Markets left dazed and confused by Fed as Mercury turns retrograde

(21 September 2015)  Is the Janet Yellen losing her touch?  Or more to the point, is the Fed losing control of financial markets?  Most global markets declined last week after the Fed Chair chose to leave interest rates unchanged at zero percent after citing concerns over the state of the Chinese economy and iffy US data.  The usually reassuring and dovish Fed Chair left investors puzzled and anxious as she painted a more sober picture of the economy than expected.  There also appears to be growing confusion over which criteria the Fed is using to time its eventual interest rate hike.  Besides US inflation and employment data, the Fed now seems to be including China into its calculus for when the "lift off" in interest rates will finally take place after six years of ZIRP.  This was a change in messaging and left many confused about just how or when the Fed will rate hikes, if they ever do. 

In last week's financial forecast, I thought the planetary influences argued somewhat for a hike given the strong Saturn influences here.  However, I noted a possible alternative view whereby the dominance of Saturn could restrain the Fed from making any move at all out of fear of damaging confidence and crashing the stock market..  This appears to have been the case as the mood darkened on Wall St and throughout most European markets.  Besides possibly signaling a desire to tighten money supply through an interest rate hike, Saturn is also correlated with pessimism and declining markets. 

I had also noted the possibility that markets could be confused in some way by the Fed statement since Mercury turned retrograde just 9 minutes after its release.   We definitely got that in spades in the US and Europe sold-off sharply after the puzzling and disappointing statement and continued to decline on Friday.  This late week decline was therefore in keeping with my bearish predictions in my subscriber newsletter. Asian and emerging markets rose, however, as the US Dollar weakened and enhanced the appeal of those riskier assets.

Stocks appear to be rebounding so far this week.  This makes sense given the close Venus-Uranus alignment that is exact on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I would think stocks are more likely remain fairly strong into midweek.  However, the Sun conjoins Rahu on Wednesday and this could activate its alignment with Saturn so any gains could be reversed quickly. 

And as I have noted previously, the Mars-Saturn square aspect (exact on Friday the 25th) looks tense and could coincide with more selling pressure by the end of the week.  And this comes at a time when Saturn is exactly aligning with Ketu (South Lunar Node) and both will also align with the natal Sun in the NYSE chart.  There is definitely some major downside risk in that pattern.  And as if to up the cosmic ante, there will be a lunar eclipse on Monday the 28th.  Eclipses are associated with times of uncertainty and interruption of the status quo.

As we move into October, markets will likely take a break from the often difficult influence of Saturn.  However, I would note that Saturn is due to form another important aspect at the end of November, this time with Neptune.  And with Venus, the planet of money, transiting through sidereal Virgo, its sign of debilitation, for much of November, there could be more rough waters ahead.  If stock markets remain as depressed as they are now, one would think the Fed will remain reluctant to raise interest rates in October, December and even beyond.  After all, one of the tenets of the Fed in this era of interventionist central banks is to prop up stocks through any means necessary.  Let's see what the money magicians at the Fed, ECB and PBOC will pull out of their hats next.

Will she or won't she: Yellen's difficult choice

(14 September 2015) All eyes are on the Fed this week (yet again!) as investors wonder: will she or won't she?  Fed Chair Janet Yellen has been leaving a trail of fairly strong hints in recent months that an interest rate hike is coming sometime this year and possibly as soon as Thursday.  The Fed's policy statement will be released on Thursday at 2 p.m. as it reveals if the unprecedented six-year long zero interest rate policy is finally over.  Analysts and commentators are sharply divided on this question, although it seems that the consensus position is that she will leave it unchanged for a bit longer and raise it either in October or December. 

It's unclear what the market's reaction to a hike might be, although most believe it could spark some sort of decline.  That said, enough traders have already discounted the possible 25 basis point hike (yes, that's just 0.25% at the low end of the range) that any decline will be fairly orderly and perhaps even modest. 

So what does astrology have to say about the probability of a rate hike on Thursday?  The alignments I'm seeing do not look clearly one way or the other although I tend to think they lean towards an interest rate hike.  That is due in part to the prominence of Saturn in the current celestial geometry.  As I have noted for the past several months, September stood out as having significant Saturnian potential due to the exact 120 degree aspect between Ketu (South Lunar Node) and Saturn.  This is exact in the final week of September but is already effectively in aspect within one degree.  Saturn, of course, is the planet of pessimism and caution and hence it is associated with stock market declines. Saturn is also the planet of restraint and restriction so it may have a more natural affinity with tighter money, i.e. raising rates.

As a historical analogue, Saturn was also prominent back in 2004 when then Fed Chair raised rates for the first time in three years following the dot-com bubble collapse and 9/11 attacks in 2001.  On June 30, 2004 Greenspan hiked rates in what would become a three year long interest rate increase from 1% in 2004 to 6% by 2007.  At the time, Saturn (21 Gemini) was conjunct both Mercury and the Sun within a few degrees and aspected Jupiter (19 Leo) within two degrees. Saturn was also aligned with Neptune (21 Capricorn) in a 150 degree quincunx aspect.   That was also a strong Saturn-influenced pattern that may have reflected the tighter money policy that Greenspan announced that day.

While Saturn may incline collective actors towards a more cautious and fearful approach to the future, it is important to recognize that this could manifest in the Fed leaving the rate unchanged.   That is because the Fed could fear what might happen if they raised rates too soon, either in terms of a stock market crash or more economic slowdown in the US and abroad.  In that sense, this Saturnian energy could manifest in either scenario.  Obviously, this fails Popperian standards of theory falsification but it is worth noting all the same. 

Saturn is also highlighted here because Mars is approaching its square aspect with Saturn this week and next (exact on 25th September) and those two malefic planets are usually difficult energies for investors.  So not only is Saturn connected with renunciatory Ketu, it is also linked with irascible Mars.  Those are difficult aspects to be sure.  As an added shot of Saturn, tropical Saturn enters Sagittarius on Friday just a day after the Fed statement.  The bottom line is I think that Saturn's correlation with declines is sufficiently well-established that a tightening and a subsequent sell-off is the most likely scenario although I would not be surprised if things play out differently because of that alternate interpretation. 

I should also note an intriguing third possibility here.  Mercury turns retrograde at 2.09 p.m. EDT, just nine minutes after the release of the statement.  Mercury retrograde is traditionally associated with situations of confusion and dysfunction so there could be something about this statement that causes the markets to flinch in some way.   Could the Fed raise rates while at the same time promising to launch another round of quantitative easing (QE)?  Or could the Fed announce a completely new policy instrument to boost the economy that the markets can't make quick sense of?  Or more simply: could the statement be delayed?  It's interesting to think about these sorts of scenarios given the Mercury retrograde proximity to the statement release.  Or it could be nothing much at all except perhaps the market reacting in a confused way to Yellen's usual panoply of reassuring platitudes that keep the game going a bit longer.  It will be an interesting week. 

I should think stocks are likely to remain a bit jittery before the statement since Mars enters sidereal Leo on Tuesday. 

Predicting inflation: lessons from the German hyperinflation in the 1920s

(6 September 2015)  One of the financial paradoxes in recent years is why there has been no significant (official) inflation in most Western countries despite massive efforts to print money by the Fed, the ECB and various other central banks around the world.   Many observers were wary of the Fed's various QE programs to kickstart the economy after the 2008 meltdown since they believed it would cause inflation to rise to dangerous levels.  Indeed, the Fed's unprecedented QE bond-buying program was one the main reasons why gold rose to all time highs in 2011 as the traditional inflation hedge came to within a stone's throw of $2000.  As more investors realized that inflation was as tame as ever (below 2%, at least officially), gold prices began to fall back to earth.  Now gold trades close to $1100. 

There are many reasons why inflation never really got going in developed economies but perhaps the most important was that the economy was just so weak after the Great Recession, the expansion of the money supply was barely enough to even keep the economy afloat. Without it, we probably would have sunk into a much deeper depression like the 1930s.  And we may still eventually have to face the longer term consequences of all this Fed printing -- whether in the form of a disruptive round of inflation or another recession after the current bubble bursts.  Or both.

The debate over the post-meltdown recovery raises the question: is it possible to predict when periods of high inflation are more likely to occur?  For the answer, let's take a quick look at perhaps the most famous incident of inflation in modern times, the German hyperinflation in the early 1920s.  After its defeat in WW1, Weimar Germany suffered from massive debts, a depreciating currency and a dysfunctional economy.  The demand for war reparations by the Allied powers then made a bad situation worse.  Gradually, the increasingly hamstrung government began to print more and more money in order to pay its skyrocketing bills.  At its worst in 1923, inflation was running at 41% per day as the currency became worthless and all savings were wiped out.  By November, it took more than 4 trillion Marks to buy a single US Dollar.  The pre-war exchange rate had been 4 Marks to the Dollar.

As it happens, there were some strong hints of this inflationary crisis in the 1871 horoscope of Germany.   Germany's defeat in the war came during the Mars dasha period (of course!) and defeat was more predictable given the nasty Saturn square to Mars in the natal chart.  But the post-war inflation occurred during the Rahu (North Node) dasha period.  Rahu's major period began in 1919 just prices were beginning to rise sharply.   Why Rahu?  Vedic astrology holds that Rahu is acquisitive and insatiable.  Through its grasping nature, it seeks to break norms and boundaries as it relentlessly pursues narrow material gain.  This is a very apt description behind the inflationary impulse: prices begin an uncontrollable spiral as workers demand more wages to pay the ever-rising prices.  Once the vicious cycle begins, it is difficult to stop. 

What is amazing to note is that the Rahu in the Germany horoscope is in the 2nd house of money and wealth.  Moreover, it sits just two degrees from the 2nd equal house cusp (19 Gemini) thus focusing its energy even more directly on the economic situation.  Rahu isn't always bad, of course, but this Rahu is made more troublesome because of the opposition aspect from Saturn in the 8th house.  The Saturn influence raised the likelihood that Rahu's more difficult side would manifest during its dasha period.

The height of the hyperinflation occurred in 1922 and 1923 during the Rahu-Jupiter dasha period.  Since Jupiter symbolizes expansion and growth, we can understand how this combination of energies could have coincided with a damaging expansion of the money supply. To be sure, Jupiter is normally a benefic influence so one might think that its minor period could have brought more sustainable economic growth.  That's true, but here the transits afflictions were highly concentrated.  For its part, Jupiter was squared by unpredictable Uranus during 1923 at the height of the inflationary crisis.  Hard aspects of Uranus to Jupiter suggest growth or gains that are out of control.  Soft aspects (0, 60, 120) tend to be more constructive. 

But the more significant affliction was to 2nd house Rahu.  Transiting Pluto (19 Gemini) had been conjunct Rahu for several years in the early 1920.  Pluto to Rahu transits can be very difficult and reflect times of intense and painful assertions of power and coercion, and in this case, this applies to the economy of the country (2nd house).  Moreover, Saturn was transiting through the sign of Virgo from 1921 to 1923.  Thus, Saturn casts its malefic 10th house square aspect to that same 2nd house Rahu.  Saturn distorts and upsets most planets its aspects and tends to bring out more negative associations.  Under good transits, Germany's 2nd house Rahu could have delivered strong economic growth.  But with the double transit affliction from Pluto and Saturn made the economic crisis a more likely outcome. 

The moral of the story is that Germany had the potential for the inflation crisis given its 2nd house Rahu.  Both Rahu and Jupiter have symbolic connections to unrestrained growth. But it took the combination of the Rahu dasha period and several bad simultaneous transits for it to occur.   In my next post, I will examine the US and other horoscopes to assess the risk of inflation in coming years.  Many analysts still think a period of high inflation is possible, so it may only be a question of when.  If and when inflation comes again, it will be better to own gold instead of a depreciating US currency.


Weekly Market Forecast

Stocks fell again last week as more investors pondered the implications of a possible Fed rate hike later this month.  Friday's US jobs report was strong enough to keep this early hike scenario on the table.  Of course, higher rates are anathema to most stock investors these days who have reaped the rewards of the zero interest policy for the past six years.   The Dow lost 3% on the week closing at 16,102 while in Mumbai the Sensex tumbled 4% to 25,201. 

I was correct in thinking we would likely see some early week downside on the Venus-Mars conjunction.  While I thought we could see declines into Tuesday, I didn't expect the selling to be that strong.  We did see some recovery in the middle of the week on the Mercury-Neptune alignment although gains were quickly lost in Friday's sell-off. 

So it seems we are still very much in the grip of Saturn these days as it approaches its alignment with Ketu, the South Lunar Node.   I would think we will likely see stocks struggle more in the coming days and weeks, even if there are some rallies along the way. 

This week features a Mars-Uranus aspect on Tuesday which could be disruptive.   Wednesday's Moon-Venus conjunction looks more forgiving but the Moon then conjoins Mars on Thursday and this could signal more difficulty.  Friday's Moon-Jupiter-Neptune alignment could deliver a meaningful respite from the gloom.

Markets recover after China cuts rates

(31 August 2015) Stock markets recovered last week after Monday's scary plunge.  The Chinese government intervened in the markets once again and this time it actually seemed to work as the interest rate cut and looser bank capital requirements restored business confidence.  The Dow briefly fell below 16,000 early in the week and ended at 16,540.  India's BSE-Sensex traded below 26,000 for the first time since summer 2014 and finished at 26,283.  In last week's financial forecast, I suggested some possibility of a midweek recovery on the Sun-Jupiter conjunction.  This appeared to broadly coincide with the rebound after Monday's decline.  But I had been fairly skeptical about the week overall given the Mercury-Rahu influence and its possible connection with Saturn.  In other words, stocks ended somewhat stronger than I had expected.

So is the worst over?  I doubt it.   The strong Saturn influence is still going to shape investor sentiment in the weeks to come.  This is likely to translate into more market volatility at least through September and possibly October when Saturn aligns most closely with Ketu (South Lunar Node).  These general trends in stocks can also be seen through the horoscope of the major indexes.  The horoscope of the German Stock Exchange Index, the DAX, (launched 1 July 1988) reflects the broad trends in both European and global stocks this year. 

The DAX hit its high in the spring when Jupiter was in alignment with Uranus.  Most importantly, this favourable aspect activated the Ascendant on the DAX horoscope at 25 Cancer.  The DAX hit an all-time high in April while Jupiter was still six degrees from a conjunction with the Ascendant but remained mostly buoyant as Jupiter came closer to the Ascendant.  As a rule, any Jupiter influence to a chart Ascendant will usually result in positive outcomes.  Where stock markets are concerned, this means that stocks generally rise.  As Jupiter moves away from the Ascendant, the optimism tends to fade and other influences become more salient. 

The DAX has been in a downtrend since the spring and that reflects the growing influence of Saturn.  The retrograde cycle of Saturn has seen the ringed planet move into close alignments with Pluto, Jupiter and now Ketu (South Lunar Node).  I have previously noted how this array of Saturn influences would likely depress global stock markets over the summer.  But that is only half the picture.  Given the probabilistic nature of astrology, outcomes are best seen only through confirmation from several different sources. In financial astrology, that means seeing how transit alignments may be activating the natal charts of the relevant stock exchange, the stock exchange index, commodity, or indeed individual stock.  

Saturn stationed retrograde at 10 Scorpio back in March and then stationed direct in late July at 4 Scorpio.  As we can see, this backwards movement of Saturn formed a tighter opposition to the natal Jupiter in the DAX chart at 2 Taurus.  Saturn aspects are usually indicative of growing pessimism and the tightening of this aspect has nicely correlated with falling stock prices. Of course, prices have continued to fall into August after the Saturn-to-Jupiter aspect began to separate.  Why?

The short answer is that while Saturn is now separating from Jupiter, it is now moving towards a tighter 3rd house (sextile) aspect with the natal Moon at 6 Capricorn.  The transiting nodes are also scheduled to form an exact alignment with this natal Moon in November.  While this doesn't necessarily mean that stocks will decline between now and November, it does mean that declines are more likely than they would otherwise be.  And we can also suggest that risk of declines are highest when both Saturn and the Nodes are simultaneously aligning to the Moon at 6 Capricorn in September.  

This week could see some fallout from Monday's Venus-Mars conjunction.  At the time of writing (Monday afternoon, EDT), US stocks are lower after most other global markets also suffered modest losses to start the week. We could see further downside from this conjunction although it probably won't pack that much of a punch.  The week could well bring some gains as Mercury separates from the Node and aligns with Neptune.

Stocks finally succumb to Saturn

(23 August 2015)  Stock markets tanked last week as investors began to seriously ponder the possibility of a full-blown recession in China.  US stocks experienced their biggest weekly decline since 2011 with the Dow falling more than 5% to 16,459.  Most global markets shared in the near-panic although India lost a more modest 3% on the week with the BSE Sensex finishing at 27,366.  In last week's market forecast, I thought the late week could be problematic on the Sun-Saturn square aspect.  This definitely was the case, although I did not fully expect a decline of this magnitude.  As expected, we did see some early week gains although they proved to be very fleeting.

As I have noted previously, the summer of 2015 was bound to be difficult for most markets due to an unusual series of Saturn aspects.  These aspects began in June with the approach of the Saturn-Pluto alignment, and continued with the Saturn-Jupiter square in late July and then the Saturn-Ketu (South Node) aspect in September.  Most stock markets had held up surprisingly well through July's Saturn-Jupiter square with comparatively few manifestations of Saturn's typically pessimistic effects.  However, with last week's decline, we may finally be seeing the effects of these Saturn transits hit home. 

The negative effects of these transits are also highlighted in the horoscope of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).  As I noted back in May, the Solar Return chart for the NYSE suggested a negative performance for 2015 and 2016 because of the close Sun-Saturn aspect.   I reiterated this view in July as Saturn completed its retrograde cycle at 4 Scorpio and began moving forward once again.  In so doing, it would tightly oppose the Sun at 6 Taurus in the NYSE chart.  Moreover, the aspect from Rahu to the Sun would also be very close in the late summer period and could indicate an extended period of declining markets.  I therefore suggested that August-September was more vulnerable to declines because of this combined effect of the Saturn and Rahu transits to the Sun of the NYSE. 

It's still early days yet, but we can see that Saturn and Rahu will tighten their aspect to the Sun in the weeks ahead.  This double malefic aspect appears to be tightest in mid to late September.  So does this mean the market has further to fall?  Probably it does, but as a caveat, we should note that maximum effects do not always coincide with the closest transit angle.  While there is usually a correlation between angular proximity and maximum market effects, there are exceptions.  In the current circumstance, however, I think the overall picture suggests more declines ahead.

This week will feature a Sun-Jupiter conjunction on Tuesday and Wednesday.  This is normally a bullish pairing although it is unclear how strong it will be in this environment.  Mercury conjoins Rahu and aligns with Saturn this week so that could well offset some or all of the possible uplifting effects of Sun-Jupiter.  The Moon's opposition to the approaching Venus-Mars conjunction on Thursday is another possible source of agitation.  The Venus-Mars conjunction becomes exact on 1st September.

The link between China's devaluation and the Tianjin explosion

(16 August 2015)  Last week saw an unusual coincidence of events in China.  On Tuesday, China's central bank surprised global financial markets and devalued its currency.  On Wednesday, there was a huge industrial explosion in the port city of Tianjin that killed over a hundred people.  While these two events were unrelated in fact, they do have common astrological origins due to afflictions in the horoscope of China. Specifically, I would say they are the result of close aspects to the Ascendant in this chart.

First, we can see this devaluation and its fallout in the horoscope of China.  Using the October 1, 1949 chart, the Ascendant (8 Capricorn) suffers a double affliction from the transits of malefic Rahu (North Lunar Node) and Mars.  Rahu is currently stationing on 7 Virgo and therefore it casts a near-exact 120 degree aspect to the Ascendant.  Last Tuesday, Mars was situated at 7 Cancer -- almost exactly opposite the Ascendant.  So why would an affliction to the Ascendant, which symbolizes "the body" or nation as a whole, correspond with a currency devaluation? 

Currencies are certainly one barometer of a nation's health and so this affliction was a kind of symbolic injury that China may have suffered, partially as a result of its slowing economy.  A falling currency typifies a weaker economy and hence a weaker country.  Of course, the Rahu and Mars transits to the Ascendant could have corresponded with any number of difficult events that would disrupt the status quo (Rahu) and occur suddenly (Mars). 

Indeed, the massive explosion in the port city of Tianjin on Wednesday (the day after the devaluation) was likely related to this same alignment of Rahu and Mars which was hitting the Ascendant as well as the Moon, which is less than two degrees off the Ascendant.  At the time of the blast, Rahu has barely moved at all and Mars had only moved half of a degree.  Mars was joined by the Moon in Cancer for an extra impact on the Ascendant.  We can say that the Rahu and Mars transits therefore played a role in the near-simultaneous devaluation and explosion as both could be seen as sudden events that caused injury to the symbolic body of the country.

But the damage to the economic life of the country was also related to the current position of Saturn in the 11th house of gains and rewards.  The 11th house is one of the money houses in astrology, and in the horoscope of a country, it is closed related to general economic health.  Saturn (4 Scorpio) had recently stationed direct two weeks ago and was therefore sitting very close to the cusp of the 11th house (i.e. 8 Scorpio) for an extended time.  We should also note that Saturn is also casting its full strength 3rd house aspect to the Ascendant.  This is one of the main reasons why its economy is suffering in a more manifest way in recent months.  Saturn has been transiting in the first third of Scorpio since late 2014.   The Rahu and Mars transits to the Ascendant therefore were acting as co-factors for this longer term negative Saturn energy.

Now the question is whether China is done with its devaluation.  Government officials say that have no other moves planned but it is still possible that new circumstances may warrant additional adjustments.   Saturn will be hovering over that sensitive area in the 11th house for several more weeks so there is still the likelihood of more economic bad news for China.  It is unclear if Saturn's contracting effect will take the form of further currency moves, however.  It is possible that Saturn's transit may simply produce more weak economic data.  That said, I would still keep an eye on the Mars-Venus conjunction in the first week of September as a possible time window when more moves could occur.  The problem here is that Mars will conjoin natal Mars and Pluto at that time, as well as align with Ketu.  This is likely to correspond with sudden and unwanted events which could well be associated with a slowing economy.  We can also see that on September 7th, the Sun will conjoin with natal Saturn at 20 Leo.  Saturn rules the 2nd house of wealth so that may be another clue that the economy and the currency may be in focus at that time.  China may be vulnerable to economic troubles for some time to come as Saturn is due to leave the 11th house and Scorpio in early 2017. 


Weekly Financial Forecast

Stocks were mixed last week as global markets reacted to China's devaluation.  US markets managed to eke out a modest gain as the Dow finished at 17,477 while India's Sensex drifted lower closing at 28,067.  In last week's forecast, I thought we would likely see some declines in the first half of the week on the Mars-Rahu aspect and the Mercury-Neptune opposition.  This was pretty much the case as markets reacted to the devaluation on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The late week was more positive as expected on the Sun-Uranus aspect and the Venus sidereal sign change.

This week looks somewhat more positive as Jupiter and Rahu form a close alignment for several days and Mercury aligns with Venus and Uranus in the middle of the week.  Both of these patterns look positive so gains in stocks and commodities like oil and gold are more likely.  The late week is more problematic perhaps as the Sun comes under the square aspect of Saturn.

Running the Saturnian gauntlet: China's woes and the world economy

(9 August 2015)  The world's economic engine is showing more signs of running out of gas. The latest Chinese economic data revealed a declining manufacturing output for the third straight month.  The Caixin PMI figure is now below the 50 threshold thus indicating economic contraction. With the Chinese government increasingly desperate to support the plunging stock market by any means necessary, there is more evidence that all is not right in the Middle Kingdom.  As China slows, the risk of a global recession rises.

Back in my spring stock market forecast, I wondered what changes might lie ahead given the rising influence of Saturn during the summer months.  Saturn is a malefic planet that is usually front and center in tense or difficult situations where our wishes are denied and lessons are only leaned the hard way.  I thought that the last aspect of Jupiter (with Uranus and then Venus) in late June might mark the end of a relatively stable period in the world.  Without any prominent Jupiter aspects in the mix for a while, bearish Saturn would be free to call the shots as it formed a series of aspects throughout the next three months.  I thought stock markets could decline around the world.

Indeed, the Chinese stock market began its sudden crash in mid-June just a week before the culmination of the last Jupiter-Uranus aspect.  The approach of the Saturn station in the early degrees of Scorpio was a key additional factor given its difficult position in the natal chart of the Index of the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSEC) as it squared the Mars and Venus in the 1st house of that chart.

The first of the summer gauntlet aspects was Saturn's 45-degree angle with Pluto throughout July and into August.  While this is not a full-strength aspect, it does manifest as a conjunction in the 8th divisional chart and therein lies its damaging potential.  Saturn stationed on August 2nd while forming an exact square aspect with Jupiter and Venus and this is only now slowly separating.  The final Saturn aspect in this series occurs in mid-September when it aligns in a 120 degree aspect with Ketu, the South Lunar Node.

While Chinese stocks have fallen sharply, we have seen most global stock markets move only modestly lower since the late-June period.  To be honest, I thought we would have seen more declines since that time.  The Greece debt crisis seemed to fulfill the promise of the rising influence of Saturn since the ringed planet symbolizes debt and loss.  While there was acute suffering and loss in Greece, a deal got done nonetheless and the Grexit abyss scenario was averted yet again.  Some markets went down, but not by very much.

Now that the Saturn-Jupiter square has come and gone, we can ask what's next as Saturn slowly aligns with Ketu, the South Lunar Node in September.  The exact alignment is still 40 days away so it is possible that stocks could rise between now and then.  But I would think that even if there is a renewed sense of optimism -- especially around the Sun-Jupiter conjunction on August 26th -- it is unlikely to turn the Saturnian tide in a significant sense.  The final Saturnian gauntlet in September is probably the most challenging of the three major aspects this summer in any event.  We shall soon learn if the correlation between Saturn and falling markets holds up again.  Saturn tends to be bearish, of course, as it heightens caution, although this doesn't apply to everyone equally.  But I would argue that such Saturn aspects do coincide with rising pessimism across an aggregate comprised of many individuals.  That is the point, after all, of studying financial markets from an astrological perspective.

Certainly, I find financial markets fascinating in their own right given the paramount importance of economics in shaping our world above any other cultural or political influence. But for astrologers, financial markets offer the unvarnished raw data of the effects of planetary transits.  Stock markets are the best barometers of collective human sentiment we have and therefore they are the clearest human manifestation of the effects of transits.  It is not possible to say what the effect of the Saturn-Jupiter square will be on humanity as a whole in some abstract sense.  How can you prove that?  As we know all too well, astrology is notoriously weak when it comes to proofs. Many astrologers try to write about these planetary alignments as if their effects are the same on everyone.  But they are not!  Each person will experience a transit differently because they have unique natal charts.  Collectively, however, we can say that transits may have a more measurable effect through financial markets where each individual participant is allowed to express their own interests whether it be influenced by Jupiterian optimism, Saturnian pessimism and everything else in between.


Weekly Financial Market Update

Stocks generally declined last week as Saturn squared both Venus and Jupiter.  US stocks fell more than 1% with the Dow closing at 17,373.  Indian markets fared better, however, as the Sensex ended the week up modestly at 28,236.  This negative outcome was in keeping with my overall expectations which I elaborated in greater detail in my weekly subscriber newsletter.  The late week selling also seemed to fit fairly well with the Mars-Saturn alignment. 

This week looks divided between the early week Mars-Ketu aspect and the late week Sun-Uranus alignment.  Mars and Ketu (South Lunar Node) are both malefic planets and their alignments tend to be negative for stocks.  That may well be the case here given the other influences in the air.  Mercury also opposes Neptune on Wednesday so that is another problematic transit.  But the Sun will align with Uranus later in the week just as bullish Venus changes signs.  It is difficult to see how these late week patterns will produce anything other than gains.