MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING JULY 8, 2024 ©
July 5, 2024
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The Labor Department reported on Friday that the U.S. added a solid 206,000 jobs last month, slightly beating expectations and continuing a remarkably strong run. But the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.1%, a sign of slack in a labor market that has already shown some hints of gradually slowing down…. Average hourly earnings were up 3.9% in June from a year earlier, marking their smallest gain since 2021. The counts for both April and May were revised lower by a combined 111,000 jobs.
-Justin Lahart and Nick Timiraos, “Case for September Rate Cut Builds After Slower Jobs Data,” wsj.com, July 5, 2024.
The Saturn-Neptune stations of June 29-July 2 saw Gold, Silver, Copper, and Soybeans make their stops at primary lows, and then…they left the station. Right on time, per our new MMA Solar/Lunar Reversal App signals, geocosmic critical reversal dates, and last weekend’s special MMA Options Webinar strategies devised by veteran options expert Derek Panaia and hosted by myself with a cycles’ update on these markets plus the S&P. Just as forecasted, Gold took out the 2329.70 low of the prior Friday, June 28, early last week, and by the end of this current week it was testing 2400. The options strategies given on Gold are up 50-75%. Silver was even more spectacular as the options strategy is now up over 150%. The Copper and Soybean strategies are up 65-75% as well. That’s not bad for a one-week trade so far.
It was a good week for world stock indices, too. New all-time highs were recorded in the tech-heavy NASDAQ, the S&P, Japanese Nikkei, Netherlands AEX and India’s NIFTY indices. Crude Oil had a positive week, soaring to its highest mark since mid-April. But the bigger story was the sharp decline in Bitcoin and Ethereum. BTC fell to its lowest mark since February (see “Short-Term Geocosmics” below).
As exciting for traders as last week was, the end of this week and the next may be equally exciting and rewarding if timed well. Saturn and Neptune stations will now give way to the high-speed Mars/Uranus bullet train. Changes will happen fast – faster than most political and financial pundits expect.
Short-Term Geocosmics
To me it feels like August 1974. The president’s position isn’t going to get better, it is going to get worse. The longer he waits to step aside the crueler his departure will be…. A cratering like that doesn’t happen because you had a bad night, or a cold, or were tired. It happens when an event starkly and unavoidably shows people what they already suspected. It happens when the event gives them proof. … (And revealing, too, that his true condition, the depth of his decline, had been kept, quite deliberately and systematically, from the American people. Oh, the histories that will be written, and the villains that will be named.)
– Peggy Noonan, “Biden Can’t Spin His Way Out of This,” Wall Street Journal, July 3, 2024.
President Joe Biden is facing an uprising from some his own party’s wealthy donors, including an heiress to the Disney family fortune, who say they will no longer fund the Democratic Party until Biden drops out of the presidential race following his disastrous debate performance.
-Brian Schwartz, “Disney Heiress, Wealthy Democratic Donors Say They Won’t Finance the Party Until Joe Biden Drops Out,” cnbc.com, July 4, 2024.
In astrology, Algol is one of the most unfortunate stars. Ptolemy referred to it as “the Gorgon of Perseus” and associated it with death by decapitation: mirroring the myth of the Hero Perseus’ victory over the snake-headed Gorgon Medusa. www.astrologyking.com.
Last weekend’s powerful Saturn and Neptune stations (June 29-July 2), which correlated with primary cycle or secondary lows in Gold, Silver, Copper, and Soybeans. Next weekend coincides with a powerful conjunction of Mars and Uranus in late Taurus, conjunct with the fixed star Algol, also known as the “Demon Star.” It is the second brightest fixed star in the heavens and is considered by ancient astrologers as one of the most ominous of all. Combining this legend with the nature of Mars (war, aggression, threats, heat) with Uranus (the “disruptor,” bearer of sudden surprises and shocks, such as earthquakes and natural calamities), and you have the ingredients for a potentially dangerous period for humankind. This can also translate into sudden and sharp reversals in several financial markets. In some cases, it may even lead to explosive breakouts in those markets that are near their all-time highs, like Gold and Copper.
With Uranus, you never know if a market will “break out” beyond support and resistance (Uranus doesn’t respect any boundaries) or reverse (Uranus loves to suddenly change its direction and disrupt any sense of comfort). Historically, if a market reverses under Mars/Uranus, the move could be sharp but not necessarily long-lasting. It does have a 75% frequency rate to primary cycles in U.S. stock indices, given an orb of 10 trading days. Furthermore, Uranus rules technology, so the action will likely be in that sector, with an interest in AI stocks, since they are “new” and Uranus is associated with that which is “original.”
Another market sector that could be impacted by this combination is Bitcoin. BTC has plummeted over 25% since its double top (secondary high) of 71,933 one month ago, on June 7. This is now entering the time and price range for a 24-month cycle trough, wherein downside projections are for a decline of 25-50%. This outlook will be updated in this weekend’s MMA Weekly Reports (and Weekly Bitcoin Report).
On the political front, we are already seeing signs of Mars and Uranus (with Algol) underway with the startling results of elections in the UK and France, and with the recent debate between Presidents Biden and Trump in the U.S. It was a disaster for the current President Biden. The calls for him to step down are not subsiding. And as columnist Peggy Noonan points out in this weekend’s Wall Street Journal, it’s only going to get worse, not better. But he and his handlers continue to purport the delusionary narrative that he is the only one who can defeat Donald Trump. The reality is more likely the opposite: Biden may be the only one that former President Trump can beat.
When you consider that on Election Day, transiting Jupiter will conjunct the U.S. natal Mars, which also falls on Trump’s natal Sun/Uranus conjunction and trine to his natal Jupiter, the cosmic odds appear more in the former president’s favor. Biden, on the other hand, finds transiting Uranus in his 6th house (of health and service) in opposition to his Sun/Mercury (nervous system and vitality) in Scorpio in the 12th house (challenge of reality versus wishful thinking). This is an indicator of a major change of lifestyle. Additionally, there will be a Mars/Pluto opposition during election week, making a T-square with Biden’s natal Moon, a very challenging combination that rules popularity and family. When transiting Pluto is active to a sensitive point in a natal chart, it requires a surrender of sorts, a real commitment to enact a powerful change of direction in one’s life and/or behavior. If not voluntary, then by force of circumstance.
It is also interesting to note that Kamala Harris, the current Vice-President, and leading candidate to replace President Biden should he decide not to run, finds transiting Saturn high up in her natal chart in the 10th house of career, Jupiter near her ascendant and Uranus on her natal Jupiter. These are actually very favorable aspects for career advancement. However, the Mars/Pluto opposition makes a T-square with her natal Mercury, which is her ruling planet. Like Biden, she too will not likely escape this period unscathed. Pluto spares no one who doesn’t surrender their ego and voluntarily elect a change of direction or behavior, as the current patterns are not being accepted by others who matter in the native’s life, such as voters. As the current polls show, however, Kamala Harris has now overtaken Biden as the preferred choice of Democrats to face Trump. The new polls are consistent with the transits to their natal charts.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NOTE 1: TWO MORE WEEKS 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 2: ONLY THREE MORE WEEKS TO REGISTER FOR THE MMA 2024 Investment Retreat AT THE SPECIAL RATE!!! It is available online or in person.
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. All rooms at the Rikki Balance have been sold out for the past month, but we have just been given two more from the hotel due to other cancellations as of this week. If you wish to secure one of these limited rooms reserved for our group at the fabulous Rikli Balance Hotel right on Lake Bled, 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 3: “The Aries Vortex: Timing Financial Markets via Planetary Cycles” Workshop with Ray Merriman, sponsored by Kepler College. August 11, 2024, Noon to 3:00 PM, EDT. This is a two-part workshop. 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 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 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. Last Wednesday’s 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: LAST WEEK’S SPECIAL “MMA OPTIONS WEBINAR” with Derek Panaia and hosted by Raymond Merriman was excellent and the recording is now available. Even though the strategies are already up over 50% as of last Wednesday, these trading ideas are still in play. The timing for this webinar was perfect because (1) several markets were in their time band for a primary cycle or secondary low — especially metals; and (2) it was a 3-star geocosmic CRD (July 1 +/– 3 trading days). Any corrective retracements in the next week in four of the five markets covered will still serve as excellent plays according to the cycles’ labeling provided by Ray and the strategies given by Derek. As mentioned last week, “We want to be prepared with limited-risk option strategies on Gold, Silver, the S&P, Copper, and Soybeans.” And four of the five markets were immediately activated in the two days following the webinar.
The cost for the recording is $95 and includes 1-3 additional follow-up adjustments via email from Derek. Click here to order now while the material is still of great value. Note: Keep in mind that options trading is speculative, and this webinar is designed for speculators who have some basic knowledge of options. For those who don’t have that basic knowledge, MMA offers a recording of Derek’s webinar on option principles on its website.
EVENTS
August 11, 2024: “The Aries Vortex: Timing Financial Markets via Planetary Cycles” workshop with Ray Merriman, sponsored by Kepler College. Noon to 3:00 PM EDT. See details in the Announcements 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 due in world stock indices 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.