Saturday, July 24, 2010

Hope and fear drive trading to where the wild rides are: Raymond Merriman's weekly preview

The markets continued their wild ride surprising many, as Raymond Merriman has been predicting several weekends now, with the sharp "crash-like" drops and manic rallies, and struggle once AGAIN to regain above 1090 and 1097. Fortunately between his previews, plus Andre Gratian's technical analysis, Tony Caldaro's Objective Elliott Wave bull/bear decision-pivot alternatives, we were prepared for a steep drop AND steep rally to occur at some point. Now what? We start our weekend as usual with Raymond Merriman's weekly preview. His perspective on the markets, economy, and even political climate is truly unique. He always has remarkable insights to share. We'll see what he's saying in his public comments this weekend, incorporating his cycles analysis with his financial astrology for equities, bonds, currencies and commodities - for commentaries that are always fascinating. Here's Ray Merriman's set of public preview comments for the upcoming week, from his site at Merriman Market Analyst MMACycles Weekly Preview Comments:
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MMA Comments for the Week Beginning July 26, 2010
Written by Raymond Merriman

Review and Preview


So this is how it is going to be. Wild. If you are a trader in the trenches every day, you know its wild. It is every bit as wild as Financial Astrologers feared and hoped. We feared it would be wild because if it lived up to its potential, there would be sudden and large price moves in many markets, causing this to be a very difficult market environment. It is the nature of Saturn opposition Uranus (July 26). It is the nature of Jupiter stationary retrograde in a waxing square to Pluto (July 23-August 3), as it is also remains in conjunction with Uranus in Aries.

 We also hoped it would be wild, for we wanted to see Astrology live - in real time - correlating with market movements reflecting these hugely diverse geocosmic dynamics. We may have also had a bit of sinister desire to see this market behavior mess with the minds of the world’s smartest people too, hopefully leading them to a little humility. Markets have a way of doing that. So does life. Whether you are a political leader, economist, Central Banker, trader, or unemployed worker trying to find a job that five other people want at the same time as you… it doesn’t matter. You are not in control now. You are deep within this “Twilight Zone” type of a portal known as the Cardinal Climax. It’s a different kind of reality. To navigate successfully in this terrain, one better be humble and admit, as the song “Tarrango” by Club des Belugas, croons, “I am not master of my senses. Therefore I cannot be guilty.”

 But you can be master of your senses. It’s just harder when Jupiter and Uranus are in Aries because you want it all and you want it now. And Saturn in opposition to both says “no.”

 Last week’s start of this fifth and deepest layer of the Cardinal Climax (July 21-August 21) began with an announcement by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) that six more banks have been seized by government regulators, bringing the total closed this year to 96. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The pace of failures has nearly doubled that of 2009 when 140 banks were shuttered by regulators.” The Cardinal Climax stories of today are signs of things to come. In many cases they reflect trends already in force, some of which started around the time Pluto entered Capricorn in January 2008. This is a celestial condition that will be in force through 2023, but is especially strong 2008-2015, and even more especially strong this month with Jupiter square Pluto twice in the next two weeks.

 Early last week, there were other leading articles of interest, given the nature of the Cardinal Climax. One headlined blared, “China Tops U.S. in Energy.” A day later, China actually tried to refute the report of their new world status. The same day, another article was titled, “New Gel Cuts Risk of HIV Infection.” Pluto is also healing. Yet other articles reflected the out-of-control world debt situation implied by Jupiter (exaggeration) square Pluto (debt), such as “Ireland’s Debt Rating is Downgraded” and “Hungary Battles IMF Plan” to put it on a tight budget, creating excessive risks via “excessive austerity measures.” Austerity becomes chic with Saturn entering Libra last Wednesday, July 21. Get used to it. This set up lasts until the election season of 2012. Then the debt and its attendant problems could increase dramatically once again as Saturn enters Scorpio, and Uranus begins its three-year dance of “The Waxing Square Tango” with Pluto.

 On July 21, the headlines proclaimed, “Housing Market Stumbles.” The article starts out by reporting, “In major markets across the country, home sales are deteriorating… and builders are cutting back construction plans.” That’s not just Saturn entering Libra, but the Moon’s North Node in Capricorn, headed for the extremely sensitive 0 degree Capricorn point in February-March 2011. That is technically (per principles of the Nodal Cycle) the bottom of the real estate market, give or take two years either side (15 Aquarius through 15 Scorpio, or September 2008 – July 2013). Maybe the bottom is when that lunar node in Capricorn squares Saturn (ruler of Capricorn) in Libra (September-October 2010), or conjuncts Pluto (all of November 2010).

 July 21 also had a headline titled, “U.S. Forces Set Up Pakistan Presence.” Shades of Uranus in Aries (2010-2019) and especially Mars conjunct Saturn, opposite Uranus (July 30-31)! Is there a big battle brewing? These are aspects of possible hostility and threats, especially as Mars squares Pluto on August 3, the same day Jupiter squares Pluto. That’s a lot of Mars and a lot of Aries energy. Mars and Aries have association with wars and military conflicts. Let’s hope leaders (and others) are in control of their senses, and don’t give in to impulse, for with Pluto in Capricorn, you are guilty and you will be held accountable for whatever you do on impulse.

 On Thursday, July 22, “Barack Obama signed into law the most sweeping overhaul of lending and financial rules (on Wednesday) since the Great Depression,” stated the Wall Street Journal. More regulations and more governmental agencies with regulatory powers to seize more banks. “Regulators will have to be vigilant,” Obama warned. You betcha! So will bankers. Pluto is in Capricorn! And on Friday, July 23, the Wall Street Journal hit on two other hot topics due to create a stir. The first was “Senate Halts Effort to Cap Emissions.” The second article was about the expiring Bush tax cuts coming up. Secretary of Treasury Geithner and the White House want the tax cuts to continue for everyone except the wealthiest of Americans. But several members of Congress, including many within the President’s own party, are now taking a stand to permit the tax cuts to continue for everyone. A big fight over taxes is yet another Pluto theme.

 And how did stock markets react? Well, the previous Friday, July 16, the DJIA was down 261 points. On Monday July 19, it was up 57 points. On Tuesday it was down nearly 150 points early on, but rallied to close up 75 points. On Wednesday it continued higher until Fed Chair Ben Bernanke testified before Congress that the economy is “unusually uncertain.” Bingo! Big Ben gets it. The DJIA fell 200 points following his remarks. Is Congress listening? Yet the next day, Thursday, it opened with a bang and closed up over 200 points. Friday was up another 102 points, to its highest level in a month, as European Banks passed their version of the “stress test.” You think you are in control? Not in this new portal of reality where things change at “Uranus-in-Aries” lightning warp speed. You can only survive if you are humble. And I didn’t even mention the Shirley Sherrod story. Google her. You better be humble, because if you blog, speak, or fire someone too impulsively about something like “racism” (now there is a hot Uranus-Pluto topic) before getting the facts straight, you will be forced to learn humility fast.

 In other markets, grain prices continued to soar as hot weather helped drive prices to their highest levels in months. Gold and Silver were down to the lowest level in several weeks through early Tuesday, but then staged impressive rallies into the Sagittarius Factor of Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday, everyone was weary and ready for the weekend break, and they sold off.

 Welcome to the first week of the deepest month of the Cardinal Climax.

Short-Term Geocosmics

This is the time band Financial Astrologers have been waiting for. We are in it now. It is unlike anything we have ever experienced. During this one month period (sign of Leo), there are four major planetary cycles unfolding that have a cyclical periodicity of 13-45 years.

On Saturday, July 24, the 13-year waxing square of Jupiter and Pluto takes place. Since Jupiter turns retrograde at this time too, it will square Pluto a second time just ten days later on August 3. This is a signature that implies exploding world debt (again), as well as the potential for large losses due to natural or man-induced disasters (it has an orb of a few months, but could relate to the crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as a drought). On July 26, the fifth and final passage of the 45-year Saturn opposition Uranus aspect will take place. You may remember the first time this happened on November 4, 2008 (the USA Presidential election). You may also remember the last passage of this same aspect on April 26, which still stands as the yearly high in many world stock indices, including the USA.

On August 16, the second passage of the 20-year Jupiter-Saturn opposition will take place, which also refers to major changes in the direction many world governments. And finally, the third and last passage of the 32-37 year waning square between Saturn and Pluto takes place on August 21, which has correspondence to world-wide government debt, much like Jupiter square Pluto does. The difference between Jupiter-Pluto square versus Saturn-Pluto square is that the former wants to attack debt by increasing spending (i.e. economic stimulus programs, ala Keynesian economic principles), whereas the later wants to attack the exploding debt by cutting back on spending programs (i.e. austerity measures and economic contraction).

Most of this period is contained within the boundaries of the tropical zodiac sign Leo (July 21-August 21). It will thus have a geocosmic impact upon all Leo-born natives (like President Obama) because this Cardinal T-square (the “Cardinal Climax”) will be in effect on their birthdates. In the study of astrology, the chart of the planets on your birthdate each year is known as a “solar return chart”, and describes the nature of conditions one is likely to experience for the year. But it will also affect every individual who is born around the first four days of each season (approximately March 21-25, June 21-25, September 21-25, and December 21-25). Why? Because their natal sun will be in the very degrees that these major planets are crossing in the next month (0-3 degrees of cardinal signs). For many of these individuals, this will probably be a powerfully transformative period of life. Be humble, think clearly, and avoid impulsive decisions.

But what does it mean for financial markets? Long-term cycle tops and/or bottoms may take place now. Perhaps we will see the high or low of the year in some markets, or at least a reversal from a multi-week cycle crest or trough that will quickly lead to new highs or lows for the year. We can identify 14 separate and important geocosmic signatures unfolding July 23-August 9. Many of these have contradictory themes. Thus this period is likely to continue being fraught with sudden and sharp rallies, and just as sudden and sharp declines. Now stocks are rising into this time band, which fits the most likely geocosmic scenario issued to MMA Cycles subscribers in a special report early this week. We may witness huge ranges on some days, perhaps 500-1000 points in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and maybe 200-500 points in Silver. This possibility could even extend into the second passage of Jupiter conjunct Uranus in mid-September.

Longer-Term Thoughts

 I have run out of room to say much in this section. But I do note with interest that I received some very fine letters regarding my thoughts on Capitalism last week. All these letters were from people on the West Coast (Oregon and Washington), which probably don’t know one another. All suggested that Capitalism ended in 1913-1914, probably with the passage of the Federal income tax bill. All mentioned that instead of Capitalism, we have been practicing a type of economy that is more like “Corporatism.” And one person suggested that Pluto in Capricorn is not the “death march of Capitalism,” as I questioned last week, but rather the “death march for Socialism.”

 Did I mention that during the Cardinal Climax there may be instances of brilliant, out-of-the-box, ideas? Especially with Uranus in Aries? Let’s get through this month… this portal… “Don’t stop just yet. We got the world looking in. Our window.” Morcheeba ("World Looking In").

 
Announcements

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, as I no longer offer personal consultations. 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, Soybeans, Crude Oil, 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.”

CD’s DVD’s, MP3’s, and “On-Line Streaming Video” of the July 11 webcast are now available!!! Each of these various ways to see the event can now be ordered via our website at www.mmacycles.com (just click the opening banner), or by calling 1-248-3034 or email operations at ordersmma@msn.com. The cost of each is $45.00, plus postage if necessary. This webcast covered our outlook for stocks, precious metals, interest rates and Treasuries, foreign currencies vis-à-vis the U.S. Dollar, and Grains. We pick this time because it is right before the astrological midpoint of the Cardinal Climax, which takes place late July through early August. It may be the peak of the huge trend reversals expected in many of these markets, aided and abetted by major changes of trend in geopolitical matters. You won’t want to miss this presentation. Order now, because most of the trading opportunities presented are in effect from July 21 through October 8, 2010!!!

Any remaining copies of the Forecast 2010 book will be available for $30.00 (plus postage), now as long as supplies last. This year’s book was an incredible publication, as almost everything forecasted in it has come out as described. All the themes outlined, and almost all the financial markets are unfolding as indicated with one exception: there has (as of yet) been no sign of excessive speculation in stocks or precious metals. Instead, frightened investors are flocking to U.S. Treasuries. Everything else, however, has been spot on, and there is still time for this to happen in stocks and precious metals into mid-2011. We now offer a complimentary copy of this year’s book to any new or renewing subscriber of a one-year subscription to the MMA Cycles Report, our new MMA European Cycles report, or any subscription to a MMA daily or weekly report, as long as books are still available. See special offer on the opening page of www.mmacycles.com.

The monthly MMA Cycles Report and its companions – the MMA Japan Cycles Report and MMA European Cycles Report – came out this week, Monday and Tuesday, via posting on our web site, and attachment via direct emails, for subscribers. W also sent an update to subscribers on Wednesday. If you subscribe to these reports and did not get them, let us know at once. This report covers our longer-term analysis of the U.S. stock market, precious metals, crude oil, currencies, Treasury Notes, and grain markets. The MMA Japan Cycles report covers the Nikkei, JGB Bonds, and the Dollar-Yen. The new MMA European Cycles Report covers the German DAX, Swiss SMI, and Netherlands AEX, each in English only. New yearly (or renewing) subscribers to these reports will receive a free copy of the Forecast 2010 book while supplies last (see below). For subscription information, please go to SERVICES at www.mmacycles.com.

I am oftentimes asked for recommendations of a money manager who uses my methods, since I won’t manage other people’s money. That is especially true now with the volatility in the market place as of late. The thing is, almost all money managers I know use their own systems. But many subscribe to my services and share my thoughts about the future of the economy, various financial markets, and how to position one’s portfolio along these lines. One money manager who subscribes to our services that I would suggest for those looking to structure a longer-term portfolio, such as a retirement account, is Duke O’Neill of Capstone Capital Wealth Management, Boulder, Colorado. He can be reached at dukeoneil1@gmail.com, or 1-(303) 247-0600. For those looking for a professional trader of commodity and futures contract might consider Ted Lee Fisher at ted.fisher@comcast.net. Ted is a legend in financial futures and has a seat on the CME. Both are very knowledgeable of the tools I use, of the way I am looking at markets, and yet each makes their own decisions as to exactly when to enter and exit any market.

September 23-26, 2010: Buenos Aires! Seminar on Financial and Mundane Astrology with Raymond Merriman and others, with special emphasis on Argentina’s Merval Index and precious metals and whatever else is of interest to participants, for each Financial Astrology workshop is different. For more information, contact Claudia Rizzi at astrologycr@gmail.com, or visit our web site at www.mmacycles-spanish.com. If you only speak Spanish, go to www.astrologiamundana2010.blogspot.com. We may host a special gathering of MMA Subscribers at the end of the seminar, depending on interest expressed.

October 1-2, 2010: Rio de Janeiro! Workshop on Financial Astrology with Raymond Merriman, plus a Mundane Astrology panel with Merriman and others. The workshop will have with special emphasis on Brazil’s Bovespa Index and precious metals, and whatever else is of interest to participants. For more information, contact Renato Chebar at astrologiafinanceira@gmail.com. We will host a special gathering for MMA Subscribers on Sunday, October 3, the day of Brazil’s elections!!!

January 5, 2011: Forecast 2011! Speech and live webcast from Birmingham, MI. Details to be announced soon.

January 14-16, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland. “Forecasts 2011” symposia featuring top mundane and financial astrologers, plus one day workshop on Financial Market Timing with Ray Merriman, to be followed by a special meeting with MMA Subscribers (at no cost). For more details, go to www.astrodata.ch.

March 10-12, 2011: Mexico City, Mexico. Speech on Forecasts 2011, and workshop on “Evolutionary Astrology: The Journey of the Soul Through States of Consciousness.” For information, please contact acuario888@gmail.com.

September 1-8, 2011: Bali! "Financial Astrology" Intensive workshop with Raymond Merriman, and "Mundane Astrology" with Claude Weiss. For more information on this unique week-long intensive and incredible South Pacific paradise adventure, go to http://www.heavenandearthworkshops.com/financial.html.

The MMA Catalogue of products and services for 2010 is available for download in PDF at http://www.mmacycles.com/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,161/Itemid,63/. The ordering page is the last page of the catalogue. This is especially useful for those outside of the USA, since we do not send these by snail mail unless requested.

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.

Copyright MMACycles 2007; you may link to this site or page, but you may not distribute these texts in any way (by email or otherwise).

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Polish : www.astrobiznes.pl

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