Cyprus bailout calms markets

(31 March 2013)  Stocks moved higher yet again last week as an 11th-hour bailout deal was struck and thereby avoided the worse case scenario from occurring in Cyprus.  Under the terms of the deal, large depositors with savings over $128,000 will lose 60% of their money to a special tax designed to rebuild the crippled Cypriot bank sector.  Using arbitrary and confiscatory taxes on depositors seems like strange way to rebuild confidence in ailing banks.  In any event, US stocks inched higher as the Dow finished the week at 14,578 and the S&P 500 set an all-time record close at 1569.  Indian stocks were also modestly bullish as the Sensex gained 100 points closing at 18,835.   The week unfolded more or less as we expected.  I thought the triple conjunction of the Sun, Venus and Uranus on Thursday and Friday would likely push up prices in the second half of the week and that is what happened.  I also noted the presence of a potentially troublesome Mars-Saturn aspect on Monday which could coincide with declines.  This also proved to be the case on most global markets.

So what next for the markets?  With US stocks making new all-time highs, many observers are wondering if it is a good time to take profits as some kind of pullback or consolidation is more likely.  To be sure, the "double top" pattern is one that is often correlated with significant declines.  This is precisely what happened in Indian markets in November 2010 after the previous 2008 high of 21,000 on the Sensex was matched.   Once the old high was reached, stocks sold off sharply in 2011 and have yet to regain their previous levels.

The current planetary picture would tend to support the notion that stocks are risky at these levels.  After making a series of key aspects in the past three months, Jupiter is finally moving away from its exact angle with Pluto.  This is the last (for a while) in a series of aspects that began with the Jupiter-Uranus aspect in January.   Financial astrology asserts that Jupiter is a bullish influence and that its aspects are often correlated with a rising market.  With Jupiter now apparently weakening as it separates from its Pluto aspect, the risk of some kind of decline would seem to be rising in the weeks ahead.  Jupiter will again form significant aspects with other slow moving planets (i.e. Saturn to Pluto) in June but between now and then, the bullish energy will have to come from some other planetary source.  This is still possible since close aspects between other outer planets (e.g. Pluto and Chiron) can be bullish but they may be less reliably positive for the markets. 

This week may be dominated by the planet Mars.  Mars forms an aspect with Rahu, the north lunar node, on Wednesday and then aspects Mercury and conjoins Venus on Friday and Saturday.  Mars is considered a malefic planet by nature that can sometimes coincide with frustrating and anxious situations.  In financial terms, its aspects tend to correspond with declines although we should note that numerous exceptions abound.  Monday's Sun-Jupiter aspect could be bullish but the unchecked and volatile energy of Mars may be something we have to watch out for the much of the week.

Transits for Mumbai Wednesday, 3 April 2013 9.00 a.m.

Bank crisis in Cyprus puts markets on edge

(24 March 2013)  Stocks showed more signs of weakening last week as the banking crisis in the tiny island nation of Cyprus emerged as the latest threat to the Eurozone.   US stocks slipped early in the week but largely recovered by Friday as the Dow closed unchanged at 14,512.  Indian markets had a tougher time as the RBI announcement of a cautious 25 point rate cut disappointed investors.  The Sensex fell more than 3% closing at 18,735. 

This outcome was in keeping with expectations as we noted the likely bearish influence of the early week Mercury-Mars aspect.   The late week rebound after Wednesday's reassurances from Ben Bernanke for more easy money was also in keeping with expectations as Friday's Mars-Uranus conjunction coincided with enthusiastic buying.  The ongoing slump in Mumbai throughout the week was somewhat more attributable to specific alignments within the BSE horoscope.

The latest EU banking crisis in Cyprus has financial markets on edge all over the world.  If an acceptable bailout package is not found, it could destabilize European banks as depositors may decide to withdraw their money rather than be hit with a tax as happened suddenly in Cyprus.  Even if the current bailout plan is implemented, it is unclear what will happen in the days and weeks to come.  If Cypriots begin to withdraw savings from the banks out of a fear of more deposit taxes or simply out of spite, it could spark another round of uncertainty in financial markets.

The latest crisis in the ongoing EU drama is plausibly reflected by the position of the planets with respect to the Euro horoscope, dated 1 January 1999 at midnight.  For several months, I have been warning about the possibility of significant trouble in Europe in early 2013 due to the simultaneous aspects from transiting Pluto and Saturn to the natal Sun in the Euro chart.  Pluto has been conjunct the Sun for many months now while Saturn is currently forming a close sextile/3rd house aspect to the Sun.  The combined energies of these two malefic planets have again undermined confidence (Sun) in the Euro and have resurrected long-simmering questions about the viability of the Eurozone. 

Based on my reading of the key astrological influences, I think the crisis in the Eurozone will get much worse between now and 2016.   The most intense period of the crisis will probably be in 2015 and 2016 and will probably involve a fundamental recasting of the whole Eurozone.  A break-up is possible with weaker members removed and one cannot rule even out complete dissolution.  More immediately, we can see how the natal Mars in the Euro will be activated by transiting Mars, Venus and Sun in early April.  These are a series of tense-looking transits and is likely to coincide with more difficulties which could again cause some tremors in financial markets. 

This week the planets actually looks somewhat positive.  Thursday's Sun-Venus-Uranus conjunction is quite a bullish trio, and given the close alignment of Mercury, Jupiter and Pluto, there is good reason to expect some upside this week.  The early week is perhaps more of a question mark given the aspect from Mars to Saturn on Monday.

Transits for Thursday 28 March 2013 9.00 a.m. Mumbai, India

 

US stocks climb to new record high: is this a bubble?

(17 March 2013)  As the Dow continues to set new all-time highs, one may well ask if we are in the middle of a financial bubble.  Financial markets continue to look quite robust here as the Fed's QE3 program into virtual perpetuity has seemingly removed all risk from the stock market.  With no quick end in sight to QE3, investors are only too happy to follow on Ben's lead and pile into stocks.  Much of the post-2009 stock market rally is rooted in central bank programs to free up liquidity and encourage investment in risky assets such as stocks.  This has deliberately punished savers and rewarded debtors by pushing down interest rates close to zero.  After all, who wants to buy a government savings bond if the interest rate is only 1 or 2%? 

We hear more critical voices questioning the long term wisdom of the Fed's zero-interest rate policy as fears of a new bubble are growing.   While skeptics abound, it seems now that Ben Bernanke will not permit the stock market to fall as it is too closely tied to the economic well-being of the US economy.    If the Fed continues QE3 and maintains low interest rates into the foreseeable future, then should we all just dump all our money into the stock market and forget about it?   Most people would agree that rule #1 of investing in the stock market is:  don't fight the Fed.  If they are lowering interest rates and keeping them low, then it makes sense to have money in stocks.   But markets are becoming very sensitive to possible changes in Bernanke's commitment to QE3 and ZIRP.   If unemployment should keep falling, then that would hasten the Fed's exit from the market since it has a target rate of 6.5%.   With Bernanke scheduled to make his latest pitch for the bubble economy this Wednesday (March 20), investors will be sensitive to any hint at all that the bond buying program may be winding down. 

But there is another potential warning bell that deserves our attention.   That is the rate at which investors are willing to buy US Treasuries, irrespective of Bernanke's machinations and manipulations.  Although the bond market has been distorted by the Fed's regular purchases, investors are still buying bonds at rates that broadly reflect the current level of risk and reward.  As long as these rates remain low, then Bernanke and his central banker friends are free to do whatever they want to keep the bubble inflated.  But as soon as rates start to rise, he will have a problem.  The massive debt levels in the US and Europe are only manageable as long as rates stay abnormally low.  The 10-year Treasury currently yields just 2% -- still very close to its historic low of 1.45%.   If these yields should start to rise towards 3%, then it may well be panic stations at the Fed, the ECB and indeed most central banks around the world.   It will be a sign that investors are getting nervous about the world's huge amount of debt and the inability of most nations to pay any of it back. 

US stocks rose for the fourth straight week last week as investors focused on more signs of a growing economy against a backdrop of Fed largesse.  The Dow gained about 1% closing at 14,514.   Indian stocks retreated, however, as inflation data came in a little on the high side thus weakening the case somewhat for a significant rate cut from the RBI this week.  The Sensex lost more 1% closing at 19,427.   I had taken a wait-and-see approach last week given the absence of any major short term aspects.  It is worth noting, however, that Monday was generally bullish worldwide on the Moon-Venus conjunction just as one would expect given the fact that both are benefic planets.  Tuesday was also more bearish as the Moon aligned with bearish Mars and Uranus.  I had also suggested that Friday leaned bearish given the opposition angle between the Moon and pessimistic Saturn.  This correlated nicely with the markets as we saw a small decline on Wall St. that day and a somewhat larger pullback in Mumbai.

The current rally in stocks may well continue until the end of March as Jupiter is set to make its exact aspect Pluto on March 29.  This will be the last exact Jupiter aspect for a while.  Without Jupiter in the mix, the market is more likely to experience problems since it is the bullish planet par excellence.  This is not to say that the market will be set to fall on March 30 but it is important to note that this positive influence will soon begin to recede. 

This week looks like a mixed bag as the early week looks dominated by a Mercury-Mars aspect in the early part of the week.  Since Mercury is barely moving after the conclusion of its retrograde cycle, this aspect has that much more punch and ability to inflict damage on sentiment.  This aspect is close to exact on Tuesday, the same day that the RBI makes its interest rate announcement.  By itself, I would say that the presence of this aspect does not make a significant rate cut (e.g. 50 points) more likely.  If anything, the mood may well be more cautious and anxious.   Bernanke is slated to speak on Wednesday after this aspect has begun to separate, so perhaps his remarks will fare somewhat better in terms of market reaction.  Friday's Mars-Uranus conjunction looks quite potent although the rest of the planets seem fairly positive.  I would therefore be reluctant to predict any significant disappointment after Wednesday's Fed meeting.  If anything, the market may well continue its upward march.

Transits for Tuesday 19 March 2013  9.00 a.m. Mumbai

Berlusconi gains influence amidst uncertain Italian election

(3 March 2013)  Financial markets took a hit last week as Monday's Italian election did not produce a clear winner.  Even worse was the fact that anti-austerity parties including the one led by disgraced former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi vowed not to co-operate with the party headed by pro-EU candidate Pier Luigi Bersani.  It may take days or even weeks before a working coalition is formed.  If no coalition can be cobbled together, we can look forward to another election in short order and yet more political uncertainty.  Most global markets fell sharply early in the week as investors contemplated the real possibility that Italy may sink back into its economic morass and thereby drag down the rest of Europe with it.  US markets recovered by week's end, however, as the Dow closed modestly higher at 14,089.   It was a different story in Mumbai, however, as investors gave Thursday's budget a lukewarm response as no new growth policies were announced.  The Sensex lost 2% on the week closing at 18,918. 

The week unfolded largely as expected as I noted how the early week alignment of Mercury, Mars and Rahu (North Lunar Node) looked troublesome and increased the likelihood of some kind of fallout over Italy's election.  This proved to be correct.  The recovery later in the week also roughly corresponded with the bullish Venus-Neptune conjunction.  While this was not the case in India due to local peculiarities of the budget, it is worth noting that stocks were higher on Thursday up to 11 a.m. before the budget was released.

The Berlusconi Effect on the markets is a fascinating one.  Given his track record of scandal and financial incompetence, his new-found political strength may well be toxic for markets.  The closer he gets to power, the more frightened the investment community becomes.  Berlusconi rejects the austerity program implemented by outgoing PM Mario Monti He also wants to do away with various new tax measures that seek to increase government revenue.  This has proven enormously popular as it appeals to the public's desire to avoid economic pain, no matter how short-sighted or irrational it may be.  Berlusconi is a politician, after all, and not a banker.   His job is to get elected and this is usually accomplished by telling people what they want to hear, not what may be in the best interests of the country. 

Given his revival, it is perhaps not surprising that Berlusconi's horoscope shows considerable strength at the moment.   Focusing only on the simplest and more compelling influences, we can see that Jupiter and Uranus are in close aspect to his Sun-Mercury conjunction in the 1st house.  This has boosted his public profile enormously in the past several months.  We can see that Jupiter and Uranus are both moving very slowly here and hence their positive influence is protracted.  Jupiter stationed at 12 Taurus at the end of January in a very tight aspect to his Sun (12 Virgo).  This is a classic combination for success, achievement, and recognition.  Although we are more than one month after that direct station, Jupiter has only moved two degrees and remains very close to this Sun.  Even as it separates from the Sun, it delivers more strength to Berlusconi via its aspect to his natal Mercury at 16 Virgo.  Bunga-bunga, indeed.   The dashas are also favourable to him as Venus-Mercury began in late 2012.  Both planets are natural benefics and both look to be quite well positioned in his natal chart as both are in their respective home signs.  For all these good influences, though, Berlusconi didn't win the election and seems unlikely to become the next Prime Minister according to most commentators. 

I do not have a strong enough sense of his planets to make a clear prediction either way.  I would say, however, that the planets do favour him for much of the month of March.  Just how far he can go with these influences is another question.  It certainly wouldn't surprise me if he was named PM once again.  The Jupiter-Uranus combination is one of the most potent ones a person can have in their chart.  But I would tend to think that he won't make it all the way to PM.  But it may be that the benefit that Berlusconi receives from this aspect is an ability to maneuver behind the scenes to arrange key cabinet members that better reflect his interests.  The puppeteer returns to power behind the scenes.  The short term aspects this week appear to favour him even more.  We can see that the Moon, the 11th lord of gains, will be conjoined by the Sun, Venus and Mercury at various times.  These are all positive influences that load the dice in his favour.  Things are likely to go his way this week and perhaps into next.  Perhaps his party will emerge the winner in the Senate, or the coalition will have significant representation from his party.  One potential trouble spot is Rahu's close aspect with natal Saturn.  Saturn is strong in the 6th house, so this may simply reflect the shadowy or surprising (Rahu) competitors and enemies he has to contend with at the present moment.   It may also weaken his health somewhat since Saturn rules the 6th house (Aquarius).  

So Berlusconi is likely to be a winner in some way from these elections as Jupiter will aspect Mercury in the coming weeks.   However, if we look further down the road, we can see that transiting Saturn will eventually station at 10 Libra in July.  This will be just three degrees away from his Venus and just one degree from Venus' node.  This is a difficult influence that suggest troubles involving women, which is perhaps not surprising given his history of public womanizing.  But Pluto and Uranus will also be forming hard aspects to his Mercury (16 Virgo) around the same time.  This is probably not good either, especially since Mercury rules the 1st house.   His progressed chart is also very afflicted (not shown) so it seems that Berlusconi will suffer a major setback in the summer.  If there happens to be another election at that time, he is almost certainly going to do poorly.   He may also have more health concerns on these transits, given his relatively advanced age.

The planets this week again offer more possibilities for declines, albeit mixed in with some good aspects.   Monday's Venus-Jupiter aspect could coincide with some upside but by Tuesday, Mars will enter sidereal Pisces and thereby join Uranus.  This is not a stable pairing of energies.  Mars-Uranus aspects can produce sudden or shocking events, and for this reason they are associated with market crashes.  The conjunction is quite wide here so I tend to think we aren't in crash territory and likely won't be.  But it is a burden on the early week.  The midweek could go either way as Mercury conjoins Venus on Wednesday and into Thursday.  This is normally a bullish combination but this time they form an alignment with Saturn and Pluto.  Any alignment with Saturn increases the possibility of declines.  It is by no means a sure thing -- few aspects are in financial astrology -- but it opens the door to more declines.  It will be interesting to see if those midweek aspects that look good for Berlusconi end up being negative for the markets thus reaffirming his profile as a contrarian indicator.

Transits for Wednesday 6 March 2013 9.00 a.m. Mumbai

Sequestration cuts likely inevitable as Saturn asserts control

(24 February 2013)  Financial markets showed some signs of nervousness last week as sequestration budget cuts loomed and evidence mounted that the Federal Reserve may end its quantitative easing program sooner than expected.   US stocks were largely unchanged as the Dow finished the week at 14,000 even.  Most other global markets were somewhat more bearish.  Indian stocks slipped by less than 1% as the Sensex finished the week at 19,317.   As expected, markets were generally stronger in the first part of the week as the planetary aspects were sufficiently bullish to offset the negativity from the Saturn's retrograde station on Monday the 18th.   And perhaps not surprisingly given this Saturn influence, gold continued its decline as it closed below $1600. 

More broadly, Saturn's bearish influence would appear to hang over this market as investors try to come to terms with a number of areas of uncertainty.    Monday's Italian elections are one potential mine field that could shake confidence, especially as it looks somewhat unlikely that a stable coalition will be formed.  The political wrangling in the US continues over the debt sequestration agreement is set to go into effect on Friday March 1.   With both sides now digging in, it now seems likely that the required (Saturnian) spending cuts will take place.  This is likely to reduce economic growth in 2013 and hamper recovery efforts.  We should also mention that Thursday's Indian Union Budget is another possible source of worry if the anticipated investment reforms are not delivered.

Of course, bull markets have to climb a "wall of worry" so perhaps the current situation is not all that unique.  And yet the planetary picture would offer the pessimistic view somewhat more confirmation.   Not only is Saturn virtually stationary in the sky (and hence more powerful) but it is forming a near-exact 60 degree angle with Pluto.  While various interpretations of this Saturn-Pluto aspect are possible, my sense is that this ramps up the negative potential in collective sentiment.  Pluto often represents compulsory structural change involving large organizations while Saturn dictates change through destruction and loss.   When it is strong and unafflicted, however, Saturn can also be a force for stability, restraint and continuity.  The problem here is that this more positive interpretation of Saturn is perhaps less likely given this geometric connection with Pluto.  The US budget cuts from the March 1 sequestration would appear to fit well into this aspect between Saturn (restraint) and Pluto (forced or compulsory actions).   It is less clear how the Italian election result will reflect this pairing.   Perhaps a win by the pro-austerity Bersani would reflect Saturn's current dominance and its emphasis on fiscal responsibility.  But there is always a distorting and destructive element with Saturn that is never too far away.  A shaky coalition government that includes more anti-austerity voices could also conceivably reflect some of his destructive Saturnian symbolism, especially if this encourages more caution and anxiety in Europe.   In this sense, the symbolism of Saturn is not always as unambiguous as one would like in an independent variable.  This makes predicting the markets with financial astrology very much an open-ended and probabilistic enterprise. 

This week the planets would appear somewhat negative.  There is a potent conjunction of Mercury and Mars on Monday and Tuesday that is in close aspect with Rahu (North Lunar Node).  This really looks quite nasty and may reflect quickly evolving situations where information is unclear or concealed.   Given the Italian elections conclude on Monday, it is not hard to draw a straight line from this alignment and some kind of negative market reaction.   That said, Monday also features a fairly supportive Sun-Jupiter aspect which is usually more bullish in its effects.   I wonder if this Jupiter influence will merely serve as an amplifier for the size of the reaction rather than a determiner of its content.  It's hard to say with certainty.   Thursday's Venus-Neptune conjunction is more bullish, so that may correlate nicely with a positive market reaction to the latest Indian Budget.

Transits for Thursday 28 February 11.00 a.m IST Mumbai, India

Gold plunges $50; stocks hold steady

(17 February 2013)  Stocks generally held steady last week as most economic data continued to suggest that the recovery is slowly proceeding apace. US Stocks were mostly unchanged as the Dow lost only a handful of points on the week closing at 13,981. Indian stocks were similarly flat as the Sensex was only marginally lower finishing at 19,468. I thought we might have seen more downside than we got as the array of short term aspects with Saturn suggested the possibility of declines. At the same time, I did not lose sight of the continuing aspect between bullish Jupiter and Uranus which has lifted collective sentiment for the past month or more. In other words, we had a result that did not violate our basic assumptions and remained within general expectations.

Gold had a more interesting week as it fell by 3% closing near $1610. It seems that all this fresh evidence of a recovery means that there is less reason for the Fed and other central banks to print money with various quantitative easing measures. This in turn reduces the possibility of inflation and the subsequent damage to the buying power of national currencies. In a more stable economic climate, gold is less attractive as an inflation hedge. The recent decline in gold is very much in keeping with our expectations as I thought we would see more weakness in February around the Saturn retrograde station. This has proved to be the case as Saturn turns retrograde tomorrow, on Monday the 18th. Gold broke a key technical support level at $1620-1640 last week and now there is a growing sense that it may remain bearish for a while here.

The 1919 natal chart for gold also reflects the current bearishness around the yellow metal. The 1919 horoscope represents the first public price for gold as arranged by a small group of London banks. It is certainly not the only relevant horoscope for gold but it is one that has often yielded some useful information. As we can see transiting Saturn -- a very bearish planet -- sits in the 1st house of this chart and casts its powerful square aspect to the triple conjunction of Mars, Neptune and Jupiter. This is a serious affliction, especially now that Saturn is stationary and therefore more powerful. On the other hand, we could also argue that both Jupiter and Uranus form harmonically significant aspects to the ascendant at 12 degrees of sidereal Libra. This ought to have produced some bullishness given the optimistic nature of Jupiter. As is often the case, Saturn tends to outweigh Jupiter, all other things being equal. In this case, however, they are actually worse as Ketu perhaps casts the more decisive vote towards bearishness. Ketu, the South Lunar Node, forms an exact trine aspect to the Sun-Venus conjunction in the natal chart. This is often a difficult influence and often coincides with sudden changes and instability. Given the centrality of Saturn in this chart at this time, we can see that Ketu would tend to show its more anti-materialistic side. Ketu is a good planet if you're seeking esoteric knowledge and spiritual enlightenment, but not so good if you're a gold bug in search of better investment returns.

This week all eyes are on Saturn is the gloomy ringed-planet turns retrograde on Monday. This is generally a negative influence on sentiment albeit one that can manifest in the background for some time.  The fact that it is aspecting Pluto is also a negative influence.  The short term aspects this week actually look somewhat promising. Monday's Moon-Jupiter conjunction is bullish, Tuesday's Moon-Venus aspect is also bullish and Wednesday's Sun-Neptune conjunction is also arguably bullish. Even Thursday's entry of Venus into Aquarius is bullish. I'm not sure how these bullish short term aspects will be reconciled with the medium term pessimism that will likely be conjured by Saturn turning retrograde. Perhaps there will be stalemate. It's very hard to say either way. I would tend to think that at least some of those bullish aspects should translate into gains at some point. Just how much upside they produce remains to be seen, however.

Transits for Thursday 21 February 2013

Global stocks fall on Europe uncertainty

Stocks were mixed last week as positive economic data coming out of China was offset by renewed European worries and the possible return of Berlusconi to Italian politics.  In New York, the Dow lost just a handful of points closing at 13,992.  Indian stocks fared worse, however, as GDP data came in below expectations.  The Sensex lost 2% and finished the week at 19,484.   The mixed outcome here was not surprising as I noted some difficult aspects in play on Monday (Mars-Neptune) and Friday (Mercury-Mars).  The midweek was somewhat less bullish than I might have hoped, however, as the Venus-Jupiter aspect produced only nominal gains. 

While US Stocks held up rather well last week, there are cracks forming in the recent rally across many global markets.   Could this be the beginning of a correction or merely a bump in the road on the way to higher prices?  As I have suggested previously, Jupiter may be on the verge of weakening here as it forms its closest angle with Uranus this week.  The Jupiter-Uranus combination is usually quite bullish but now it is at its maximum potential energy.  That means that further optimism may be in shorter supply going forward.   Saturn may already be asserting itself as the planet of bearish pessimism prepares to turn retrograde on the 18th.   It is moving very slowly already and last week's negativity is a possible symptom of Saturn's greater influence.   This influence is not evenly distributed across all markets, however, as individual charts still have an important role.

For example, the German DAX horoscope is becoming more afflicted these days from the Saturn station and its aspect with Pluto.   Like the Indian market, German stocks also suffered last week as renewed uncertainty about the upcoming Italian election and the scandal in Spain hit equities hard.  A quick look at this chart reveals the potential trouble spots.  Jupiter is strong in the 11th house but it is not closely aspecting any planet.  This would appear to reduce the possible upside here.  Pluto opposes the natal Sun in this chart while Saturn is about to station in a very close 120 degree aspect to the Sun.   Both are slow moving aspects so this is a potentially damaging affliction.   As an added wild card, we can see that transiting Ketu is in the 10th house and close to the cusp of that house at 25 degrees.   These are medium term afflictions that will likely inhibit the ability of the German market to rally in the weeks to come.  The presence of this strong Saturn aspect alongside the Pluto and Ketu placements also increases the possibility of some kind of negative move in February and beyond. 

This week looks like there is a lot of Saturn in the picture and hence the bias is to the downside.  Venus is in aspect with Saturn on Monday, while Mercury moves into position on Tuesday and then Mars on Friday.  To be sure, the high number of simultaneous aspects in play is in itself a bullish indication.  However, Saturn is very strong at the moment, and I would tend to think that there may be some fallout from this succession of interactions with Saturn.   We shall see.  All of these short term aspects of Sun, Mercury, Venus  are now past their exact point with Jupiter and hence any further upside may be somewhat less likely.