Saturn-Uranus oppostion on Tuesday

Transits for Monday, April 26, 2010 9.30 a.m. New York

Stocks drifted higher last week as positive earnings reports gave hope that the economic recovery would continue. In New York, the Dow closed at its highest level for the year at 11,204 while the S&P finished at 1217. In Mumbai, gains were more modest as the Sensex ended Friday below its 2010 highs at 17,694 with the Nifty closing at 5304. Gold futures also rebounded last week closing at $1157. Last week, I had cautioned about Monday's alignment of the Sun, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune and this did in fact correlate with a decline of 1% in Asia and Europe. However, once the fast moving Sun had passed its exact aspect with Saturn early on Monday morning (EDT), the tense bearish influence diminished and US markets ended higher. The entry of Venus into sidereal Taurus (the bull!) on Tuesday also appeared to correspond with a boost in prices as Asian markets generally reversed higher while US markets continued their winning ways into Friday. Interestingly, the approach of Friday's aspect between Venus and Saturn saw prices rally even further. While this was somewhat counterintuitive, it nonetheless offered evidence that Venus was now in a stronger position to engage with the troublesome energy of Saturn.

The highlight this week is the exact opposition aspect between Saturn (4 Virgo) and Uranus (4 Pisces) on Tuesday. Saturn symbolizes control, discipline, caution and fear and its energy often does not blend well with the more libertarian and rebellious urges of Uranus. In some instances, this aspect can underline internal structural conflicts in the world such as what we are now seeing with Goldman Sachs. Regulatory agencies such as the SEC assume a Saturnian role of enforcer that seek to limit the freedom of Goldman Sachs who are represented by Uranus. With Neptune (4 Aquarius) also forming an important leg in this alignment, there will also be some element of deception and illusion. The fraud charges against Goldman Sachs are emblematic of this Neptunian energy and suggests that the role of deception will be an ongoing theme in any future reordering of the financial industry. With Jupiter soon to conjoin Uranus in June, we could see legal and judicial issues to play a larger role in the weeks to come.

As if to punctuate the the importance of the Saturn-Uranus opposition, a powerful Full Moon occurs on Wednesday in Aries. This pattern is made more noteworthy due to the close conjunct of the Sun with retrograde Mercury. This is often a bullish pattern for increasing risk appetite such as stocks and commodities, although it is likely to be short lived. Ahead of the Full Moon, Mercury will form a difficult square aspect with Mars early on Monday morning (IST) that could cast a pallor over the market. At the other end of the spectrum, there is a nominally positive mix of planets late on Friday between the Moon, Mercury, and Venus.

Given the continuing strength of stocks, we should pay close attention to the possibility that the exact Saturn-Uranus opposition this week will form an interim peak in prices.

Goldman Sachs and the Saturn-Uranus-Neptune alignment

A potential trend changer emerged last week with the fraud charges against financial giant, Goldman Sachs. Stocks in New York tumbled over 1% as the story surfaced, although the were unchanged on the week with the Dow closing at 11,018 and the S&P at 1192. Indian stocks lost almost 2% on interest rate worries as the Nifty closed at 5262 and the Sensex at 17,591. It seems as though the short term positives like the late week Venus-Jupiter aspect was overruled by the medium term influences. As I noted last week, the culmination of the long-standing Uranus-Neptune aspect on Tuesday and the Sun's entry into sidereal Aries on Wednesday may both be interpreted as increasing negative sentiment. While neither of these influences is amenable to precise predictions, they nonetheless add weight to the bearish case. Of course, back here on Earth the SEC attack on Goldman Sachs may well serve a similar purpose as Wall Street's "business as usual" model comes under threat and markets react accordingly.

This week begins with a planetary alignment of considerable heft as the Sun (5 Aries) , Saturn (5 Virgo), Uranus (4 Pisces) and Neptune (4 Aquarius) are all situated around 4 or 5 degrees of their respective signs. Saturn's presence in any multi-planet aspect needs to be watched carefully, as the planet of caution and restraint is often implicated in declines. The combination of the Sun with Saturn in this instance may reflect intransigence and inhibitions involving government and large firms. Uranus here suggests a frustrated desire for freedom and lack of regulation (= Wall St) while Neptune may represent the deceit employed by Goldman Sachs on an unsuspecting public. While Venus enters the more friendly confines of sidereal Taurus on Tuesday, it, too, will form a pattern with Saturn, Uranus and Neptune by week's end. While this is unlikely to have the same effects as the Sun's Monday alignment, it could still see tensions increase as the appetite for risk wanes.

The Saturn-Uranus opposition becomes exact next week on Tuesday, April 27. Last week, I suggested that this combination of incompatible planets often creates troubles, especially where the markets are concerned. Outcomes may vary due to other factors, such as the conditions of Saturn's sign dispositor. I mentioned last week that since Saturn was in Virgo, the condition of its ruler, Mercury, was heightened in its importance. Mercury is currently in a tense 6th house relationship with Saturn, so that is one reason to expect the current Saturn-Uranus aspect to correspond with lower prices on the markets and with an increase in general mayhem in the world. The eruption of the Icelandic volcano that has interrupted air travel across Europe is perhaps a reflection of this difficult aspect.

But Neptune (4 Aquarius) is also present in this alignment and that only ratchets up the potential for damage especially since it sits exactly 6 houses away from Saturn. In Vedic astrology, 6 is not a fortunate number so we are more likely to experience some uncomfortable Neptunian consequences from this aspect. In its negative iteration, Neptune governs illusion and deception so those themes are likely to become more prominent over the coming weeks. Certainly the Goldman Sachs' fraud episode can be seen as having a Neptunian component so it seems that this issue will not be resolved quickly or easily.

Sun enters sidereal Aries; Uranus waves good-bye to Neptune

Taking cues from encouraging US employment data, stocks extended their seemingly somnabulant ascent with another modest gain. In New York, the Dow added less than 1% to close at 10,997 while the S&P finished at 1194. Foreign investors were similarly enthralled with Indian economic prospects, as stocks in Mumbai climbed almost 2% with the Sensex closing at 17,933 and the Nifty at 5361. While I thought we might see more negative Mars energy become manifest last week, it wasn't too surprising to see Monday begin positively as the Mercury-Mars was past exact hence much of its bearish energy had already been drained away. And the late week Sun-Jupiter aspect did appear to coincide with more confidence as stocks and commodities mostly moved higher. Gold was perhaps the main beneficiary of this aspect as it climbed back to $1160, and this was in keeping with my comments from last week.

We have yet to encounter any planetary pattern that has sufficient strength to reverse the prevailing trend. I had wondered if the gradual build up of planets in sidereal Aries might be enough to activate the nastiness of Mars (which, of course, rules Aries) but there is precious little evidence for this hypothesis thus far. The Sun enters Aries on Wednesday this week so that could provide more celestial material for the bearish side, but sign placement alone may not be enough to shut down this liquidity party. This week will also be significant since the long term aspect between Uranus (4 Pisces) and Neptune (4 Aquarius) finally becomes exact. It is possible that some of this rally may be linked to the geometric connection between these distant outer planets since they have been in fairly close orb for several months. With the faster moving Uranus now moving beyond its aspect with Neptune, we should pay close attention to any changes that may occur here.

The early week features a Venus-Rahu aspect which may entail some speculative buying and higher prices, but given the other influences at work here, buying may be a short term distraction this week. The late week period features the Moon conjoining benefic Mercury and Venus and then Venus approaches an aspect with Jupiter on Friday. Both of these influences would appear to be congruent with higher prices.

And waiting in the wings is the latest iteration of the Saturn-Uranus opposition that comes exact on April 27. So it may finally be time for the bulls to take a breather after all.

Mercury-Mars-Pluto may set the tone

Stocks edged higher for yet another week as positive US economic data suggests that the recovery may be taking root. In New York, the Dow ended the week less than 1% higher at 10,927 while the S&P finished at 1178. The gains were more fractional in Mumbai as the Sensex closed at 17,692 and the Nifty at 5290. Last week, I had noted the possibility of gains on the multi-planet aspects involving Venus on Monday and Mercury on Wednesday. This is more or less what happened as Monday rose on the Venus (3 Aries) aspects to both Uranus (3 Pisces) and Neptune (3 Aquarius). Wednesday's favourable Mercury alignment was apparently delayed as stocks ended up gaining in Thursday's session. The delay may have resulted for Mercury "waiting" for the nice Moon-Jupiter-Ketu grand trine. Nonetheless, in the absence of these positive aspects, the market sagged -- a possible sign of background weakness from the stronger influence of Aries and Mars. So while this shot of negative Aries energy did plausibly weaken sentiment, it was not enough to lower prices overall. Since Venus transits sidereal Aries until April 19 and Mercury until June 6, we will have to pay close attention in order to track these more latent effects. We should also note that the Sun will transit sidereal Aries from April 14 to May 14 so that could is another potentially disruptive energy for the financial markets.

On paper, this week looks more bearish than last week as Monday's alignment of Mercury with Mars and Pluto suggests a rise in fear and frustration. While this should incline stocks towards lower prices in the early part of the week, the key square aspect between Mercury and Mars is nonetheless a little past exact. This may reduce its capacity for damage somewhat, especially in US markets. We can also note that this is only a partial strength square aspect since Mars' 270 degree aspect does not pack the same punch as its more damaging 90 degree aspect. Even with those caveats, however, it will be interesting to see how the market responds to thse tense planetary energies. Towards the end of the week, a minor Sun-Jupiter aspect may lift sentiment somewhat, with commodities like gold perhaps enjoying special benefit.

As the Saturn-Uranus opposition draws closer -- now less than three degrees -- we can be attuned to more clues about its eventual impact on stocks. While it is often a tense and difficult combination as evidenced by its role in the October 2008 meltdown, it is not always going to correspond with negative outcomes. Its ultimate effects depend on secondary and tertiary factors such as transit contacts, and the condition of planetary dispositors. While Saturn is a natural malefic, its energy can be made more benign if its dispositor, i.e. the ruler of its sign, is strong. In November 2008, Saturn was in the sign of Leo, which is ruled by the Sun. At the time of the sharp sell-off, the Sun was debilitated in Libra. This weakness in the Sun was therefore transfered onto Saturn to some extent and was another factor why the Saturn-Uranus opposition corresponded with such a large decline. In February 2009, Saturn was again in Leo but its dispositor Sun was now in Capricorn. The Sun is in an enemy's sign in Capricon and moreover Capricorn is six signs from Leo, which suggests tension. The market fell another 15% after this Saturn-Uranus opposition. Finally, in September 2009, Saturn was in sidereal Virgo at the time of its third opposition with Uranus. Saturn's dispositor was therefore Mercury. But Mercury was also in Virgo, which is its sign of exaltation. With a strong dispositor, Saturn created less of an atmosphere of difficulty as stocks generally rose through this particular aspect. There are other factors to consider, of course, but dispositors are nonetheless an important part of the overall equation.

This time around the Saturn-Uranus opposition occurs on April 26th with Saturn in sidereal Virgo. Saturn's dispositor Mercury will be retrograde in Aries conjunct and combust the exalted Sun. This seems less favourable than the September 2009 circumstances although perhaps not a grievous as the opposition in November 2008. While Mercury (and hence Saturn) may receive some benefit from its association with an exalted planet (the Sun), Mercury will be six signs from Saturn. In astrology, 6, 8,and 12 are generally seen as unfavourable house/sign relationships. The relatively difficult condition of Saturn's dispositor would tend to support the view that this Saturn-Uranus opposition will accompany lower stock prices. Let's see how it all plays out.