All eyes of the world will be on the United States this week. On Tuesday, the United States will undergo possibly the most important presidential election in its history, and most likely its most important since World War 2. The outcome of this election is expected to set in motion a course of events that will have major implications for the future of world peace versus global conflict, and economic prosperity verses economic hardship for the next one or two decades.

This week also begins a huge time band, extending from November 4 through December 5, in which there are 16 significant geocosmic signatures as identified in “The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing Volume 3: Geocosmic Correlations to Trading Cycles.” There are no more than 5 calendar days separating any two consecutive instances of these signatures during this time frame. And 7 of these 16 signatures are Level 1 types, which are the most powerful correlations to primary or greater cycles in U.S. stock indices. As we know from past reports, not only are such intense clusters significant to stock prices in the U.S., but also equity markets, other financial and commodity markets, and political situations throughout the world. In other words, we are about to enter one of the most highly charged time bands of this year.

The unfolding of these cosmic phenomena begins this coming Thursday, when the Sun enters into its waning square to Neptune. This is a Level 1 signature that has a 65% correspondence to primary or greater cycles within an orb of 10 trading days. It also has a 78% correlation to a low or high within 4 trading days, from which the market reverses at least 4%. In a practical sense, this signature tends to correspond to rumors, gossip, misinformation, and maybe even intentionally deceptive announcements. In addition to impacting equity markets, it also has a strong association with reversals in the crude oil market. I might point out that in the past, when crude oil prices rise strongly into October, the month before the election, they tend to reverse from highs in that month, and fall significantly into January following the election.

On Friday, November 5, Venus will conjunct Jupiter. This is the date of the U.S. employment reports. Venus and Jupiter are both considered benefics – harmonious dynamics. One would think this would bring favorable news. However, our studies show that this is not historically a very strong signature in terms of markets. But November 5 may become important anyway because of the next three signatures, which are Mars in waxing square to Saturn on November 7, and Saturn turning retrograde on November 8, and Uranus turning direct on November 11. Each of these are also powerful Level 1 signatures. The first – Mars in waxing square to Saturn – has an historical 80% rate of frequency to primary or greater cycles happening within 11 trading days. Not only that, but in the study of Mundane Astrology, this hard aspect oftentimes coincides with threats of war. It is a signature that can be frustrating, as it brings into play the dynamic of aggression and impulse (Mars) with that of resistance and/or control. It is as if to say, “I want to do my thing, and you won’t let me, and therefore I am going to push harder against you.” It is the powerful force meeting the immoveable resistance.

On Monday, November 8, the world experiences more Saturn, as this immoveable resistance goes retrograde. When a planet turns direction (retrograde or direct), its psychological dynamic is very present in the collective. Saturn can be very conservative, very crystallized and unwilling to change quickly. It can also be very cold, as in snow and blizzards and unusual freezing temperatures. The fact that two Saturn signatures happen so close to one another, suggests to me that the world is very worried (and possibly unhappy) about the results of the U.S.A. election. It is as if fear has just increased, confidence and hope have been forced aside, and usually (but not always) stock markets don’t like this. That’s why there tends to be a change of trend nearby. However, it can be a favorable period for efforts that are designed to maintain the status quo. It is not conducive for trying new things, but it can be useful for perfecting things one is already working on. It is not a favorable time, by and large, to begin a battle or a conflict with others. One tends to jump into things based on principle, without gathering the proper support of others to help their position prevail. One can be right on the principle, but wrong on how to fight the issue in a politically astute way, and hence loses the point in a dispute, even though he or she was right.

And finally Uranus turns directions on November 11. The principle of Uranus is very unexpected, very dramatic and surprising. Combined with all the Saturn present, it seems that this is a period that would have the symbolism of an earthquake. Things that seemed set are suddenly disrupted, and people are shaken by the event.

The midpoint of this part of the greater cluster is November 7-8. This by itself may produce a change of trend in several markets, plus or minus three trading days, even though the midpoint of the greater cluster time band is not until November 19-20. They may both produce major trend reversals, in different markets.

The next 4-5 weeks is going to be a very interesting period for humanity and for each of us as individuals. It will likely challenge our patience, and ability to exercise self-restraint in the midst of combative and aggressive forces all around us. The world seems to be in “attack mode.” But of course, we all have the freedom to choose to how we act in the midst of such dynamics. It may be wise if our leaders, and each of us as individuals, practice humility and patience, and not over-react with our first impulse, which may be very primal.

Announcement: The special pre-publication discount on Forecast for 2005 book is now over. But you can still pre-order next year’s book at $39.95. As always, this book is written between October and November, and is shipped out upon return from the printer, around December 15. Order now and lock in your reservation for next year’s book! For further information on pre-ordering next year’s book, please go to our website at www.mmacycles.com, and click the banner on ORDERS or BOOKS.

Disclaimer and statement 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 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.