Review
Why wait until September?… The Fed’s publicly stated criteria for a rate cut, that it can be confident inflation is moving down toward its 2% target, appear to have been met. The core consumer-price index, stripping out food and energy, rose just 3.3% in June from a year earlier—the slowest pace in over three years. This year-over-year core CPI rate has either slowed or stayed the same for 16 straight months, making the market’s freakout over a supposed inflation rebound earlier this year look decidedly overblown.
—Aaron Back, “It’s Time for the Fed to End the Waiting Game,” Wall Street Journal, July 12, 2024.
We are in the midst of a cosmic hurricane. The winds of change in financial markets are accelerating as the Fed finally has gotten about all the data points needed to be met to reduce short-term rates.
Although a bit delayed from our original forecast that the Fed would pivot and rates would likely come down by summer, the accommodative aspects to the Federal Reserve Board chart (December 23, 1913, 6:02 PM, Washington, D.C.) are now kicking in. The major indicator is that transiting Uranus is making a trine to the Fed’s natal Jupiter, which started in May 2024 and peaks January 18, 2025, +/- 2 months.
The anticipation of the nearly certain Fed rate cuts received a powerful boost with a negative .1% monthly reading of the consumer price index (CPI) last week. On that news, stock markets soared, with all three major U.S. indices making new all-time highs. This occurs as the Mars/Uranus conjunction in late Taurus takes place at the fixed star Algol, also known as the “Demon Star.” As discussed last week, hard aspects involving Uranus can either be reversal or breakout signatures. The latter is more common when markets are near multi-year or all-time highs or lows.
In addition to the DJIA, NASDAQ, and S&P, new all-time highs were also recorded in the Netherlands AEX, Australia’s ASX, Japan’s Nikkei, and India’s NIFTY stock indices.
In other markets, Gold and Silver enjoyed healthy rallies into Thursday. Still, both fell a little short of their multi-year highs of May 20 ( an MMA three-star geocosmic critical reversal date) and were up smartly from their recent lows, which coincided with the Saturn and Neptune retrogrades of June 28-July 1, +/- 3 trading days. Crude Oil had a decent week but fell slightly short of its recent multi-month high of July 5. Bitcoin and Ethereum had an interesting week, with Ethereum making a double bottom at 2822 on July 5 and July 8, whereas Bitcoin held above its low of July 5 at 53,523. This is a case of bullish intermarket divergence, which was also accompanied by a case of bullish oscillator divergence in Bitcoin. As Mars conjoins Uranus and Algol on July 15, it will be interesting to see if the accommodative interest rate outlook will coincide with a significant rally here.
Short-Term Geocosmics
“This should be a requirement. If Argentina can do it, so can America.”
—Elon Musk on ‘X’ in reply to a tweet stating, “Argentina hand-counted 99.9% of their 27M paper ballots in less than 6 hours.” July 9, 2024.
In January 2018, US President Trump imposed tariffs on imports of all washing machines into the US. Imports were taxed at a rate of 20%, rising to 50%. US President Biden allowed the tax to lapse in February 2023. What did the tax do? By summer 2022, US consumers paid 42% more for a washing machine than in 2017. Euro area consumers paid 3% more and UK consumers 2% more. The tax increase was large and resulted in a significant drop in the foreign supply of washing machines—the number of units imported roughly halved. Domestic manufacturers had less competition, allowing them to raise prices. The effect of the tariff was to take money from US consumers, and hand it to the US government (as tax payments) and US washing machine manufacturers (as higher profits). Competition in the US has still not fully recovered
—Dr. Paul Donovan, “The Tariff Spin Cycle,” UBS Weekly Blog, July 12, 2024.
It’s all a cosmic prelude to Jupiter square Saturn. Markets have defied gravity, which is par for the course when it comes to Jupiter conjunct Uranus (April 20), which was followed by Jupiter (optimism) sextile to Neptune, and trine to Pluto (late May, early June 2024). Still, markets continue to defy as Jupiter transits into early Gemini over the same degrees that Uranus will hold when it trines Pluto in 2026-2028. This AI revolution is the centerpiece of the techno-renaissance discussed in my annual forecast books over the past three years. It’s what Nikolai Kondratieff termed the “communications revolution” that defines the long-term economic cycle named after him.
Yet even in this “New Aira” cycle (note: commenced at Jupiter/Saturn conjunction on 12/21/20 at 0° Aquarius), there will be pitfalls along the way. One (or two) of them is also due within the next five years. Quite possibly, the first comes soon as the “god of all things great” (Jupiter) finds itself not only posited in its detriment sign of Gemini but also about to begin a 10-month, three-passage series of square (hard) aspects to the “god of all things considered challenges and obstacles” (Saturn). With Saturn, it’s the law that holds some people back. With Jupiter, there is this belief that it’s all legal if you don’t get caught. But together, if you cross the boundary or if you are in denial about reality and your place within it, chances are you will get caught and be held accountable. Hence, the current election cycle in the U.S. may be entertaining and exciting, but it’s also likely to cause increasing stress for leaders of both (all) parties. And indirectly, the political drama is likely to have an effect on the economy. Depression (Jupiter square Saturn, Gemini to Pisces) is not just a collective psychological state but can also be something connected to the economy and finances. In other words, the buoyancy present in the stock market today may disappear by this time next year and quite possibly between the first and second passages of the Jupiter/Saturn square (August-December 2024).
The top will happen first, probably triggered by a Mars transit. One is underway now with Mars conjunct Uranus and Algol. The next will happen August 14-19 when Mars conjoins Jupiter (in the sudden reversal sign of Gemini), square to Saturn (first passage), and also part of a T-square with Venus (finances and luxury), all under a Full Moon in a T-square with Uranus. That’s like trying to conduct a sane conversation or speech with a hangover following a tequila binge and too much potato salad.
Mid-August is thus probably a good time for the president (and ex-president) to lie low. But he can’t. It’s just a little ironic that the Democratic convention is occurring August 19-22. Expect bitter fights over policies and rules, which, at best, might be novel and entertaining (assuming the electric grid is stable) and, worse, more like a hurricane, tornado, or earthquake. I don’t think an astrologer was consulted when choosing these dates. Which is a shame if the Dems really believe democracy is at risk because under this combination, democracy (or lack of) is likely to be on full display, and it may not play out well. In sympathy, financial markets may also not play out very well.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NOTE 1: THE JULY ISSUE OF THE MMA Monthly Cycles Report will be released this Monday and Tuesday, July 15-16. This will be a timely issue because it comes out concurrent with the powerful Mars-Uranus-Algol conjunction, which has a strong correlation to primary cycle highs or lows within ten trading days. Several financial markets are now in their time band for primary or longer-term cycles, including the U.S. stock market. Each monthly MMA Cycles Report covers the outlook in the U.S. stock market, Gold, Silver, Copper, Treasuries, the Euro currency, Crude Oil, and Soybeans. The MMA Monthly Cycles Report also provides MMA’s original geocosmic critical reversal dates (CRDs) and solar/lunar reversal dates over the next several weeks, as well as trading strategies for position and aggressive traders. If you would like to try out a one-month subscription to the MMA Monthly Cycles Report, you can sign up for the July Report for only $35! Or save by ordering a three-month or one-year subscription.
NOTE 2: ONE MORE WEEK TO SIGN UP FOR THE SPECIAL OFFER FOR A TWO-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO THE NEW MMA SOLAR/LUNAR FORECASTING APP FOR IPHONE!
Sign up now and automatically receive a FREE 3-day trial plus the $19.99/mo. rate until July 23. Search “Merriman Market Analyst” in the Apple App Store to take advantage of this introductory offer. After July 23, the regular rate of $39.99/mo. or yearly rate of $299.00 will be available. The yearly rate gives you a savings of $180/year.
To learn more about the MMA app, click here.
This app is an ideal tool to have handy if you are a short-term swing trader looking for high-probability dates that identify isolated lows and highs in the DJIA, Gold, and Silver markets. Since it was launched four weeks ago, it has been uncannily accurate in identifying swing lows and highs in each market. This has been especially true with Gold in every case since the app was launched in May.
How does it work? Based on historical frequencies, the higher the weighted value, the greater the probability of a swing trade reversal in the following 1-7 trading days (usually 2-5 days). Built into the app are instructions for ideal setups and explanatory FAQs. It’s pretty amazing!
Update: The MMA Solar/Lunar App gives each market an average of one trade per week every five trading days, creating a more active experience than the MMA Daily report (an average of one trade per market every three weeks) or the MMA Weekly report (an average of one trade every 3-18 weeks for each of the 15 markets tracked). The Solar/Lunar App is designed for “swing trades” looking for 2-5% moves from isolated lows or highs. If you like active trading signals based on solar/lunar combinations, the MMA App is for you!
NOTE 3: ONLY TWO MORE WEEKS TO REGISTER FOR THE MMA 2024 Investment Retreat AT THE SPECIAL RATE!!! It is available online or in person. To view the new video on YouTube about this special event with views of Lake Bled and the staff of presenters, click here.
This special event will take place September 19-22, 2024, at the Rikli Balance Hotel, located in the Julian Alps region of beautiful Lake Bled, Slovenia. This will be MMA’s first investment retreat in Europe since 2015. You won’t want to miss this chance to hear the outlooks and wealth-building strategies using MMA market timing methods by top MMA analysts Raymond Merriman (USA), Gianni Di Poce (USA), Ulric Aspegrén (Switzerland), Pouyan Zolfagharnia (UK), Irma Schogt (Netherlands), Matthieu Kaiser (France), Rita Perea (USA), Vincent Wang (Singapore), Wyatt Fellows (USA), plus special guest speakers Claude Weiss (Switzerland) and Aleksandar Imsiragic (Serbia). Special attention will be given to the stock markets of the USA, Germany, China, and Japan, plus Gold, Silver, Copper, Bitcoin, Wheat, Crude Oil, Real Estate, and interest rates. There is nothing quite like a life-altering MMA Investment Retreat! Sign up early if you wish to attend in person. There are just 2 rooms left at the Rikli Balance Hotel. If you wish to secure one of these limited rooms reserved for our group, let us know ASAP. Otherwise, we have a list of other hotels nearby where several of the attendees have reserved. To register for this spectacular event, click here. To see the full brochure, schedule, topics, and speakers’ bios, click here. To see a list of questions and answers (FAQs) regarding the Investment Retreat, click here.
NOTE 4: “The Aries Vortex: Timing Financial Markets via Planetary Cycles” workshop with Ray Merriman, sponsored by Kepler College, August 11, 2024, from noon to 3:00 PM EDT. This workshop consists of two parts. The first part covers the “Aries Vortex,” a one-time-only cosmic configuration that highlights 0° Aries, the “World Degree.” Not only does the 36-year Saturn/Neptune synodic cycle occur there, but it is also the midpoint of the Uranus/Pluto trine (2025-2027). This unusual pattern holds the potential for important global changes for humankind. In the second part of the workshop, we will discuss planetary cycles and their correlation with financial markets, with a focus on the outlook for the U.S. stock market, Gold, and Bitcoin. Special guest Wiebke Held of Bonn, Germany, a top student of the Merriman Market Timing Academy (MMTA), will share her latest research findings on geocosmic correlations to the NASDAQ and what it reveals about the future of this index and AI companies. Kepler College (www.keplercollege.org) is one of the world’s most established and respected leaders in astrological education. The cost is $95. To register for this exciting three-hour workshop, click here.
Note 5: 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 offers a preview of the geocosmic signatures in effect for the coming week and beyond. The recent interview with Derek Panaia was excellent and may now be viewed for an insightful look at current financial markets from an options expert.
NOTE 6: 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! 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 a great listening!
EVENTS
August 11, 2024: “The Aries Vortex: Timing Financial Markets via Planetary Cycles” workshop with Ray Merriman, sponsored by Kepler College, from noon to 3:00 PM EDT. See details in the Announcements section above.
September 19–22, 2024: MMA’s 2024 Investment Retreat. Save the dates!!! We will be hosting our 2024 Investment Retreat in Europe for the first time since 2015. You won’t want to miss this chance to meet with the top MMA analysts (plus special guest speakers Claude Weiss and Aleksandar Imsiragic) live and hear our long-term investment and wealth-building strategies using MMA market timing methods. Learn when and at what price to scale in on the 18-year cycle in world stock indices, which is now entering the time band for perhaps the best long-term investment opportunities in over a decade. The location is the beautiful Lake Bled in Slovenia, a premier (and affordable) destination in the Julian Alps, with a historic castle nestled in the mountains where the Saturday evening banquet will take place. The cost is $3500, but only $3000 if you register early, before August 1. Registration is now open! The event will be available in person or online. However, note that all rooms at the conference hotel (Rikli Balance) are now sold out. A list of nearby hotels is available on the MMA website, and a waiting list is now being created for those who wish to book a room at the Rikli Balance Hotel if a cancellation occurs. Those who wish to attend online will receive a link to see the event as it unfolds, or they can watch the event a few hours later, as the recordings of the presentations will be posted for download to those who register. For a brochure of the event, click here.
March 7-9, 2025: Cosmic Patterns Inc. presents its Convergence 2025 conference in Orlando, Florida. This will be one of the top astrological conferences of 2025 and will include a track on “Research and Financial Markets.” MMA market analysts Ray Merriman, Gianni Di Poce, Pouyan Zolfagharnia, Ulric Aspegrén, and Wiebke Held will speak, along with well-known financial astrologer Christeen Skinner of the U.K. There will also be a number of well-known professional astrologers speaking, including Lynn Bell, Charlotte Benson, Öner Döşer, Pam Gallagher, Demetra George, Aleksandar Imsiragic, Dr. Lea Imsiragic, Rick Levine, Darri Low Murphy, Anne Ortelee, Joni Patry, Kathy Rose, Gisele Terry, and Fei Cochrane. For further information, please go to https://cosmicpatternsconference.com/. You can also hear and read about this exciting gathering on YouTube (click here). Looking forward to seeing many of you there!
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 to educate the reader on the relationship between astrological factors and collective human activities as they are happening. 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 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 may affect human activity in the times to come. The author (Merriman) will do this from the perspective of a cycles 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 the psychological dynamics that underlie (or coincide with) the 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.