Financial astrology cycle insights for markets; silver and oil; and world events: Raymond Merriman's comments for week of May 9, 2011

If you're feeling like the events of the past week left you picked up, pushed down, and shaken all around, you're not alone. It certainly wasn't boring on any stage - world events, politics, economics, company events, and the roller coaster in commodities especially silver and crude oil. Maybe you're ready to accept that financial astrology coupled with cycles has predictive power, and gives perceptive insight. Raymond Merriman warned of a significant top in silver as well as turns in other financial markets, even in his free weekly preview comments. Let's see what he's sharing this week. Ray's financial astrology forecasting analysis also references market cycles, economy, and even the political climate, to analyze stock markets around the world, bonds, currencies and commodities. He does also provide detailed paid subscription services (daily, weekly and monthly available, at his website always at the right side of the page here). Ray's weekly free preview comments are always educational. Here are Ray Merriman's comments for the upcoming week, from his site at Merriman Market Analyst - MMA Cycles Weekly Preview Comments:
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MMA Comments for the Week Beginning May 9, 2011

Written by Raymond Merriman

The Market Week in Review This is a column about Financial Astrology. Due to a computer crash Friday morning on my trip to Ljubljana, Slovenia, I don't have access to charts and all the data I require to write the weekly column. So this week's report will contain some information about markets, and a lot more information about astrology. By the way, for those of you who are astrologers, transiting Uranus was exactly square to my Capricorn Sun as this occurred. Uranus rules computers and sudden disruptions in one's life. This is a big disruption. I can't wait for the next two passages. Let's first of all talk about my interesting life as a Financial Astrologer, in light of what has happened this week. I remember nearly ten years ago, leaving the United States for a lecture tour in Europe. I left on September 10, 2001, and arrived in Amsterdam early the morning of September 11. My hostess, Dutch astrologer Joyce Hoen, whisked me from Schipol Airport in Amsterdam to her lodge somewhere in Belgium. As always, I immediately went to bed upon arriving after the overnight flight. Around 3:00 PM, Joyce woke me up, saying, "Raymond. Something is happening in your country that you should get up and see." I went to the living room and watched a plane crash into the World Trade Center. In fact, it was the second plane that I was watching crash into twin towers in live time, for it was around 9:00 AM in the USA. Having been suddenly awakened after an overnight trip, I of course thought this was part of my dream state. I was in a daze and thought: "This cannot be real." But it was. As it turned out, I began to experience a heartfelt sympathy from strangers everywhere I went in Europe that week, unlike anything I had ever experienced before. People would come up to me on the street, in restaurants, in stores, and express how sorry they were for what happened, and how much they loved and admired Americans. I felt a connection to people that I never felt before, or since. Now flash forward to last week, May 1 and 2. Again, I leave for Europe, via Amsterdam. I arrive Monday morning May 2, and almost immediately I learn that Osama Bin Laden, the architect of the attack on the World Trade Center, has been found and killed. But the reaction this time is very different. In general, people here seem pleased that this chapter of the story has been settled. But there is not this outpouring of love and admiration of courage. There is no sympathy or congratulations. It is business as usual. Something is very different now than it was immediately after September 11, 2001. Maybe it has to do with difference in the role of victim versus conquering hero. It gives me pause to think about what has happened between the shock of 9-11, under the Saturn-Pluto opposition, and the resolution to the cause of that part of the problem on May 1, 2011, with Uranus in Aries. Maybe people don't really see it as closure to a problem, but instead just another step in the process of many steps involving world unrest today. And how did markets react last week to these events? Stocks declined, commodities collapsed, and the Dollar rose. The big story of the week was Silver, which went from a 31-year high of 49.82/ounce on April 25, our three-star critical reversal date, to about 33.00/ounce on Friday, May 6. Most of that decline happened in just one week as Silver was trading over 49.00 last Friday, May 29. Both weekly and daily subscribers were advised that if Silver could not get above 50.00 this past week, watch out below as a stampede to exit would commence. For those who went short, profits were phenomenal. When you consider every one dollar move in a 5000 ounce Comex Silver contract is $5000, you can see the downside of this move alone captured approximately $80,000/contract. This fits the mantra for short-term traders: maximum profit potential with minimum time exposure. The move down was just as impressive in Crude Oil, where the June contract fell from a new multi-year high of 114.83 on Monday, May 2, to a weekly low of 94.63 on Friday, May 6. Let's see how long it takes prices at the gas pumps to drop the drop the same 17.5% that Crude Oil futures dropped in just four days. Which brings me to another large distinction between Americans and Europeans. When I left the states last Sunday, gas prices were about $4.25/gallon and everyone was predicting $5 – 6 gas by summer. People were outraged in the states by this huge run up. I noticed that it last cost me over $60.00 to fill my car with a full tank of premium unleaded. I have the same car here in Europe, same size gas tank. When I filled it up to drive to Frankfurt airport on Thursday, the cost was just under 100 euro. Adjusted for U.S. Dollars, that would be about $145.00 for a full tank. In other words, the cost of gas in Germany is close to $10.00/gallon. And although the Europeans complain, it is nothing close to reaching the level of outrage present in the United States. It just tells you something about our cultures. And I won't even get into the tax difference between the USA and Switzerland, where everyone is employed (well, unemployment is around 4%, which is considered full employment), construction is going on everywhere I look, and people are thriving and confident. There is no debt limit crisis fast approaching. What is the difference? Maybe it is their 21% personal income tax rate that allows for such a successful and fully employed society. And at the same time, Switzerland provides great social programs for its citizens. The idea that you need to raise income taxes to solve the federal deficit just doesn't ring true here. But the idea of getting to a fully employed society does ring true. And what makes small business employers hire or not hire? It is not the complex rocket science that politicians exhort. Short-Term Geocosmics Heliocentric Mercury exited Sagittarius on the new moon of Tuesday, May 3. Gold made its new all-time high of 1577.80 on May 2, while heliocentric Mercury was still in Sagittarius. By Thursday, May 5, it was down to 1462.50. In fact, just as suspected, commodities and foreign currencies fell hard against the Dollar. As our column of last week stated, "It's all related to heliocentric Mercury in Sagittarius' explosiveness, and the Jupiter-Uranus transit in Aries. That's a lot of fire power fueling this bullet train of assets. But helio Mercury in Sagittarius ends this week, just as Jupiter and Mars start entering that zodiac sector when the top to those assets is due to culminate. In other words, we are nearing the end of the line. It would be wise to prepare to switch to another line before all the oxen get on board and tip the balance of this train." By oxen, I was referring to the cosmic shift of planets from Aries to Taurus. The Sun moved from Aries to Taurus on April 20. Mars will do the same on May 11. On May 15, Mercury and Venus will do likewise. Only Jupiter and Uranus will be left. The weight is definitely shifting from the aggressive and speculative fire sign of Aries to the more practical and cautious earth sign of Taurus. But we also mentioned before that May would be the best month for world leaders to come to agreements on their national problems. The demise of Bin Laden and his terrorist leadership may be one aspect of this planetary suggestion. But more can come. All it takes is a little effort and time to meet, discuss, and try to find solutions to reduce both spending and debt. Now is the time. Hopefully our leaders will not wait until June gets underway, when the energies will change again, and the geocosmic opportunity for an agreement may give way to more polarization and bickering. Of course, in June-July, the debt ceiling will be reached if nothing is done. Due to computer crash, there will be no "Longer-Term Thoughts" section this week.

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, Euro-Yen cash, 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. Both reports provide trading strategies and recommendations for position traders as well as for shorter-term aggressive traders. 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. These reports are extremely valuable to those who trade ETF's (Exchange Traded Funds). 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."

The final Volume 5 of "The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing" series is nearly finished. This will complete a project started in 1996. The previous 4 volumes have been on "when" to buy and sell, or how to forecast a future cycle low or high. This last volume addresses the subject of "where" to buy and sell, or "forecasting price targets." It is the missing link. It details the mathematical formulas and technical studies used to enhance timing of entry and exit in any market, but especially stock indices. The book is expected to be out in September 2011. If you have one of the first four volumes, or if you subscribe to any MMA subscription report, you will be receiving a special pre-publication offer this week (or call us to place your order if you want to make sure you are on the list). We should point out that Volumes 2 and 3 will probably be sold out before this new volume comes out. There are less than 15 copies of each available. We will allow them to remain out of print for awhile before reprinting. If you have purchased one of the volumes, or if you are a subscriber to our market reports, and do not receive a letter from us next week, then please call us for the special pre-publication offer that will be in effect only until July 1. At that time we will announce a different pre-publication price to the public.

The MMA Cycles report and its companion MMA Japanese Cycles and MMA European Cycles reports will be issued this week. The plan is to have it out Monday-Wednesday if the computer crash is repaired by then. It is suppose to be fixed by Monday. If not, we may be a day or two later. To order either of these reports, please go to www.mmacycles.com

Special Offer!!! Good while supplies last! New or renewing subscribers to any MMA subscription services will receive FREE one copy of the "English version only" of the Forecasts 2011 Book (postage cost not included). This offer is available to all MMA subscription reports, except 2-issue trials of the MMA Cycles Report. This offer ends when the remaining copies are sold out, and it does not apply to the foreign translated versions unless announced on their respective websites. To get your free copy of Forecasts 2011 with a subscription to an MMA reports, simply go tohttp://www.mmacycles.com/services/. When you place order, mention "special offer" under the comments section of your order. Or call us at 1-248-626-3034.

The Forecast 2011 Book is still available in both printed edition and electronic book format. The remaining printed copies are currently $55.00, but will be marked down to $40.00 beginning May 1, then $35.00 June 1, and finally to $30.00 on July 1, should any copies still be available. The electronic book version of the book is also available via iPad, the iPhone 4, and Amazon Kindle, but those prices cannot be changed The Amazon Kindle edition is available to anyone anywhere in the world. Just go to their bookstore and type in "Raymond Merriman" or "Forecast 2011." It is available in Spanish as well. It is also available via ITunes if you have the Apple I Pad or I Phone 4. Both the English and Spanish versions are available in this format to any resident of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom, or the United States. If you are not a resident of these countries, you can still order it if you have an email address registered via one of these countries. Just go to iTunes, and then "Library," then "Store," then in the field titled "Search," type in "Forecast 2011" or "Raymond Merriman" (without quotation marks).

The printed version of the Forecast 2011 Book is also still available in Chinese, Swiss, Dutch, Japanese, Spanish, and Russian versions. The Chinese book contains an analysis of the Hang Seng stock market. The Japanese Book contains an analysis of the Nikkei index. We are pleased to announce that that this year's book may be purchased at these websites, and in these languages: Chinese: at http://www.zzdcycles.com Dutch: at www.markettiming.nl German: at http://www.mma-europe.ch/ Japanese: at http://merriman.jp Russian: at http://www.mmafinance.ru/ Spanish: at www.mmacycles-spanish.com

I am oftentimes asked for recommendations of a money manager who uses my methods, since I won't manage other people's money. 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 MMA 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. Duke will be with us in Kansas City for those who wish to personally meet him. 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. He is also the individual who first introduced me to the idea of "Asset Inflation Express" back in 2009. I would also like to recommend long-term MMA subscriber Erwin Brunner of Zurich, Switzerland. Mr. Brunner is the founder of BrunnerInvest AG. One of his five funds was awarded the "Best in-house fund of funds" in the world recently. Mr. Brunner is a former director of the Swiss Banking Corporation (today it is known as UBS), and a general director of Rothschild Bank in Zurich. As an independent wealth manager for high net worth individuals and institutional clients only, he places his clients into the funds of the best performing fund managers in the world, via his own research and experience. For high net worth readers interested in Mr. Brunner's funds, you may contact him through www.brunnerinvest.ch.

Events:

August 13, 2011: San Francisco, CA. Financial Market Timing seminar, featuring Raymond Merriman and other market timers. Details to be announced shortly at www.tsaasf.org. Immediately afterwards will be a special meeting with MMA subscribers who are present.

January 6-7, 2012: Zurich Switzerland. Forecast 2012 Symposia sponsored by AstroData. Details to be announced shortly at www.mma-europe.ch.

April 19 and 21, Boulder, Colorado. "Forecast 2012" with Raymond Merriman, plus a workshop on "Financial Market Timing," focusing on equities and precious metals. Sponsored by ROMA. For more information and registration, contact dralagifts@msn.com.

May 24-29, 2012: UAC!!! The world's largest astrological conference. Taking place at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel. Go to www.uacastrology.com. There will be an awesome Financial Track, featuring some of the top Financial Astrologers and researchers in the world.

Mid-September 2012: The first annual "MMA International Cycles Summit on World Economy, Politics, and Financial Markets." Location will be near Florence, Italy in a 12th Century Medieval Castle that has a rich tradition for hosting other world summits over the past several centuries, including Napoleon, several cardinals and popes, and leaders of the third Reich in World War II (well, it is an interesting past history, to say the least – and they have the ghosts to prove it). Details will be announced soon.

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 2007-2011; 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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