Market Preview for the week beginning Oktober 15, 2018

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Review and Preview 

"I think the Fed is making a mistake. They are so tight. I think the Fed has gone crazy," the president said. Fears about rapidly rising rates helped cause the Dow Jones Industrial Average to drop more than 800 points Wednesday. "Actually, it's a correction that we've been waiting for for a long time, but I really disagree with what the Fed is doing," the President added. – Thomas Franck, “Trump Says the Federal Reserve has ‘Gone Crazy’ by Continuing to Raise Interest Rates,” www.cnbc.com, October 10,2018.

He blamed the Fed for causing a massive drop in stocks this week that took the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 800 points on Wednesday alone. Stocks fell again Thursday. "It's a correction that I think is caused by the Fed and interest rates," Trump said from the Oval Office. Trump said he believes that the Fed's monetary policy "is far too stringent," adding that "they're making a mistake and it's not right." – Michael Sheetz, “Trump Says the Federal Reserve Caused the Stock Market Correction,” www.cnbc. Com October 11, 2018.

That is a lot of Saturn themes coming up, which means the Fed will be coming up for a lot of scrutiny. It will be forced to account for its actions of the past, for Saturn transits indicate a time when accountability is demanded. The Fed is likely to be criticized sharply, and if it cannot answer to the satisfaction of these inquisitions, it will likely pay a consequence. Its independence may be endangered, and its powers either diminished or stripped altogether. Raymond Merriman, the Forecast 2018 book, written in November 2017.

Pardon me for bringing this up, Mr. President, but… what about your ongoing campaign that is disrupting world trade with tariff threats? Equity markets don’t like that uncertainty, not to mention that these tariffs — if accelerated, as you often state will soon happen — are equivalent to a new tax on consumers that will wipe out gains from the recent tax reform act that was so boldly passed. What about the budget you recently signed that allows for another $1 trillion in deficit spending? We are back to the early years of the previous administration where our budget deficit is concerned, and the national debt is once again soaring. Do you think these factors might also have contributed to the severe stock market decline last week? Yes, the Tax Reform Act of December 2017, passed by the Republican-controlled Senate and House, which had fought for such a measure over the past decade, plus the de-regulation efforts on your own part, along with the national security measures initiated, have helped make “America Great (and safe) Again,” at least from an economic and military point of view. They have been the underlying forces that helped boost this stock market so famously since the election. And a major factor in that confidence, which has spurred the bull market in stocks and overall the USA economy, has been the steady hand of the Federal Reserve Board. Their gradual increase of rates (not so sudden and strong) has actually put additional monies back into the accounts of savers, which is also adding to the nation’s confidence about the future.

As pointed out in the Forecast 2018 Book, a greater danger may lie ahead in the independence of the Fed. And I suspect that too is causing concern with investors after last week’s statements.

Stock markets around the world sold off sharply much of last week, following all-time highs in several indices on October 3, exactly on our three-star geocosmic critical reversal date (CRD), that was anchored by Venus turning retrograde on October 5. As discussed in our prior two columns, Venus retrograde is one of the strongest geocosmic signatures that showed up in our research correlating important reversals in world stock indices. It was present March 6, 2009, when the worst bear market since the Great Depression ended, and the current bull market began. The fact that nearly all world stock indices reversed at the same time again shows the importance of geocosmic transits to one another as affecting the world collective and as a valuable market timing tool.

Of equal importance is that while stock markets plunged last week, Gold soared to its highest level in over two months, breaking out of a triangle formation to the upside. as heliocentric Mercury ingressed into Sagittarius on October 10.

In retrospect, it was a very interesting week, and one that again pointed out the value of Financial Astrology as an important market timing tool.

Short-Term Geocosmics and Longer-Term Mundane Thoughts 

Last Thursday (October 4), while the Capitol was consumed with the Brett Kavanagh Supreme Court nomination debate, a few blocks away an event with at least as much long-term significance was unfolding to relatively little notice. Vice-President Mike Pence delivered a remarkable 40-minute broadside against China (which) may come to be seen as an inflection point in the complex trajectory of relations between Washington and Beijing. (Pence) accused China of abusing its economic power, stealing American technology, bullying the very American companies that have helped in its economic rise…. – Gerald F. Seib, “The Significance of Pence’s China Broadside,” Wall Street Journal, October 9, 2018.

I must be doing something right. In the last month, I have received several letters protesting that I have been too harsh on President Trump, more so than on any other president before. Ironically, I also received several letters claiming that I am too much of a supporter of the Trump presidency, far more than I have been of any other administrations in the past. I think this just points out the extreme sensitivity and serious political divide that currently exists in the U.S.A. For the record, I have been critical of every American president this century (and before), especially when they make decisions or commit acts that reflect the geocosmic transits of that week. I am always looking for present-day news stories that highlight the current themes indicated in the cosmos, for in the end, this is an educational column, demonstrating the correlation between cycles in human activity with cycles in the cosmos. Unfortunately, most of the themes reported in news headlines are not positive, feel-good, types of articles. I report on what people are witnessing via the current media news stories, especially pertaining to the fields of financial and political matters.

The past two weeks have been very interesting because Venus turned retrograde on October 5. As is usually the case, the stock markets made stunning reversals, and many made their all-time highs exactly on MMA’s geocosmic three-star CRD of October 3. The cause of that decline is a subject for debate, but most news stories focused on the Fed’s schedule of rate increases, which also fits the history of Venus retrograde, especially in Scorpio. That is, when Venus goes retrograde, central banks are often in the news, either due to policy changes, new announcements on their outlook, or — as was the case last week — of renewed criticism from the executive branch for their policies, in a covert manner designed to influence their future interest rate policy. That’s typical Venus retrograde, and central banks will be in the news for the next six weeks as Venus continues its backwards motion as seen from earth.

There is not much else happening in the cosmic headlines for the next two weeks, not until the full moon of October 23-24, when the Sun will also be in opposition to Uranus, just before Uranus retrogrades back into Aries. Until them, it is all about Venus retrograde in Scorpio themes (interest rates, debt, taxes, tariffs). Even then, when the full Moon-Uranus conjunction occurs, it will still be about interest rates because Sun/Uranus aspects also have a strong correlation to all interest-rate related markets, like currencies and treasuries. It also pertains to technology stocks.

Bottom line: the lack of major geocosmic signatures for the next 2 weeks implies no major reversal of the trend that started on October 3. Of course, there have been a few exceptions to this normal rule in the past, but it still a rule that has served us very well over the years.

Announcements

	Our editors like the beginning sections of the Forecast 2019 book. That’s always a very good sign! This is starting to sound like a good mystery in the onion peeling stage. Reads really good, Ray. — Rick B, editor. This was a joy to edit. — Teresa D, referring to the first sections of the Forecast 2019 Book.
	Only two weeks remaining for MMA’s once- a-year special sale on Forecast 2019 and MMA subscription services. The annual Pre-publication Specials for next year’s Forecast Book are now underway. Our once-a-year sale discounts on both the annual Forecast Book and SMT/MMA subscription services are now available through October 31. Order a subscription now – before the end of October – to qualify for the special $45 / € 39 rate on next years’ Forecast Book! Or, order both an eBook and printed book version for only $65 / € 59, a savings of $45 / € 39 off the standard rates, and also qualify for the special 10% discount on SMT & MMA reports above € 295 / $325. These sales end in one month, so order now and save big bucks (such as over $300 for MMA daily reports!). For more information on this once-a-year sale, continue here>> Check out the scorecard as of July 19 on our website via the link below. Read more>>
	The monthly MMA Cycles Report will be issued this week to all subscribers of that report. This will be a very timely report, given the huge sell off in stock indices last week, following the all-time high in the DJIA right on our three-star geocosmic critical reversal date of October 3, 2018. This month’s MMA Cycles Report will include a follow-up on the August special update and alert on Gold (which is happening as described). It also contains our future outlook for U.S. stock indices (DJIA and S&P futures), Silver, Treasuries, Euro Currency, Crude Oil and Soybeans, plus MMA’s original geocosmic critical reversal dates (CRDs) and Solar/Lunar reversal dates over the next several weeks for DJIA, Gold, and Silver. From our market timing perspective, financial markets are in a very exciting time right now. The monthly MMA Japan Cycles report will also out this week, covering the Nikkei, JGB Bonds, and the Dollar-Yen. The Nikkei is also in a most interesting time band. The MMA European Cycles Report will also be released this week, covering the German DAX, Swiss SMI, and Netherlands AEX. Each of these markets have been falling hard and entering important time bands for a possible low soon. If you are not a subscriber to the MMA Cycles Reports and wish a copy of this month’s outlook for financial markets, as well as last month’s special report on Gold, consider taking out a subscription NOW, while MMA’s special sale on one-year reports are still good until the end of this month. It is also available in Dutch language, read more here>>
	The Congress Outlook 2019 & Beyond, The reversal of the current economic cycle - highlighted by experts The congress that takes notice at rare historical cyclical changes and their correlation with human and financial affairs - before they occur, which can make a life-time difference for those who attend. Read more and register for this congress today! One day congress with Raymond Merriman, Drs Karen Hamaker-Zondag, Antonia Langsdorf in the Amsterdam area on Saturday January 19, 2019. Read more>>
	MMA’s special webinar on Silver and Soybeans that took place on Thursday, October 4, came out very well. Recordings are available now. The presentation was based on the research and analysis of MMTA graduate and MMA analyst Kat Powell with Ray Merriman acting as moderator. In this webinar, Powell and Merriman outlined the monthly, weekly, and daily charts of both Soybeans and Silver, identifying where each market was in terms of long-term, intermediate-term, and short-term cycles. Powell additionally pointed out the status of various chart patterns in place that support a bull market outlook, but also key support levels that could prolong this current correction until important geocosmic signatures come into play within the next couple of months. Read more>>
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Disclaimer & State 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 Schogt Market Timing & 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.