Covid variants complicate pandemic recovery

 (3 February 2021) As the world enters its second year of the pandemic, progress is very much a mixed bag.  On the plus side, several highly effective and safe vaccines are now being rolled out in most countries around the world.  While there have been significant bottlenecks in production and distribution, there is a widespread expectation that herd immunity through mass vaccination can be achieved by the end of 2021 in some countries.

On the other hand, several new and more dangerous variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have emerged in recent months. The new variants from the UK, South Africa and Brazil are more transmissible and have somewhat higher rates of mortality.  However, the current second lockdown seems to have helped to limit the spread of the virus so that new case numbers are starting to decline.  

It is difficult to say at this point if the current lockdown will be enough to contain these more dangerous mutations of the virus.  Outside their place of origin, the variants are not yet the  dominant strain of the virus.  Therefore, it is too soon to tell if current suppression measures will be sufficient to keep the pandemic under control until full vaccination is reached.


Planets of illness: Saturn and Neptune

Unfortunately, the astrological influences suggest the very real possibility of more disruption throughout this year.  There are three potential trouble spots.  First, malefic Saturn is due to conjoin the South Node of Neptune from April to June at 19 degrees of Capricorn.  Saturn is due to station retrograde on that degree in late May and thus the conjunction will last for an unusually long time.

The combined symbolism of Saturn and Neptune is decidedly difficult.  Saturn represents obstacles, disappointment and suffering, while Neptune symbolizes illness, weakness and liquids.  This is a very appropriate combination for pandemics as Saturn also conjoined the Neptune node in June 1918 during the first wave of the Spanish flu.

The second potential problem is that Saturn (12 Capricorn) is due to form a significant 45 degree alignment with Neptune (27 Aquarius) in September and October.  Here again, Saturn will station at 12 Capricorn and thus provide an unusually long time period for the negative energies of both planets to resonate.   We will recall that a similar Saturn-Neptune aspect was prominent in the New Year's horoscope for 2020 and may well have foretold the pandemic. 

Thirdly, the horoscope of President Joe Biden is heavily afflicted by the Saturn retrograde station in May. As president, Biden's chart takes on a special significance for the US as a whole, and by extension, for the world.   Saturn (19 Capricorn) will station in an exact square with Biden's Mars at 19 Libra.  Like all planets, Mars has both natural and temporal significations.  By its intrinsic nature, Mars represents conflict and war, of course, but Mars' rulership over the 1st and 6th houses in his chart also offers other possible meanings for this Saturn-Mars square.  The 1st house represents the nation as a whole, including its well-being, while the 6th house symbolizes health and illness.  Thus, the Saturn affliction of Mars greatly increases the possibility of suffering and disappointments from illness. 

To be sure, it is possible this health concern could pertain to Biden himself rather than the nation as a whole.  However, the simultaneous conjunction of Saturn to the Neptune node is one reason why we could have a pandemic setback.  We can also see that transiting Rahu will conjunct Biden's Saturn during May.  This is another indication of problems and hardship, either to do with Biden himself, or more likely, with the US generally. 

Taken together, these three configurations in 2021 suggest the road back to normal is unlikely to be a smooth one.  There are several possible manifestations of these alignments, perhaps including a new, and even more dangerous variant, or a variant that is resistant to vaccination which further postpones the end of the pandemic.  


Weekly Market Forecast

Stock markets have been mixed over the past week as the uncertainties raised by GameStop saga appear to have faded for now.  Stocks have rallied thus far this week after declining around last week's Full Moon and the Venus-Pluto-Saturn Node conjunction.   

Thus far, we haven't seen any bearish fallout from this week's Sun-Mars alignment.  Since tomorrow's square will be punctuated by a 90-degree alignment with the Moon, there is an elevated downside risk there.  Friday's Venus-Saturn conjunction is a bit of a wild card, however.  Saturn is usually associated with declines but this conjunction with Venus also aligns with Uranus and Chiron.  These additional influences could mitigate the negative bias of Saturn but I am open-minded about outcomes.  Next week is looking much less positive as Mars is again front and center through its alignment with the Lunar Nodes.


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.

GameStop short squeeze roils markets

  (27 January 2021) Stocks tanked today as nervous investors headed for the exits amid the GameStop short squeeze.  The video game retailer (ticker: GME) has become the focus of intense speculation in the past two weeks as members of the Reddit chatroom, WallStreetBets, co-ordinated a short squeeze against large hedge funds that had heavily shorted the stock, largely through the purchase of highly leveraged call options. 

As a result of the explosive 20-fold rise in the share price, the older, established hedge funds have lost billions of dollars at the hands of mostly young, amateur traders.  This generational David and Goliath story is taking place when the market is at all-time record highs, thanks largely to injections of Fed liquidity, QE asset purchases and near-zero interest rates.  The unprecedented speculative frenzy is leading some observers to wonder if the current financial bubble is about burst. 

There is also some worry on Wall St. that these hedge funds may now be at risk of insolvency.  This raises the possibility of a systemic disruption in financial markets as the hedge funds are forced to sell other stocks in order to cover their losses.  It is possible that part of today's decline may have been the result of this forced liquidation, although many investors may simply have decided to take profits and avoid any other potential turbulence in the days ahead.

The horoscope of GameStop provides an interesting perspective on this epic short squeeze rally.  While I don't know the exact time of its IPO, the first trade occurred on February 13, 2002.  Not surprisingly, the chart is very bullish here.  The Sun-Jupiter conjunction at 14 Capricorn forms a close 120 degree trine aspect to Saturn (14 Taurus).  The condition of Saturn is doubly important in this chart since it is sign dispositor of all four of those Aquarius planets (Sun, Uranus, Venus, Moon).  Basically, the positive Jupiter influence on Saturn is thereby 'distributed' back to the four Aquarius planets.

The other really positive influence this week is that Mercury (1 Aquarius) is exactly conjunct the natal Sun-Uranus conjunction, which is, in turn, aligned with natal Rahu (1 Gemini).  Both Uranus and Rahu serve as amplifying planets to the core Mercury-Sun conjunction. 

But the really unusual feature here that directed contributed to today's 130% gain is that Mercury is approaching its retrograde station and is moving very slowly.  As a rule, slow moving planets around the time of their stations become more powerful, for good or ill.  For benefic Mercury, the effect of the conjunction was therefore magnified.  Mercury is due to turn retrograde at 2 Aquarius on Friday afternoon, just one degree past exact with Sun-Uranus.  It's a very powerful configuration. 

There are two potential problems for GME, however.  The Sun-Jupiter-Saturn alignment will be exact tomorrow (Thursday) and will begin to separate.  This suggests a reduction in positive sentiment could occur as soon as tomorrow.  It could linger for a few more days perhaps, but most of its positive energy will be released this week. 

Second, Mercury will move past its conjunction with Sun-Uranus by tomorrow. This also suggests a diminishing bullish influence.  At the time of writing (Wed. evening), GameStop (GME) is already down sharply in after-hours trading.  It is very possible that we have seen the top already and that it will decline further tomorrow. 

Of course, once Mercury turns retrograde on Friday, it will again transit across the Sun-Uranus conjunction next week.  This could provide another boost for the stock price, if only for a couple of days.  But the declining positive energy next week from the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn alignment suggests that higher highs above 380 are less likely. 


Weekly Market Forecast

Stocks have moved lower thus far this week.  The bearish Sun-Saturn conjunction that I noted in last week's discussion of the S&P 500 chart is part of the reason, albeit it manifested a bit later than I expected.  The Sun is now approaching its conjunction with Jupiter tomorrow.  While this pairing is normally bullish, there is also a Full Moon tomorrow.  Full Moons have a bearish bias, even if the statistical effect is fairly modest.  There is also an ongoing square alignment with Mars which is another reason to keep an open mind about outcomes.  

Tomorrow is also noteworthy as it will feature as Venus-Pluto conjunction.  Again, this is normally a bullish pairing although this one comes with a caveat.  The conjunction occurs at 1 Capricorn, which is the exact location of the south node of Saturn.  Anything to do with Saturn is cause for some concern, so this putative bullish Venus-Pluto conjunction has a rather large asterisk.  While I would not be surprised if we got a strong rally tomorrow and/or Friday, the influence of Saturn and the Full Moon introduces some uncertainty into the equation.  

The outlook next week is mixed at best as the Sun-Mars square will likely bring some additional downside at some point.


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.

Markets cheer Biden Inauguration

(20 January 2021) US stocks rallied to new all-time highs today as Joe Biden was sworn-in as the 46th president of the United States.  Markets have responded favourably to Biden's promise of more Covid stimulus and more infrastructure spending amid an ongoing pandemic which has left millions without jobs and without hope.  While the economy continues to sputter, the outlook for 2021 is more positive as vaccine rollouts should allow for a full recovery. 

The stock rally looks very overbought here as the S&P 500 is trading 14% above its 200-day moving average.  Other indexes are even more stretched as the Nasdaq-100 is trading at 19% above its 200 DMA and the small cap Russell 2000 is trading at an incredible 29% over its 200 DMA.   While the powerful upward momentum is clearly bullish, it seems that a significant pullback is only a matter of time. 

The current planetary alignments suggest that a pullback is becoming very likely in the coming days.  As I noted last week, there is a gradual shift underway as bullish Jupiter is weakening while bearish Saturn appears to be strengthening.  Today's planets actually held considerable bearish potential as Mercury and Saturn aligned with Neptune and Rahu (North Lunar Node) while Mars conjoined Uranus.  Despite these alignments, stocks rose anyway, possibly due to the proximity of Jupiter to Saturn in sidereal Capricorn.

Nonetheless, Jupiter's positive influence seems likely to diminish as it moves away from its conjunction with Saturn.  The gradual separation of Jupiter from Saturn will create a more unstable condition in the sky which should manifest in negative collective sentiment.  We can also see that Saturn (10 Capricorn) is fast approaching its square aspect with Uranus (12 Aries) which will be another bearish planetary influence in the coming weeks.  The exact Saturn-Uranus square will occur on February 17. 

More specifically, the current Saturn position may be doubly difficult for markets since it occurs in a sensitive place in the horoscope of the S&P 500 Index.  In my experience, markets tend to fall whenever Saturn transits one of the house cusps in this chart.  Currently, Saturn is just one degree from the 9th house cusp.  Aside from any other transit configurations, this Saturn placement makes declines more likely in the coming days.  One pattern worth watching is the Sun's conjunction with Saturn atop the 9th house cusp on Friday the 22nd and Monday.  While Jupiter's lingering proximity could offset some of the negativity, it is nonetheless a pattern with some bearish potential.


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.

Twitter bans President Trump after US Capitol attack

 (13 January 2021) These are anxious days for the United States.  In the wake of the attack on the Capitol building in Washington, DC, Americans are being confronted with some serious questions about the direction of their country.  Even though the Trump presidency will end next week, Trump is likely to remain a significant source of opposition over the next four years. 

Not even a Senate impeachment conviction in the coming weeks will keep Trump from maintaining his hold over most of the conservative half of this deeply divided country.  While a conviction of the impeachment charge would forbid him from holding the presidency again, Trump will still have millions of loyal supporters who will continue to feel aggrieved over this election result.

An effort is already underway to isolate and marginalize Trump as Twitter shut down his account along with the accounts of thousands of his supporters over the weekend.  While this banning was not surprising given the accusations of incitement made against Trump, it does raise larger questions about the future of freedom of speech in the internet age. 

Twitter, Google and Facebook are all private companies who are within their rights to remove anyone who does not abide by their terms of service.  However, they enjoy near-monopolistic power and have become de facto public utilities not unlike the phone companies of old.   Social media companies like Twitter may therefore be targeted for antitrust break-up or perhaps some kind of government oversight down the road. 

The backlash against Twitter was swift this week as the stock has declined 10% in recent days.  Politics aside, part of the reason for the decline is that Twitter has lost its most famous and profitable user, President Trump.  But the other reason for the decline was that Twitter could see its traffic decline as alienated conservative users abandon the platform.  While the rival app Parler has been shut down by its webhost owner, Amazon, it seems likely that rival conservative social media may emerge during the post-Trump era.

The Twitter stock price provides a possible window into future developments.  In the near term, we could see more troubles for Twitter in the coming days.  The Mars-Uranus conjunction on January 20 will align with natal Ketu and could coincide with more volatility in the share price.  The Sun-Saturn conjunction on January 22-23 will reiterate the T-square affliction to Mercury and the Midheaven again. 

Of course, it is important to remember that these planetary alignments may simply reflect more downside in the share price and may not necessarily indicate more backlash against Twitter's policies.  But these alignment do suggest that the month of January as a whole could prove challenging for Twitter and its CEO, Jack Dorsey.

February doesn't look much better as Saturn will form a square aspect with natal Rahu (13 Libra) and then conjoin the 2nd house cusp (14 Capricorn).   These negative influences suggest more downside for the stock price is very possible.  It also increases the likelihood that Twitter and Dorsey will remain on the defensive in the free speech debate.

The outlook for Twitter improves in the late spring, however, as Jupiter will station retrograde at 8 Aquarius in June.  This Jupiter placement will exactly aspect Mercury and the Midheaven and should reflect better days for Twitter.  This suggests some favorable resolution is more likely, perhaps such as clarifying its free speech policy which brings back conservative users.   We shall see how this important debate unfolds in the months ahead. 


Weekly Market Forecast

Despite last week's events, most stocks markets are still trading at or near their all-time highs this week.  Investors are focused on the promise of a much larger Covid stimulus package from the incoming Biden administration.  Biden is expected to announce the details tomorrow so we will see how the market reacts.   The continuing rally is perhaps less surprising given the multi-planet alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Mars, Uranus and Chiron. 

However, bullish planets Jupiter and Mercury are now separating from the alignment which may weaken positive sentiment.  Moreover, this will leave more bearish planets (Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Chiron) in the alignment which will increase the downside risk in the coming days. 

Next Wednesday's Mars-Uranus conjunction is also worth marking on the calendar.  This is a more volatile combination which is likely inauspicious for the incoming Biden administration, and probably unwelcome for the stock market. 


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.

Bitcoin hits new all-time high to close out 2020

  (30 December 2020)  As the world says goodbye and good riddance to 2020, all is not well in financial markets.  To be sure, many stock markets are near all-time highs as the Fed's QE liquidity injections have succeeded in their goal to boost the value of risk assets.  This asset inflation has come at the expense of the US dollar as the greenback has fallen to its lowest level in almost three years.  More worryingly, bitcoin has made new all-time highs in recent days.

As a reaction to the unprecedented levels of debt and government intervention, Bitcoin has hit record highs this year and traded above $28,000 today.  On the face of it, the new highs in bitcoin are a simple reflection of the weakness of the US dollar as the Fed and the US government have borrowed and printed in an effort to prop up the economy during the pandemic.  The surge in the supply of dollars is the main reason for the decline in its value relative to most other assets, including bitcoin.  

But the rise in bitcoin may have reached a dangerous level as the chart shows a seemingly parabolic rise in price. While this exponential growth makes for exciting headlines and draws in all kinds of speculators to the casino, it is probably unsustainable in the long run.  Parabolic rallies typically end in tears, although the exact timing of the decline is often hard to predict.  Let's see if the planets offer any clues when this rally may end, or at least, take a breather.

While there are several factors that may explain the current rally, the transits are the best place to start.  We can see that bullish Jupiter (8 Capricorn) is conjunct Mercury this week, after having recently conjoined its own natal position in mid-December.  While this is a clearly positive influence, once Jupiter passes Mercury in a few days, the bullish influence will begin to wane.

The bigger concern is that Saturn (7 Capricorn) is following close behind and is due to conjoin Mercury late next week. This is a more bearish influence and suggests that the price of bitcoin is more likely to fall.  The 60-degree alignment of Jupiter with the Moon (10 Pisces) could offer some support to prices but given the simultaneous Saturn influence, it could produce a choppy, uncertain market in early January.

Planetary progressions provide another window on possible future price trends.  The tertiary progressed chart has been very bullish in recent months given the alignment of Jupiter, Neptune, Chiron, and Uranus.  That is the kind of multi-planet alignment one would expect for a parabolic move.  Tertiary progressed Mercury is also currently forming a bullish angle with natal Jupiter (5 Capricorn) so that could account for this latest December surge. 

One possible warning sign here is that the the progressed Moon will conjoin the progressed Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron alignment in early and mid-January.  This is bullish but could signal an interim top.  Mercury will also move past its alignment with Jupiter by this time and instead align with unpredictable Rahu (6 Capricorn) and Saturn (21 Leo).  Therefore, there is a rising risk of a significant pullback after this progressed Moon-Jupiter alignment on January 18. 

After some kind of correction over the next several weeks, Bitcoin could well rally again in March and April as progressed Sun is due to align with that very bullish Jupiter alignment.  Things look less positive after that after Saturn turns retrograde in late May while in alignment with the natal Sun (19 Sagittarius).  The rest of 2021 does not look very bullish for bitcoin as Saturn hangs around its 7th house cusp for much of the year.  Overall, there is some reason to think the parabolic rise may come back down to earth later this year.


Weekly Market Forecast

Stocks have generally moved sideways this week as stimulus confusion and a new virus mutation has weighed on sentiment.  The typical post-Christmas Santa Claus rally has been fairly tepid so far as stocks are very close to their all-time highs.

Some weakness is possible for the rest of this week as the Moon opposes Saturn and Jupiter tomorrow (Thursday).  The New Year next week begins with some decent bullish alignments of Mercury-Venus and Jupiter-Uranus-Chiron so markets may well move higher in the short term.   That New Year celebratory optimism seems unlikely to last, however, as Saturn is once again waiting in the wings.


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.

After Covid: the New Year's horoscope for 2021

  (23 December 2020) After enduring this plague year of 2020, most of us feel that January 1, 2021 can't come soon enough.  The dreadful Covid pandemic has the world looking ahead with eager anticipation to the New Year.  Certainly, 2021 couldn't be any worse than 2020 and indeed there is good reason for optimism as vaccine rollouts are already underway.  A return to some semblance of normal life seems within reach over the next 12 months, even if a return to the status quo ante may take a while longer.

One way to glimpse into the future is to take a look at the New Year's horoscope.  The planetary alignments at the stroke of midnight on January 1 can provide useful clues for what is to come over the next 12 months.  A mostly good year will usually feature benefic planets like Venus and Jupiter in prominent positions while more challenging years will typically see Mars or Saturn occupying significant places in the horoscope. 

The Covid pandemic was not unexpected as I noted the close conjunction of the Moon and Neptune in last year's New Year horoscope.  Neptune symbolizes health and illness while the Moon represents the people as a whole.  Moreover, the conjunction took place in the 6th house of health and received a negative aspect from Saturn.  This suggested some kind of epidemic was more likely in 2020, even if I didn't grasp the extent to which it would upset our lives.

Happily, we can see that Neptune is much less prominent in the New Year's horoscope for 2021.  It's still in the 6th house of health, of course, since Virgo always rises at midnight on January 1 throughout the world, but it is not negatively associated with any other planets.  There is, however, a close sextile (60 degree) aspect with Mercury which likely reflects the ongoing importance of the pandemic.  Since it rules the Virgo Ascendant, Mercury is the chart ruler so its aspects can indicate important trends and themes for the upcoming year.  But the sextile aspect is not a negative aspect, so it suggests the virus will likely come under control even if it still is the predominant concern for 2021.  So that's a plus.

A greater worry may be our collective mood.  The condition of the population as a whole may be seen through the Moon and here it is opposed by Jupiter and Saturn.  This suggests we could see a time of austerity (Saturn), even if it is seen as the right and sensible thing to do (Jupiter).  A year of abundance seems quite unlikely with this pattern, as the the combined impact of Jupiter and Saturn symbolize lowered expectations and pragmatic recovery. 

The square alignment of Mars and Uranus with the Moon could prove to be more unpredictable, however.  The Uranus-Moon square speaks to possible agitation and protest and a sense of unease in the world.  Clearly, we have already had a strong taste of that in 2020 with various protest movements.  The Uranus-Moon square suggests that popular protest will continue in 2021 and this time with the possibility of more violence due to the placement of Mars.  Wars and popular revolts are also more likely with this Mars-Moon-Uranus planetary alignment.   A significant war is more likely to breakout sometime in mid-year (May to July) as Ketu conjoins the Mars node at 15 Scorpio.  We should also note that the Mars-Moon square is closer in Asia at midnight on January 1 than elsewhere, so that might be the more likely place where military conflict could occur.

The economy is another area of concern.  The conjunction of Venus (value, money) with ascetic Ketu (South Lunar Node) suggests significant changes in the economy are likely.  Another recession is possible, especially in the second half of the year.  The Ketu influence is perhaps less negative than bearish Saturn, however.  This could mean that the economy doesn't merely contract but rather is transformed along somewhat different lines than it has in the past.  Since the Lunar Nodes, Rahu and Ketu, symbolize change and transformation, we should not be surprised if new types of economic growth and regulation emerge in 2021, possibly as a result of the pandemic.  To be sure, the incoming Biden administration in the US is more likely to experiment with different types of economic arrangements following the Trumpian efforts to solidify purely capitalist principles.  The New Year's horoscope suggests that the economy may well undergo some meaningful structural changes.  

Overall, the indications suggest a very uneven return to normal may be in store for 2021.  The affliction of the Moon by Mars and Saturn suggests that a sense of unease and dissatisfaction will continue to percolate throughout the year.  While the aspects are not strongly negative, they are nonetheless more negative than positive in my view. The continuing sense of malaise may give rise to more protests and anger directed towards governments.  The economy well may be one of the main areas of complaint in this respect as Ketu's influence on Venus hints at a more austere or even spiritual turn.  It is possible that the culture of consumption (Venus) could evolve into something very different as Ketuvian principles of renunciation assert themselves.  In other words, I don't see the sudden emergence of a hedonistic Roaring Twenties scenario with this 2021 horoscope.   That may have to wait. 


Weekly Market Forecast

Stocks have weakened in recent days after a more infectious coronavirus mutation saw a spike of cases in the UK.  The uncertainty was more or less expected as Monday's Jupiter-Saturn conjunction and subsequent Mars-Pluto square hinted at possible troubles on financial markets.

Of course, we are now entering the traditionally bullish period for the Santa Claus rally from Dec 24 until about Jan 4. Stock prices typically melt up during this time as many traders are on holiday and institutions are reluctant to sell into a thin market. 

The planets here suggest a mixed market at best next week.  The early week could suffer from the lingering effects of the Mars-Pluto square.  The midweek looks somewhat better as Venus aligns with Neptune and the Lunar Nodes, however.   Overall, it could prove to be some tough sledding for Santa.


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.

Pluto in Capricorn: "The Great Reset"?

(16 December 2020) As 2020 winds down, there is a sense that we are collectively turning the page.  The vaccine rollout has begun and promises to put the pandemic behind us in 2021.  Also, the new Biden administration will mark a clear break with the Trump presidency and suggests a new direction for the US.  Throughout the world, there are some voices now calling for a "Great Reset" -- a fundamental reshaping of the economy and society in wake of the Covid experience. The Great Reset has been championed by international agencies such as the UN and the World Economic Forum to create a more equitable world that shifts the focus away from capitalism towards a more socialist vision.

It is interesting to note that all this talk of a new era coincides with two fairly rare astronomical alignments.  As many have noted, Jupiter is due to conjoin Saturn on December 21 in the sign of sidereal Capricorn.  Jupiter conjoins Saturn every twenty years and often marks a period of new beginnings in society.  The Kennedy era and the 1960s was ushered in with the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in 1961.  The Reagan era of a less-regulated capitalism began the same year as another Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in 1981.  The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of 2000 can also be seen as an planetary signature for the Bush era and its focus on terrorism and the rise of the national security state.

So it is not surprising that next week's Jupiter-Saturn conjunction should coincide with a major change in direction for the US and the rest of the world.  With the left-leaning Biden, it seems likely that there will be a significant shift in policy away from unrestrained capitalism towards a greater emphasis on environmental protection and social justice.  As the pandemic has opened the door to the notion of direct government support to its most vulnerable citizens, it is quite possible we could see more direct payments as a way of redressing some of the inequities in the current system.  Instead of the Fed's QE that disproportionately helps banks, corporations and the wealthy, it is possible we could see something like a "People's QE" (or Modern Monetary Theory) that seeks to stimulate the economy through direct payments to individuals. 


Pluto enters Capricorn: A time of revolution 

However, there is another important development in the sky in December: Pluto will enter sidereal Capricorn.  Using the Krishnamurti ayanamsha, Pluto will leave Sagittarius and enter Capricorn on December 28, 2020.  It will then transit through Capricorn until 2040.  Distant Pluto is a very slow-moving planet and makes its full journey around the zodiac every 250 years.  The last time it transited Capricorn was from 1773 until 1792.

The transit of Pluto into Capricorn puts the notion of government front and center.  Pluto symbolizes power, control and coercion and is the planet most associated with the exercising of human will upon the world.  In the horoscopes of individuals, a strong Pluto can represent a person who is ambitious and pursues their goals above all else.  On a mundane level in the charts of nations, Pluto is associated with dominance and hegemony. 

The entry of Pluto into Capricorn amplifies the theme of power.  As the 10th sign in the zodiac, Capricorn symbolizes government and rulers.  Therefore, the entry of Pluto into Capricorn combines these two significators of power and politics.  The 20-year transit of Pluto in Capricorn therefore highlights an era when power and politics undergo fundamental transformation. 

The previous transit of Pluto through Capricorn (1773-1792) coincided with two singular events in human history: the American Revolution (1776) and the French Revolution (1789).  In many ways, this period could be seen as the original "Great Reset" which defeated absolutist monarchic rule and ushered in the modern, rational form of government which still prevails today.  The American Revolution occurred over a period of several years during the 1770s and culminated in the Declaration of Independence in 1776. 

While it is difficult to specify one starting date for the revolution against the British, the Boston Tea Party (pictured above) is one key event that would eventually lead to the overthrow of British colonial rule.   As a revolt against unfair taxation, the Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773 -- exactly 247 years ago today.  This was just two months after Pluto stationed direct in the first degree of Capricorn at 00Cp03 on October 2, 1773.  Due to its retrograde cycle, it first entered Capricorn in December 1772, but then retraced most of its initial transit before stationing on the near-exact cusp of Capricorn in October 1773. 

Although it is only a single data point, it may well be a telling one, not least because the entry of Pluto into Capricorn in 2020 will coincide with a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction.  This doubling of the significators of change may amplify the developments that are destined to come over the next twenty years.  Another period of reform and revolution may well be in store during 2020-2040 and it seems likely to have a more socialist direction. 

This is perhaps not surprising since the political pendulum usually swings one way and then the other.  The post-war period tended towards a statist Keynesian compromise, while the Reagan revolution focused on the free market which has prevailed over the past 40 years or so.  Now the pendulum may swing to the left once again.  Given the powerful Pluto in Capricorn influence, this particular swing of the pendulum could bring about many fundamental changes to government and society.  After the Great Reset of the last quarter of the 18th century, we may be on the cusp of the Great Reset of the 21st century.


Weekly Market Forecast

Stocks suffered only a very modest pullback in recent days as Mercury aligned with the Mars-Ketu aspect early this week.  I thought we might have seen more downside, but vaccine optimism and Fed largesse won out yet again as US stocks retested last week's highs after Wednesday's FOMC meeting.

Typically, stocks are bullish during late December as the Santa Claus rally often takes prices higher as we head into the New Year.  However, next week's planets do not offer strong support for Santa's usual arrival.  Monday's Jupiter-Saturn conjunction is somewhat bearish and the midweek Mars-Pluto square is definitely more negative than positive.  Perhaps Santa will be delayed this year.


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.