US becomes center of coronavirus pandemic as Mars conjoins Saturn

(30 March 2020)  The coronavirus pandemic took a new turn over the weekend as the US became the country with the largest number of active cases. While Italy, Spain, and China are all listed as having more deaths, the US has the unfortunate distinction of having the most cases in the world at 163,000.   New York City is by far the worst hit area with almost half of the cases (69,000) in the US.  In light of the continuing spread of infections, President Trump extended the nationwide shutdown until April 30. 

The US has been slow to respond to the crisis with the CDC, the FDA and President Trump all coming under intense criticism.  The richest country in the world has been caught flat-footed by the pandemic as its fragmented medical system is showing signs of buckling under the stress.  And yet, there are signs of hope.  Social distancing is now being widely practiced in most areas of the country and is slowing down the rate of infection while testing is becoming more available.  Equipment shortages are still a major problem, however, although things should improve on that front over the next week.

Given the trajectory of most other countries, it seems very possible that the number of US cases and deaths could peak sometime in mid-April.  Italy, Germany and the UK have seen their number of new cases peak and start to decline in recent days so it seems likely that the US will follow that pattern fairly soon. 

In astrological terms, it is possible that this week could be pivotal in the fight against COVID-19.   The two malefic planets, Mars and Saturn conjoin this week in early Capricorn and could represent the most painful moment yet in the pandemic.  In some ways, this Mars-Saturn conjunction may be interpreted as a symbolic "eye of the hurricane" of the coronavirus.  Mars in conjunction with Saturn represents the most intense level of negativity and planetary affliction so it is possible that once Mars begins to separate from Saturn over the weekend, there is reason to be more hopeful for the future. 

As I have noted previously, this Mars-Saturn conjunction hits the US and Trump very hard.  In President Trump's chart, the Mars-Saturn conjunction sits exactly on his equal 6th house cusp.  The 6th house represents health and illness so this double affliction is a very apt planetary signature for this unprecedented level of national suffering and anxiety.  

Interestingly, the Mars-Saturn conjunction exactly hits the Sun in the Inauguration horoscope for President Trump.  The Inauguration chart (January 20, 2017, 12.00 pm) is a kind of planetary roadmap for the upcoming four years of each president's term in office. 

The Mars-Saturn conjunction occurs at 6 Capricorn, which was also the precise location of the Sun at the time when Trump was inaugurated.  This can be taken to indicate two things.  First, the double affliction represents intensely negative situations afflicting the nation and national vitality (=Sun).  Second, it symbolizes the personal and political difficulty of President Trump himself since the Sun represents national leaders in mundane horoscopes. 

As I have suggested, this Mars-Saturn conjunction does not only reflect national pain and stress, it also signifies Trump's personal difficulties at this time.  He is fighting for his political life here as he tries to fend off criticism that his delays and obfuscations cost the US several weeks to prepare for the inevitable onslaught of the virus. Trump may also be more vulnerable to physical stress and exhaustion at this time since his personal horoscope is also under significant stress.  

Overall, I think this week's Mars-Saturn conjunction could well represent 'peak anxiety and despair', at least for the US.  Other locations which have yet to experience widespread outbreaks such as India, Africa, and South America may have their respective peaks in the coming weeks.  

And yet it is worth noting that Saturn is due to station retrograde on May 11th at 7 degrees of Capricorn and thus will remain in very close proximity to the Sun in the Inauguration chart.  This suggests that the US (and Trump) will continue to be severely weakened by the virus for at least another 4-6 weeks.  While Saturn will remain within range of the Sun into June, it is possible that Saturn's negative effects will begin to recede shortly after the retrograde station in mid-May.  In other words, I would not be surprised if the shutdown is extended beyond April 30. 


Weekly Market Forecast


As expected, stocks moved higher last week after Congress finally agreed on the stimulus package.  This bullish outcome was in keeping with the mostly positive planetary influence as Venus aligned with the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction. Monday's session was also higher as Jupiter entered the first degree of Capricorn and tightened its conjunction with Pluto. 

Further gains are not out of the question tomorrow (Tuesday) although downside risk is growing this week as the oversold bounce is likely to run out of steam.  Not only does Mars conjoins bearish Saturn tomorrow but both planets will form a 45 degree alignment with Mercury on Wednesday.  These energies usually don't blend well so some downside seems more likely.  Moreover, the Moon opposes Mars-Saturn on Thursday so that is another worrisome combination.  To make things even more volatile, Mars aligns with the Lunar Nodes, Rahu and Ketu on Thursday and Friday.  It all adds up to the likelihood of some significant downside.  Bulls should be very careful. 


For more details, check out my weekly subscriber newsletter which is published every Saturday afternoon (EST).   I outline the key technical and planetary influences for US and Indian stocks for the short and medium term, as well as currencies, gold and oil.

Stocks sink to new lows as Senate fails to pass virus aid package

(23 March 2020) Checks and balances, yes.  Effective government, not so much.  US politics has once again revealed its dysfunctional side amid the coronavirus crisis as the Senate has failed for a second time to pass an aid package.  On Monday, Mitch McConnell's Republicans (pictured here) and Chuck Schumer's Democrats could not find a compromise to pass the aid package which would provide assistance to individual Americans and corporations who are suffering financially from this unprecedented shutdown of economic life.  This legislative failure caused stock markets to extend their historic decline, despite the Fed promising unlimited loans and asset purchases before the market opened.

Today's decline was evidenced through two simultaneous malefic combinations.   The Sun and Mercury aligned with Rahu, the North Lunar Node, while Mars conjoined Pluto in the first degree of sidereal Capricorn.  Both are bad influences on collective sentiment, and together they provided enough negativity to take stocks to new lows in this huge February-March decline that has seen stocks fall by more than 30%.

The main components to the decline are still active.  As I noted back in January, the conjunction of Saturn and Pluto had a very ominous quality which was made more more dangerous since it occurred in the first degree of Capricorn.  As a rule, sign changes involving any malefic planets are usually magnified in their impact. 

To be sure, January only marked the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in China while most stock markets outside Asia managed to stay buoyant until February.  To be honest, I was surprised when US stocks rallied higher in early February after a brief dip in late January.   However, the situation worsened as Saturn conjoined its planetary node at 4 Capricorn with Pluto still very nearby in late February and early March.  In retrospect, the Uranus-Rahu alignment likely also played a role in the decline, possibly in terms of its speed and suddenness. 

Financial markets are likely to remain volatile for a bit longer as Mars will conjoin Saturn early next week.  Some additional downside is therefore quite possible at that time.  However, we should note that the rest of this week could see some upside as bullish Jupiter (29 Sagittarius) conjoins Pluto (0 Capricorn).   Pluto often amplifies the planets it is associated with so a large gain is quite possible in the coming days.  Also we can see that Venus will form a favourable 120 degree angle with Jupiter-Pluto later this week so that should also translate into some gains. 

In other words, it seems likely that the Senate will finally get its act together and pass this bill.  What happens with the virus is another matter altogether and I'm afraid I don't have any quick answers.  Even if the case numbers and death continue to grow, stocks are likely to bounce anyway in the hope that the economy can recover eventually.  Just when that recovery may occur is unclear, however.  I hope I can provide some insight on that question in the near future. 

In the meantime, let's all stay safe and help each other try to make the best of this strange situation we all find ourselves in.


For more details, check out my weekly subscriber newsletter which is published every Saturday afternoon (EST).   I outline the key technical and planetary influences for US and Indian stocks for the short and medium term, as well as currencies, gold and oil.

US virus shutdown as Trump gets serious; stocks tank again

(16 March 2020)  Even Donald Trump has to face facts eventually.  After weeks of dismissing the coronavirus as a hoax, a conspiracy or "just the flu",  today the US president finally got serious about the virus that is shutting down the US, as well as the rest of the world outside China.   Trump recommended Americans stop all social activity involving groups larger than 10 people, stop going to restaurants and bars, and stop all discretionary travel for the next 15 days. 

In his most forthright press conference to date, Trump warned that the virus could remain a problem until the summer and that a recession was now possible as large portions of the US economy has been temporarily shut down.  The stock market fell sharply again on Monday, despite an unprecedented weekend intervention by the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to zero and to buy $700 Billion in Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities.  The S&P 500 closed below 2400 and is now testing its December 2018 low of 2346. 

These are scary times.  While the US and other countries will pass through this storm just as China did last month, it is still unclear when life will improve, let alone get back to normal. The authoritarian Chinese government imposed draconian quarantines on millions of people, but other countries may be loathe to force a lockdown for fear of creating even more social problems.  That said, most citizens seem to be onboard with a voluntary shutdown of public places as a way slow the transmission of the virus and relieve pressure on hospitals. 

Trump's horoscope is reflective of the current coronavirus pandemic in the US.  As the head of state, many astrologers hold that the ups and downs of the president's horoscope mirror the ups and downs of the country.  That would very much appear to be case here as the Mercury-Saturn alignment is currently in  close alignment with Trump's Ascendant.  Mercury just stationed direct at 6 Aquarius over the weekend, while Saturn is placed at 5 Capricorn.  Both of these planets are in close alignment to Trump's Ascendant at 6 Leo.  Interestingly, malefic Saturn is closely conjunct Trump's 6th house of health and is one tell-tale indication of the health challenges that face the US. 

Moreover, Pluto (0 Capricorn), the planet of power, control and coercion, is exactly opposite Trump's natal Saturn (0 Cancer), which is also the ruler of his 6th house of health.  This once-in-a-hundred-year pandemic is likely the result of these simultaneous hits from malefics Saturn and Pluto to key health points in his chart, the 6th house cusp and the 6th house ruler.

The short term looks difficult as transiting Mars will align with Pluto and together they will oppose Trump's Saturn.  This looks very grim and would likely represent a worsening of the virus in the US in the coming days.  And it would also likely reflect Trump's deepening personal and political difficulties arising from this national crisis.  Trump himself may come under enormous physical and mental stress early next week when Mars exactly opposes Saturn.  It is also possible that Trump's own health may be impacted by this transit.

And yet there is reason for hope.  Jupiter is approaching a 120 degree aspect to Trump's Midheaven (MC) over the next two weeks.  This will be activated first by Venus late next week (March 26-27) so some good news may be forthcoming.  Perhaps cases may start to level off by that time.  But on a more cautionary note, Mars will be conjunct Saturn over that final weekend in March and therefore still in the vicinity of Trump's 6th house cusp.  That still suggests major stress and difficulties involving health so it is a very mixed picture. 

This is all quite speculative, however, because the president's chart is both his personal chart and a proxy for the nation as a whole.  Good transits therefore could represent gains for Trump without necessarily benefiting the country, and vice-versa.  And yet given the intensity of this crisis, it seems likely that an uptick in his horoscope would likely reflect improvements in the coronavirus outbreak.

But the Jupiter-Pluto alignment to his MC points to significant improvements which ought to imply a positive turn of the pandemic in the US.  We can also see that Venus will enter Taurus and his 10th house of status on March 28 and will remain there for all of April and into May.   This is another plus for Trump and probably for the US also since a well-aspected 10th house will translate into career successes and better public approval.  Things may change, however, when Venus turns retrograde on May 13.



Weekly Market Forecast

It was another bloodbath on financial markets today as last week's selling continued unabated despite the Fed's interventions.  The bearish Mercury-Saturn alignment was in effect for all of last week and even into today.  I thought we might have seen more of a turnaround once Mercury ended its retrograde cycle early last week but the that was not the case as the alignment with Saturn proved to be more important than its direction. 

Mercury is slowly moving away from its alignment with Saturn this week so there is a prima facie case for a bounce as we head into the Fed meeting on Wednesday.  The late week lacks clarity although large moves are possible on the Mars-Jupiter conjunction.  I might hold out some hope for some upside this week, even if I would continue to be very cautious.  The first half of next week looks pretty nasty given the Mars-Pluto conjunction.


For more details, check out my weekly subscriber newsletter which is published every Saturday afternoon (EST).   I outline the key technical and planetary influences for US and Indian stocks for the short and medium term, as well as currencies, gold and oil.

Stocks plunge 7% as Mercury retrograde ends

(9 March 2020)  When it rains, it pours.  Global stock markets finished deep in the red Monday after oil prices fell a shocking 25% on a sudden price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.  The price shock hit an already vulnerable market that is reeling from the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic.  In its worst day since 2008, the US stock market finished down 7% and it has now fallen 19% from a record high recorded just two short weeks ago. 

For those of us who follow financial astrology, this decline was not unexpected.  As it always the case in such big moves, there were several factors occurring together to signal such a steep sell-off.  First, the Mercury retrograde period was coming to an end.  (It actually ends tonight at 11.48 pm EDT).  Mercury turned retrograde back on February 16, just a few days before the start of this sharp correction. While Mercury retrograde periods are somewhat bearish by nature,  there are many retrograde periods where stocks actually rise.

What matters more are the alignments that Mercury makes with other planets on the days surrounding its retrograde and direct stations, as well as those in between during its three-week backward journey through the sky.  When retrograde Mercury aligns with benefic planets like Venus or Jupiter, stocks are more likely to rise.  But when Mercury aligns with malefic planets like Mars and Saturn, declines become much more likely.  Today, Mercury (4Aq11) was stationing almost exactly 30 degrees away from Saturn (4Cp57).  As a rule, all angular divisors of the 360 degree circle (in this case, 30) are said to resonate more strongly and are more likely to produce tangible effects.

Moreover, when Mercury aligns with Saturn as it did at the end of last week and the beginning of this week, the downside risk is significantly elevated since Mercury's velocity is much lower than normal.  The slower the relative planetary velocity, the more powerful the planetary effects, for good or ill. 

Another layer of the current decline is that Saturn was also much more negative than normal.  As the Great Malefic, Saturn alignments are usually bearish, but this one was more damaging because Saturn was conjunct its planetary node at 4 degrees of sidereal Capricorn. 

Another piece of the puzzle was provided by today's Full Moon opposite Neptune and the Sun.   Full Moon's are somewhat associated with increased volatility and stock market declines, especially when other co-factors are negative.  That was definitely the case here given the Mercury-Saturn alignment.  The other thing to remember about Full Moons is that the sometimes mark changes in trends.  So if stocks have been falling in the days leading up to the Full Moon, then they are more likely to reverse higher shortly after the Full Moon. 

At the same time, we can see there are some positive alignments in play.  Venus is conjunct Uranus and aligned with Chiron and the Lunar Nodes at 10-11 degrees of their respective signs. That is usually bullish, although we have yet to see any manifestations of it.  Moreover, Jupiter (27 Sagittarius) is approaching its conjunction with Pluto (0 Capricorn) over the next couple of weeks and is loosely aligned with Neptune and the Sun in the coming days.  This also increases the probability of gains this week. 

Today's bearish influences crowded out these otherwise bullish influences although it is unclear how long that will continue.  As these key factors undergo changes in their condition, the overall planetary equation shifts as well.  Mercury will return to its normal direction motion around midnight tonight, so that could lessen its negative influence.  That said, Mercury will still be in very close alignment to Saturn for the rest of the week, so we cannot rule out further volatility.  And yet this essential change in Mercury should translate in some obvious way.  I would think it increases the likelihood of some upside tomorrow, Wednesday and perhaps beyond, especially with the Full Moon now behind us. 

And tonight there is word that the Trump White House is planning to announce a package of economic relief measures tomorrow which could well spark some upside.  Given the gradually improving planetary alignments here, I would think the odds favour a positive reception to these initiatives. 

For more details, check out my weekly subscriber newsletter which is published every Saturday afternoon (EST).   I outline the key technical and planetary influences for US and Indian stocks for the short and medium term, as well as currencies, gold and oil.

Biden resurrected after SC; stocks bounce after COVID-19 crash

(2 March 2020) It has been an eventful past few days to say the least.  Coronavirus fears took hold last week on mounting evidence that the pandemic cannot be contained and will spread throughout the world.  Financial markets sold off sharply in anticipation of its likely economic impact, although stocks did stage a massive rally today (Monday) in hopes of a coordinated central bank rate cut and stimulus program. (For more details, see below.)

Former Vice-President Joe Biden was also in the news as he won a huge victory in the South Carolina primary.  Biden was in a do-or-die situation as he was lagging frontrunner Bernie Sanders throughout February.  The win has catapulted him back into the race as Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar have now come out in support of Biden ahead of tomorrow's crucial Super Tuesday primaries. 

While Mike Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren are still in the race, it looks increasingly like it will come down to Biden vs Sanders, i.e. the center vs the left.  The race may be so close that more analysts are now seriously looking at an open convention in July where no candidate has 50% +1 of the delegates.  

Biden's resurrection was largely reflected in his horoscope, although I admit I did have my doubts.  As I noted previously, Biden's terrible February was likely to improve in late February and here in early March just as Jupiter (26 Sagittarius) aligned with his Midheaven (unequal 10th house cusp) at 26 Leo.  I'm uncertain if he will win more delegates than Sanders on Super Tuesday, but it is at least likely to be a fairly close contest which will keep Biden alive. 

Actually, Biden's chart looks even better for next Tuesday's primaries (March 10) when the Sun will also align with Jupiter and his Midheaven.  The Venus-Uranus conjunction on his 6th house may also be helpful.  He seems more likely to win those primaries outright. 

His remaining centrist rival now is former NYC mayor and billionaire Mike Bloomberg.  Bloomberg's horoscope is in rough shape these days due a close alignment of Saturn and a near-stationary Mercury with his Ascendant.   While Bloomberg also benefits from Jupiter since it is aspecting his Mars tomorrow at 25 Aries.  However, Saturn is sitting opposite his Ascendant while Mercury is backing into a near conjunction with his equal 8th house cusp symbolizing obstacles, setbacks and embarrassments.  Mercury is due to station at 4 Aquarius next Monday, March 9. 

There are a few ways to interpret this pattern but I would think it will be difficult for Bloomberg to have much impact on Super Tuesday.  He could finish above the 15% threshold in several states and therefore win some delegates but it seems likely he will finish behind Biden and Sanders, perhaps well behind.  There will then be enormous pressure on him to drop out so Biden can go head-to-head with Sanders.  Perhaps he will drop out next weekend before the March 10 primaries.  Alternatively, he could stay in the race and just do very badly on March 10. 

In any event, I think Biden's campaign should go fairly well through March and April.  While an open convention is looking very possible with no clear winner until then, I would think that Biden's growing strength in the coming weeks could actually take him over the top in delegates before the convention.   It's difficult to say for sure since the birth time of Bernie Sanders is unknown.  This makes reading his chart that much more uncertain.  


Weekly Market Forecast

Stocks soared in Monday trading on word of a coordinated stimulus program from central banks and the G7 to combat the effects of the COVID-19 virus.  Markets had plunged last week as US markets suffered the fastest ever 10% correction in history on growing panic over the rapidly-spreading virus.  While I thought we could get some significant downside in the first half of last week on the Mars-Ketu-Mercury-Sun alignment, I did not foresee the magnitude of the decline.  The late week was also surprisingly bearish despite some encouraging Venus placements.  At least, US stocks managed to rally strongly before the close on Friday thus setting up the technical basis for today's huge rally.

The rest of the week will probably be less bullish.  The potential problem is the approach of the Mercury-Saturn alignment that is closest next Monday, March 9.  Mercury is retrograde here and moving very slowly as it backs into this near-exact 30 degree alignment.  This raises the possibility of some weakness, especially in the second half of the week. 

We could therefore see more upside tomorrow (Tuesday) following the early morning (EST) G7 announcement but the planetary outlook will become less positive after Tuesday.  While Monday's surge was powerful, bulls should not get too confident in light of this upcoming Mercury-Saturn configuration.  A retest of Friday's low of 2855 on the S&P 500 is not impossible although we're certainly a long way from there at this point.  A higher low may be a more reasonable expectation. 

For more details and potential timing scenarios, check out my weekly subscriber newsletter which is published every Saturday afternoon (EST).   I outline the key technical and planetary influences for US and Indian stocks for the short and medium term, as well as currencies, gold and oil.


Photo: C-SPAN