MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING AUGUST 12, 2024 ©

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Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on a 30-year loan tumbled to 6.47%, the lowest level in more than a year. While that is down from a peak of 7.79% in the fall, it remains sharply higher than the pandemic-era lows of just 3%.

—Megan Henney, “Home Prices Are Finally Starting to Fall,” www.foxbusiness.com, August 9, 2024.

Stock markets found a ground of support on Monday, August 5, following their stunning sell-off since the highs of July 11-18 when Mars, Uranus, and Algol all conjoined in late Taurus, and secondary highs of July 31. In typical Mercury retrograde fashion, many indices then reversed on August 5. They rallied into Friday’s Libra Moon (a solar/lunar reversal date) to gain back approximately 50% of their decline from the prior week’s plunge.

In Asia and the Pacific Rim, the most spectacular decline into August 5 was in Japan, where the Nikkei fell 26.5% from its all-time high of July 11 at 42,426 to its low of 31,156. By Friday, it was back up to 35,671. China and Hong Kong also got hit hard with new multi-month lows. The Shanghai Composite dropped to 2,845 on August 6, its lowest mark in six months. Sell-offs were also noted in Australia and India, but they were not as dramatic as in Japan or China.

In Europe, the Netherlands AEX fell 11.4% and the German DAX 9.9% last Monday before recovering the rest of the week. London’s FTSE and Zurich’s SMI indices also bottomed early last week, though the decline was less severe than in the Netherlands and Germany.

In the U.S., all three major indices completed at least a temporary sell-off on Monday, August 5. The more substantial was in the NASDAQ, which dropped over 17% from its all-time high of July 11. The S&P declined 10.5%, while the DJIA lost only about 7%. In fact, only the NASDAQ and Nikkei have attained our 16-26% declines projected for a 4-year cycle low so far, suggesting there is yet another decline to be seen by November.

The Trickster (Mercury retrograde) also registered sell-offs and weekly lows in Gold, Crude Oil, Bitcoin, and Ethereum. Bitcoin fell to a low of 49,495, a loss of 33% from its all-time high on March 14, and within our target range of 25-50% for the 24-month cycle low due this year. Like stocks, each bounced back with a rally into Friday. Whether it is a corrective rally or the start of a new impulse wave remains to be seen. However, cycles still hold out the possibility of another decline ahead, maybe quickly, maybe into November.

Short-Term Geocosmics

You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.”

—Winston Churchill’s quotation posted on ‘X,’ August 9, 2024.

Was that the 4-year cycle low in stocks last Monday, August 5, as Mercury turned retrograde? Anything is possible, and the Trickster (Mercury retrograde) has a modest correlation with primary cycles (slightly less than 60% frequency when given an 8-day orb). It could have also coincided with the double top on July 31 (three trading days before August 5) to the primary cycle crest that occurred July 11-18 in the U.S. markets. But in most cases, we see markets flip back and forth every 1-4 trading days during the Trickster’s reign.

Furthermore, geocosmic reversal signatures are approaching that have even stronger correlations to primary and greater cycles than Mercury retrograde. In fact, the longest planetary cycle of the year will have its first of three passages on August 19. This is when Jupiter will enter its first square to Saturn. This aspect also has a 60% correlation to primary cycles, but more importantly, these primary cycles are also 50-week or greater cycles within 10 trading days. It is very possible that the double top highs of mid-July and July 31 were the crests of the 4-year cycle. If so, there is another swing down below the low of August 5 looming ahead. A break of that low may create more panic than what was just witnessed.

Two upcoming periods stand out shortly that have powerful geocosmic signatures of reversals, even stronger than Mercury retrograde. The first is August 14-19, which, in addition to the first passage of Jupiter square Saturn, also finds Mars (with Jupiter) square Saturn, Venus square Jupiter, and Venus is also in opposition to Saturn, and then the Sun square Uranus. The Mars/Saturn square and Sun/Uranus square each have historical frequencies of 80 and 82%, respectively, to reversals in primary cycles within an orb of 10 trading days, often within only three. The primary cycle is more likely to be a trough, although it’s possible it could be an early crest in a new primary cycle that would then be down for the next 10-20 weeks.

The second geocosmic hotspot arrives during the Labor Day holiday weekend of August 30-September 4 when Uranus turns retrograde—and shortly after Mercury turns direct. When two planets as skittish as Mercury and Uranus change directions in close proximity to one another, chaos and mini-panics can ensue. Additionally, the historical frequency of primary cycles unfolding during a Uranus retrograde period is 77%. The takeaway from the cosmos is that a four-year stock market cycle low could happen by early September, especially if Monday, August 5’s lows are taken out before new 2-week or greater highs form first.

 Longer-Term Thoughts: the U.S. Election

This is still Mr. Trump’s election to lose but, as we learned in 2020, he’s more than capable of doing it.

—The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, “Will Donald Trump Blow Another Election?” www.wsj.com/opinion, August 7, 2024.

Yesterday, I received the following email from one of my most avid readers of the annual Forecast books for the past, well, many years:

Do you remember you wrote this in the 2023 Forecast book? “Furthermore, don’t be surprised (yes, I know it’s Uranus we are talking about) if a female is elected to a very high office in 2024, as Uranus trines the Moon in this (the July 2 U.S.) chart. In other words, in the spirit of Uranus, the “glass ceiling” can be broken. If one of the parties nominates a female presidential candidate, the odds favor that party in 2024. With Uranus part of a grand earth trine, it can truly be a new world for the U.S., a revival of its standing in the world, and a renaissance in science, technology, communications, and banking.”

Now, before I get a dumpster-load of nasty emails alleging I have a liberal/progressive bias, let me state that this forecast had (has) nothing to do with a political bias and everything to do with ascertaining the correct chart of the U.S. In fact, it was written in October 2022 and published in December 2022. It was based on the chart of the approximate time that the vote for independence was completed, on July 2, 1776, sometime just before noon, in Philadelphia. The news of the vote was not delivered to General George Washington until July 4, 1776, which then started the Revolutionary War (source: David McCullough’s book, “1776″).

One of the major differences between these two charts is the position of the Moon. In the July 4 chart, the nation’s founding Moon is in Aquarius, somewhere between 17-27°. The July 2 chart shows 25° Capricorn, conjoining Pluto at 27° Capricorn. On Election Day, November 5, 2024, Uranus will be positioned at 25° Taurus, forming an exact trine (favorable for popularity and sudden favorable changes in life). Uranus also rules technology and science. In Taurus, it pertains to banking, and as it nears Gemini, it relates to communications. Also, the Moon in a nation’s chart is associated with issues involving women in the nation—their movements and status.

Another factor of interest is that the progressed Moon in the chart of Kamala Harris at the time of the election will be in 14° Cancer, within the orb, but separating from the U.S. natal Sun of 11-13° Cancer, depending on which U.S. birthdate is accurate. This means that her height of popularity and enthusiasm may be 1-3 months before the election. Will it still be close enough to carry her to victory on Election Day when transiting Jupiter will be firmly conjunct Donald Trump’s natal Sun and Uranus, trine his natal Jupiter (luck and popularity)? In Harris’ chart, transiting Jupiter will still be in her natal 12^th house and “close to” the ascendant, which suggests “close to” victory. It is 4° away. Is that orb “close enough?”

When it was Donald Trump versus Joe Biden, the outcome looked fairly certain in favor of Trump via geocosmic patterns. Now, it is not so certain for Trump against Harris. Both have strong geocosmic arguments supporting victory. As a result, and on a personal note, I hope they agree to at least two debates—plus a Vice Presidential debate—so the American public can witness how each responds to challenging questions and to one another in person. I think both candidates need this to convince those still on the margins (many of the independents now) who can tilt the election one way or the other.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 NOTE 1: SPECIAL STOCK MARKET REPORT AND THE MONTHLY MMA CYCLES REPORT!!! Last week, as world stock indices were crashing, we issued a Special MMA Stock Market Update to subscribers of all reports, including the monthly MMA Cycles report. This week (Monday night), we will release the August issue of the MMA Monthly Cycles Report, which will update last week’s special stock market report. You won’t want to miss that, as it now appears we are in the decline to the four-year cycle trough following the highs and secondary highs. As a bonus, you can subscribe to a one-month trial of the MMA Cycles Report AND receive a copy of last week’s MMA Special Stock Market Update for only $35! Several other financial markets are also in their time band for primary or longer-term cycles now, so this will be another important issue to review. 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 want to try out a one-month subscription to the MMA Monthly Cycles Report, you can sign up for the August Report and last week’s MMA Special Stock Market Update for only $35! Or save by ordering a three-month or one-year subscription.

NOTE 2: IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN! THE “ANNUAL MMA FORECAST 2025 PRE-PUBLICATION SALE” started August 1!!!! The sale will run through October 31 and includes our once-a-year discounts on both the annual Forecast book and MMA Subscription Reports.~

During this pre-order period, the FORECAST 2025 print edition is available at the discounted rate of $55, and the eBook version is available for $45. AND the best deal on MMA Subscription Reports is also offered at this time! Save 10% off any subscription ($275+) with the purchase of Forecast 2025. After the pre-order event ends on November 1, the retail price of the Forecast 2025 print edition increases to $66, the eBook to $55, and subscription reports return to their normal prices. Order now and save big bucks!

MMA will also offer a special “bundle” discount rate for those who wish to order both the eBook and printed editions of Forecast 2025 for $75. The eBook usually comes out 1-2 weeks before the print edition and avoids delays caused by the postal system, especially for those of you who live overseas. Yet many readers prefer the print edition, so ordering both via the Forecast 2025 Bundle makes sense. You will receive the Forecast 2025 eBook on December 15, and the print copy will be mailed in mid-December.

MMA’s annual Forecast Book is an astrological-themed almanac that has served students of cycles and markets since 1976. It provides a cyclical outlook of the collective world psychology, national economy, geopolitical overview, socio-cultural trends, weather and natural calamities potentials, as well as financial market projections for the U.S. stock market, the U.S. Treasury market, interest rates, Gold and Silver, currencies (the Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, and Japanese Yen), Bitcoin, Crude Oil, and Grain markets. Its extraordinary market timing forecasts are based on the historical correlation of market cycles overlapping with geocosmic planetary cycles. Additionally, it provides the three-star critical reversal dates for each market for the year, which have an 80+% accuracy over the years to trading cycle highs and lows when given an orb of three trading days. The book is approximately 200 pages, 8.5″ x 11″, and has set the standard for all astrological almanacs written today.

The scorecard for Forecast 2024, as of July 31, 2024, is now available for viewing by clicking here.

To pre-order Forecast 2025 now, please click here.

NOTE 3: “The Aries Vortex: Timing Financial Markets via Planetary Cycles” workshop with Ray Merriman, sponsored by Kepler College, will be held 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. In the second part, we will discuss planetary cycles and their correlation with financial markets, focusing 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 they reveal 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 4: 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 5: 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 great listening!

NOTE 6: THE MMA 2024 Investment Retreat is taking place in one month! This special wealth-building event 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.

 The 2024 MMA Investment Retreat will take place September 19-22, 2024, at the Rikli Balance Hotel in the Julian Alps region of beautiful Lake Bled, Slovenia. 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. Every one of these markets is entering a time band for a long-term cycle low and outstanding investment opportunity (in our MMA view). At this retreat, we will share our investment plan for each market, based on MMA’s unique market-timing methodology for creating wealth, as we enter the time bands for long-term cycle lows that are coming up!

The Rikli Balance Hotel, where the event will occur, is once again fully booked. We have a list of other hotels nearby where several of the attendees have reserved, and we are compiling a waiting list for the Rikli Balance Hotel in the event anyone cancels. The cost to attend, live or online, is $3500. There is a 10% discount for subscribers of MMA Daily or Weekly reports or one-year monthly reports. For those who attend in person, the rate includes meals, snacks, and the Saturday evening banquet at the historic castle on Lake Bled. 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. Sign up now and lock in your place at this unique gathering!

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 the MMA 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 (10% discount for subscribers of MMA Daily or Weekly reports, as well as one-year monthly reports). Click here to register! The event will be available in person or online. For a brochure, 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.