened was in 1971-72, when the Watergate burglaries occurred. That cover-up was not revealed until after the election of 1972. Within two years, then-President Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace, the first time that ever happened to a sitting USA president. He was saved from a possible prison sentence through a pardon by the new President Gerald Ford, who wanted America to move forward and not be caught up in the "vengeance game". But many of Nixon's staff did serve jail time for this abuse of power and subsequent cover-up.

Now, in 2009, we are seeing another Presidential cover-up coming to surface, under the previous administration of President George W. Bush. It has to do with torture and harsh interrogation techniques, approved by the Bush Administration, with terrorist suspects held in the Guantanamo Bay facilities following the 9-11 attack on the World Trade Center. Last week President Obama decided to release the Bush administration memos outlining the rational for approving such torture. Attorney General Eric Holder has now received a petition to "... appoint an independent prosecutor to pursue any legal culpability by officials of former President George W. Bush's administration", according to Friday's Wall Street Journal. Obama himself opened the door "... for a more aggressive pursuit of Bush-era practices... and declining to rule out prosecution of Bush officials". But now he is backing off of that position. But here is the point : abuses and violation of laws, followed by cover-ups, may very well have occurred, according to our understanding of the Saturn-Neptune opposition of 2006-2007. And now, 2-3 years later - just as forecasted in this column in 2006 and 2007 - these revelations are coming to the surface. It is still possible that some of those involved in these behaviors will be held accountable, and will bear consequences. Because Pluto is also in Capricorn since 2008, these actions are not likely to just be forgotten and forgiven, despite the news reports at the end of this past week. Obama, perhaps like Gerald Ford, may not wish to subject the country to such a gut-wrenching and humiliating ordeal. And doing so now may backfire upon him. But Pluto is relentless and obsessive, especially in Capricorn, and there could still be a movement to pressure Obama to punish those who approved the torture methods. Pluto in Capricorn can be akin to power plays resulting in a witch hunt, especially with Saturn coming to square Pluto November 2009 through August 2010. Interestingly, that same aspect was present in 1974, when Watergate really exploded and led to Nixon's resignation and the conviction of many of his staff, following the Saturn-Neptune opposition of 1971. Of course, it could be something else altogether.

Ironic, isn't it, how history repeats along the same schedule as then ? Which brings us to the question : how badly will re-opening this wound (or any wound) cause faith in the American financial system to falter ? In 1973-1974, when the Watergate cover-up came to light, the DJIA fell from a record high of 1073 in January 1973 to a low of 574 in December 1974. We have already suffered one financial shock on our way down to the 72-90 year economic cycle trough that is due 2008-2015. I do expect a second shock and a second wave down if these abuses or deceptions of the Bush administration - or even newly revealed deceptions or cover-ups of the current administration - are pursued and determined to have occurred, which Mundane Astrology suggests could be the case late this year and into next. But the real test will come in the form of American's ability to forgive and move forward, for that is the higher expression of Saturn and Neptune. Of course, this will be in conflict with the lower nature of Saturn square Pluto and Pluto in Capricorn, which will want an inquisition and burning of the alleged violators at the stake. But to Obama's credit, he seems to be taking the "high road" on this current matter at this time.

Announcements :

The monthly MMA Cycles and MMA Japanese Cycles Reports was issued last week, Tuesday and Wednesday. 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. The "MMA Japan Cycles Report" covers the Nikkei, Dollar/Yen, and JGB Bonds. For information.

Our webcast for the world, a "Virtual On-line Discussion and Market Update with Raymond Merriman!" will take place next week, on Saturday, May 2, 2009. If you wish to see (and hear) this webcast, kindly register by Thursday, April 30. We cannot guarantee any reservations after that date. Starting time will be 12:00 PM EDT (that's 5:00 PM, GMT, or 9:00 AM, in Los Angeles). Via the modern technology of Vibation, Inc, this "latest update" discussion on the Forecast 2009 Book and current markets (both long-term and short-term outlooks), can be heard and seen in the comfort of your home or office. All you need is a computer with speakers. You will be able to be part of the live broadcast, with a live audience, and with the latest charts visible on your computer screen that will be the focus of this presentation. You can ask questions directly to the speaker (Merriman) during this presentation. You can see and hear the other questions being asked by those in the audience too. You will be given log-in instructions upon receipt of your reservation for this event. This webcast will analyze the stock market, Gold and Silver, currencies, grains, T-Notes, and Crude Oil. It is a webcast you won't want to miss if you are a trader or investor in any of these markets. The cost for this private discussion is $45.00.

If you are interested in being part of this on line event, go to http://www.mmacycles.com/virtual to register on-line. Or drop us an email or fax (248-538-5296), or call us at 1-248-626-3034, and we will email instructions and pin number on how to participate. The webcast will be available for viewing for 30 days afterwards for those who participate, or for those who can't make that particular day.

For those interested in learning or improving your understanding of astrology, please note that a fantastic conference in Astrology is going to take place August 19-24, 2009, at the luxurious Oakbrook Hills Marriot Resort, just outside of Chicago (not far from O'Hare Airport). This will be the ISAR (International Society for Astrological Research) 2009 conference, featuring over 80 professional astrologers from all over the world, including Jeff Jawer, Rick Levine, Michael Lutin, Claude Weiss, Nick Campion, Verena Bachmann, and several Financial Astrologers, including myself. There will be a whole track on Financial Astrology, and I will be giving a one-day workshop on Financial Astrology the day after the main conference. For more information, and registration, please go to www.isar2009.com. For those who golf, note that this resort has one of the most impressive golf courses on the PGA tour. Golf where the pros golf, and learn astrology from some of the best astrologers in the world, all at the same time!

If you are an active short-term trader, you may be interested in 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-Notes, Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Gold and Silver. The daily reports cover all stock indices listed above, as well as futures in Euro, T-Notes, Soybeans, Gold and Silver. Subscription to the daily report also includes the weekly report. For more information, go to http://www.mmacycles.com/services, 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".

You can now order Forecast for 2009 in four languages ! It will be available :
Japanese at http://www.toushinippou.co.jp,
German at www.mma-europe.ch and www.mma-europe.de
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.

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 MMA 2013 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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