MMA FREE WEEKLY COLUMN FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING OCTOBER 14, 2024
October 18, 2024
REVIEW
Inflation rates are falling and the global economy is on track for a soft landing, but the outlook for growth is tepid and rising trade barriers are a headwind, the head of the International Monetary Fund said Thursday.
—Paul Hannon, “IMF Sees Soft Landing for Global Economy, But Weak Growth Ahead as Trade Barriers Rise,” Wall Street Journal, October 17, 2024.
U.S. receipts for the 2024 fiscal year hit a record $4.919 trillion, up 11%, or $479 billion, from a year earlier. (Yet) the U.S. budget deficit grew to $1.833 trillion for fiscal 2024, the highest outside of the COVID-19 era.
—David Lawder, “US Budget Deficit Tops $1.8 Trillion in Fiscal 2024,” Reuters, October 18, 2024.
Yes, you read that last quote correctly. The U.S. tax receipts reached a record 4.919 trillion, up 11% from a year earlier. Yet the U.S. budget deficit rose by a whopping $1.8 trillion. The U.S. doesn’t have a tax problem. It has a spending problem. The government is not wisely performing its fiduciary role of managing the nation’s finances. How can you spend $1.8 trillion more than you take in when your receipts are at record levels and 11% higher than the prior year? Although these figures apply to the U.S., the behavior has been similar under other governments since the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.
Yet, this type of questionable fiscal (mis)management, backed by uncontrolled spending, has been a boon for world stock markets. Last week saw several global indices rallying to multi-week, multi-month, or even all-time highs. In Asia and the Pacific Rim, Australia’s ASX index soared to a new record high. In China, the Shanghai Composite rose to its highest level since December 2021 on October 8. It fell hard over the next ten days but rebounded smartly by the end of last week. The only market in this region that struggled was India’s Nifty index, which fell to its lowest level since mid-August. However, that was after posting a new all-time high on September 27. Japan’s Nikkei index crossed back above 40,000 during last week, reaching its highest mark in three months.
In Europe, the German DAX attained another new all-time high on Thursday, October 17. The Netherlands AEX, Zurich SMI, and London FTSE also recorded multi-week highs, but not new all-time records.
In the U.S., both the DJIA and S&P soared to new all-time highs late last week. The NASDAQ also rallied but still remains slightly below its all-time high recorded in mid-July under the Mars-Algol-Uranus conjunction in late Taurus. This intermarket divergence is still a concern for bulls going forward.
Metals and cryptos also had a good week. Gold broke out to another all-time high of $2737 on Friday, while Silver tested $34, its highest mark since December 2012. Huge spending and debt acceleration, combined with instability and the threat of war on the world stage, provide a rush to own metals. Likewise, Bitcoin continued to rally and is now nearing $70,000, its highest price since July and not far from its all-time high made in mid-March 2024. Crude Oil, on the other hand, did not fare so well. After posting a 2-month high of 78.46 on October 8, it fell back to 68.17 just ten days later on Friday, October 18, a loss of 13%. You would think the tension in the Middle East would cause fears of disruption of oil deliveries. But apparently, it is causing an increase in production instead. With Saturn (depressed prices or supplies) soon to turn direct in Pisces (sign ruling Crude Oil) on November 15, we can make an astrological case that a long-term cycle low may be nearby.
SHORT-TERM GEOCOSMICS AND LONGER-TERM THOUGHTS
One of the astrological reasons why the stock market keeps chugging to new highs is that there have been no three-star geocosmic critical reversal dates since early September. That is, there have been no cases of Level 1 signatures (strongest) gathering close to one another for some time. Yes, there have been isolated cases of a Level 1 signature here and there, but not two or more in quite some time. In fact, this condition persists until the end of the year, although there Saturn direct takes place on November 15 and the Sun in opposition to Jupiter on December 7. Both have a high correlation to primary cycles within 10 trading days, usually four or less. But there is little supporting geocosmic signatures nearby to either of these geocosmic events.
The early December period offers the best prospect for a reversal from a primary cycle trough or crest, given that Mars turns retrograde and Neptune turns direct on December 5 and 7. Neither of these are Level 1 signatures. Nevertheless, when two planets change direction close in time to one another, that often corresponds with a noteworthy reversal in the trend of various financial markets. Also, Mars turning retrograde in Leo might prove to be an important turn in Gold.
On the political front, the U.S., and even the world, is riveted on the U.S. presidential election that takes place on November 5, two weeks from this Tuesday. In recent election cycles, the period heading into Election Day has been more bearish than bullish. In every case in this new century, you can see major or primary cycle lows in the last two weeks of October through the first two weeks of November. Given that the market is rising now, a repeat of this pattern suggests a selloff could begin any day but probably not last beyond November 19 when Pluto leaves Capricorn for the final time and moves into Aquarius for the fifth time now, through which it will trek for many years. And this event follows Saturn turning stationary direct on November 15.
One factor that might affect this pattern is the outcome of the election or, rather, the acceptance of the election outcome. For either side to dispute, the results could indefinitely prolong a stock market decline, depending on how long the results are contested. With Mars leaving Cancer and entering Leo and Pluto in the last degree of Capricorn, in opposition to one another during election week, the possibility of a dispute—even a violent dispute—cannot be dismissed. Mars and Pluto are in a hard aspect which is symbolic of a fight to the end. No one gives up easily—and the loser is not usually gracious in defeat. The problem with this is that it rattles the people’s faith in democracy and their trust in the election/voting process.
As an interesting side note, Kamala Harris will celebrate her 60th birthday this Sunday, October 20, in Stonecrest, Georgia. Her return occurs at 1:20 PM on October 20 and finds the Sun posited right on the MC, in a separating trine to Jupiter, which is a favorable placement for one’s solar return. In recent columns, I pointed out that Kamala’s popularity would likely peak in August-early September, and indeed, that seems to be the case. I also suggested that Trump would get a Jupiter station bump in the first two weeks of October and Kamala would meet a Pluto wall of resistance and criticism, which has also come to pass. Now, Trump’s chart shows that a pullback is possible, and Harris may continue to struggle with Mars entering into a cardinal T-square with her Sun/Moon opposition. Who can hang on the longest?
Both Trump and Harris were born under a Full Moon, and it is interesting to note how Trump has taken a big lead among young males (Sun, Mars) while Harris has a commanding lead among young women (Moon, Venus). Which sector has the most passion to turn out and vote? The women I talk to seem more energized than the men in this election, and I think the polls may underestimate this. Yet Trump’s poll numbers have always been underestimated in the past. Supporters of each candidate feel that their leader will win by a landslide. I doubt that. I also think more people still have not made up their minds than the polls indicate.
It will come down to a climactic battle between the “Queen Bee” and the “King of the Jungle,” as I describe in my recent presentation on the election made last week in Tucson. For those interested, a recording of this presentation is now available. Click here for information.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NOTE 1: ONLY ONE MORE WEEK TO LOCK IN THE BEST RATES FOR MMA SUBSCRIPTIONS AND THE MMA FORECAST 2025 BOOK!!!! 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 this is also when we offer the best deal on MMA subscription reports! Save 10% off any subscription ($275+) with the purchase of Forecast 2025. For instance, you can save over $300 on a yearly subscription to the MMA Daily Report, which additionally includes the full weekly report (two reports in one!). After the pre-order event ends on November 1, the retail price of the Forecast 2025 print edition increases to $66, the eBook price increases to $55, and the subscription reports return to their normal prices. ORDER NOW AND SAVE BIG BUCKS!
MMA is also offering 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 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 potential, 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 valuable 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 October 7, 2024, is now available for viewing by clicking here.
To pre-order Forecast 2025 now, please click here.
NOTE 2: YOUR PERSONAL “JUPITER REPORT — YOUR MOMENTS OF OPPORTUNITY” IS NOW AVAILABLE!!! This newest product is written by Raymond Merriman. It is a 30-40 page report that all traders (and even non-traders) will find to be of great value. It identifies the times during the year when Jupiter transits are highlighted in your natal chart. It delineates the meaning of Jupiter’s transits to your natal planets and angles over a 14-month period (including one month before your order and one month after the year ends). Why is this valuable? Because transits of Jupiter identify special opportunities for financial gains, success in one’s career and social life, popularity, and good fortune (luck) when under harmonious aspects and used correctly. However, they can also indicate periods of misjudgments leading to losses if Jupiter is afflicted and one is not properly prepared. As an added bonus, each transit is ranked from –3 to +3 in terms of favorability for trading. Traders may find this most valuable! Would you like to know when you are under a +3 transit and, therefore, most likely to experience trading successes? Or a –3 transit with stronger-than-usual potential for misjudgments and losses? You betcha! The cost for your 14-month Jupiter Report is $69. Click here to order!!!
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NOTE 3: Ray Merriman’s “Election 2024 Forecast” was presented last weekend for the Tucson Astrologers Guild, and the Zoom recording is now available. The presentation went very well, and attendance broke all records for this 45-year-old guild of professional astrologers. In this presentation, Merriman discussed his outlook for the U.S. and the world based on the forthcoming “Aries Vortex.” He then provided studies on the U.S. election and his delineation of relevant charts of the two candidates (Kamala Harris and Donald Trump). This included historical studies of past elections that have cycles related to 2024, the relationship of the candidates’ charts to the U.S. chart, historical cycles of the U.S. election relative to the major transiting aspects now underway, and the relationship of stock market cycles correlated to the party in office and what it projects for this election cycle (is it a crash or soaring to new highs?). The cost for the recording of this lively event is $35. To order your copy, please click here.
NOTE 4: YOU HAVE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SPECIAL ONE-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMA APP! The MMA Solar-Lunar App now offers reversal signals on the NASDAQ to all subscribers! Now, there are four markets with daily weighted values provided: the DJIA, NASDAQ, Gold, and Silver. To celebrate the launch of the new NASDAQ feature, we are offering a one-month special rate of $24.99 to all new and existing subscribers (the normal rate is $39.99/mo.), ending October 31. Sign up now for a one-month trial before October 31, and receive the daily signals for one month for only $24.99!
This app is an ideal tool to have in your back pocket if you are a short-term swing trader looking for high-probability dates that identify isolated lows and highs in the DJIA, NASDAQ, Gold, and Silver markets. Since it was first introduced three months ago, it has been uncannily accurate in identifying swing lows and highs in each market. It is available only on Apple products (iPhone and iPad) at this time, although we are getting close to developing it for Android phones, too, possibly by the end of this year.
How does it work? Based on historical frequencies, the higher the weighted value, the greater the probability of a swing trade reversal in the next 1-7 trading days (usually 2-5 days). Built into the app are instructions for ideal setups and explanatory FAQs. It’s pretty amazing!
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To learn more about the MMA App, click here. To order it, go to Apple’s App Store and type in Merriman Solar/Lunar Reversals.
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. A recent interview was with MMTA graduate and psychological trading coach Rita Perea, who was a speaker at the MMA Investment Retreat in Lake Bled in September.
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! Thomas has an excellent voice and brings the weekly column to life in a personable and, at times, humorous fashion. 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: Thomas will be at a memorial service for a friend and will not be able to post a podcast of this column this week. He will return next week.
NOTE 7: THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF THE MONTHLY MMA CYCLES REPORT WAS ISSUED LAST WEEK (Monday night)! The MMA Monthly 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 October Report and last week’s MMA Special Stock Market Update for only $35! Or save by ordering a three-month or one-year subscription.
EVENTS
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 several other 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). SIGN UP NOW for the best rate before the next cutoff date.
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.