EU Covid bailout boosts stocks

(21 July 2020)  Stocks remained buoyant to start the week after the European Union agreed to a massive $2 Trillion bailout package to combat the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. After their 30% plunge to the March 23 low, US stocks have climbed back to within just 3% of their February 19 high before the coronavirus crisis. 

While unemployment is still in double digits and many people are barely able to get by on reduced wages, many global markets have rallied on the huge injection of cash from the Federal Reserve and other central banks.  Corporate earnings have taken a hit, of course, but it is the future outlook that matters most for investors as the market tends to look forward by 6-12 months.  Obviously, optimism comes more easily when Fed Chair Jay Powell is busy buying up corporate debt in order push hedge funds and institutional investors into riskier assets like stocks.

In last week's post, I thought we might have seen more downside by now since we may still be vulnerable to the impact of the July 5 lunar eclipse.  The eclipse occurred at 19 degrees of sidereal Sagittarius and Mars (19 Pisces) exactly squared that point today.  Mars aspects to eclipse points tend to have bearish effects on market sentiment and often correlate with declines. 

We did see some late day weakness in US markets today (Tuesday), but so far this Mars aspect is shaping up as a disappointing false positive.  Due to the relatively slower motion of Mars, it is still possible we could see some negative fallout this week from this Mars aspect to the lunar eclipse point.  Nonetheless, the probability for some downside begins to diminish tomorrow (Wednesday). 

Looking further ahead, we can see that the horoscope of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) may become more vulnerable to declines as the influence of Jupiter wanes and the influence of Saturn intensifies in the coming weeks.  Last week, retrograde Jupiter (27 Sagittarius) formed an exact 120-degree aspect with Mars (27 Leo) in the NYSE chart.  The previous week it has formed a 90-degree square alignment with the Moon (28 Pisces).  Both were likely bullish influences that appeared to coincide with the ongoing rally in the stock market.

Sentiment may be more likely to turn cautious in the near term as Jupiter moves past its aspect with Mars and Saturn (4 Capricorn) approaches a closer aspect with natal Jupiter (2 Libra).  However, it is worth noting that Saturn has already been in the midst of a T-square alignment with natal Saturn and Neptune in the NYSE chart during the month of July with few negative effects. 

There is some reason to think that the bearish influence of Saturn will become more manifest as it approaches 2 Capricorn where it will align with Jupiter (2 Libra) and Mercury (2 Taurus).  This alignment is closest in the month of August and the chart cast for 25 August illustrates how the aspects of Saturn and Mars are likely to coincide with some significant downside in US stocks. 


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. 

The state of the race: Biden in front

(14 July 2020) As this strange and difficult year continues to unfold, attention is invariably shifting towards the US presidential election in November.  Republican incumbent Donald Trump is trailing Democratic challenger Joe Biden by about 10 points in the polls and most betting markets also have Biden enjoying a large lead.  Given the chaotic government response to Covid-19, it seems that Trump's hopes for re-election are remote.  At this point, there would have to be some unforeseen developments in order for Trump to win this election. 

As we know, Trump's horoscope looks quite difficult on Election Day, November 3.   Retrograde Mercury and Saturn are aligned in a square aspect and this raises the possibility of some significant confusion or disruption with the election result.  Moreover, the Mercury-Saturn alignment is poorly aligned with Trump's natal Venus-Saturn conjunction.  This pattern may symbolize disappointment and frustration with the election result.  As an added burden, transiting Rahu is conjunct natal Rahu, a typically malefic pattern which marks periods of change and uncertainty. 

On the face of it, it seems that Trump is likely to lose the election.  And yet, we know there is a real possibility that the election may not be decided on November 3.  The GOP controls the state legislatures of several swing states and may not be in a hurry to endorse their results for partisan political reasons.  Also, the impact of the virus means that most voters will cast mail-in ballots and thus could be subject to increased scrutiny and legal disqualification by the losing side.  So there is some reason to think that the election may not be decided on November 3.  This makes forecasting the ultimate election result more challenging.

One additional source of information may be Trump's 2017 Inauguration chart.  Typically, when the chart of an incumbent is well-aspected, re-election to a second term is more likely.  This occurred in 2012 with Obama's re-election.  The transits in November 2012 were quite auspicious with respect to the horoscope of his initial inauguration in January 2009.  Jupiter  (20 Taurus) and Venus (17 Virgo) were both in degreewise alignments with the Ascendant (20 Aries).  In addition. Saturn and Mercury aligned closely with Jupiter which I take as generally supportive of the incumbent Obama.  Yes, Saturn is a natural malefic, but here a near-stationary benefic Mercury transforms the influence into a net positive. 

Let's compare the chart for the upcoming Nov 3 election with Trump's inauguration on Jan 20, 2017.  Right off the bat, we can see it doesn't look good.  Malefic Mars (21 Pisces) is retrograde in the 12th house of loss and in close alignment with the Ascendant at 20 Aries.  Mars rules the 1st house in the chart so that is a doubly negative influence for Trump.  And we can see that transiting stationary Mercury (1 Libra) falls under the 8th house aspect of natal Mars (0 Pisces), while Mars itself falls under the 3rd house aspect of transiting Saturn.  That is a very nasty-looking pattern for the day of the election.  It suggests that: 1) Trump is likely to have fewer votes than Biden on election day and/or that  2) the country as a whole is likely to be riven with rancor and animosity.

If I was reasonably confident that the election was going to be decided on November 3, I would say that Trump will lose and Biden will win.  But the planets also suggest that the extent of division and turmoil may be such that there is no winner on November 3.  I just don't know.  We can see that the transits to Trump's Inauguration chart improves quite a bit by early December as Jupiter conjoins the Midheaven (10th house cusp = leaders) and conjoins with Saturn near the natal Sun at 6 Capricorn.  

It's very possible this is simply a reflection of the reassuring constitutional process through which Biden is confirmed following the election.  And yet there is some reasonable doubt in my mind if it could represent some other protracted scenarios of uncertainty that may echo the Bush-Gore result in 2000.  I hope to have more to say on this subject in the coming weeks.



Weekly Market Forecast

Meanwhile, stock markets have been choppy in recent days although they have remained largely within a narrow trading range.  Monday's session brought a significant intraday reversal and decline as Covid worries undermined sentiment.  Today (Tuesday) saw another intraday reversal in US markets as promising vaccine news gave investors a reason to buy. 

So there is some reason to think we remain under the shadow of the July 5 lunar eclipse.  Markets may be more indecisive than usual and perhaps more vulnerable to news developments.  This week could see further choppiness as the Sun opposes Pluto tomorrow and then enters sidereal Cancer where it aligns with Saturn on Friday.   With the tense Mars eclipse aspect still due for next week, there is some reason to expect investor sentiment to err on the side of caution for the near term.


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.

Photo: C-Span

Stocks rise on China optimism following lunar eclipse

(7 July 2020)  US stocks remained buoyant for the most part to start the week following Monday's surge in Chinese markets.   Monday's winning session extended last week's rally but today (Tuesday) saw some significant selling as investors digested the frightening Covid numbers coming out of the southern US states.  The down day coincided with a bearish Mars-Mercury square aspect that I noted in last week's post.  This aspect was more likely to deliver some downside since it involved Mars (a generally bearish planet) forming a square aspect which also tends to be more bearish. 

It is important to note that the bullish energy of late may be waning as Jupiter has now moved past its conjunction with Pluto.  Typically, Jupiter conjunctions are more bullish during their applying phase and less powerful in their separating phase.  And bearish Saturn is still aligned closely with Ketu (South Lunar Node) which waits for its appropriate triggering planet.

After Sunday's lunar eclipse, we have entered a more uncertain period, Monday's gains notwithstanding.  Although they can be powerful in their effects, it is important to note that eclipses often don't correspond with immediate market outcomes, either higher or lower.  Eclipses can also be seen as concentrations of energy which have a delayed release through the transits of other planets.  

For example, the previous solar eclipse on Sunday, June 21 was apparently negative due to its alignment with Saturn.  And indeed, the days following the eclipse were somewhat negative in the markets, but the decline deepened on Friday, June 26 when Mars exactly aligned with the eclipse point.  Mars therefore acted as a kind of trigger planet which released the negative energy of the eclipse.

We could see a similar delayed release of eclipse energy in the coming days.  Last Sunday's lunar eclipse at 19 Sagittarius itself was similarly aligned with bearish Saturn, albeit only through a relatively minor 135 degree angle (360/8 x 3).   So that could introduce some additional cautionary sentiment into the markets over the coming days. 

But it is also important to take note of the next planet that aspects that eclipse point at 19 Sagittarius.  As it happens, the next planet that aligns with that eclipse point is again Mars, a bearish planet.  Mars will square that eclipse point on July 20-21.  If a bullish planet like Venus was due to align with the eclipse point, then we could be more sanguine about the outlook.  However, Mars tends to be bearish and the square aspect is more problematic than other angles.  Therefore, the week of July 20 has a higher downside risk than would otherwise be the case.

 

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.

Lunar eclipse marks US Covid chaos

(30 June 2020) It's all too appropriate for 2020: a lunar eclipse that takes place just minutes after America's July 4th Independence Day celebrations.  The world's only superpower, the United States, finds itself in an unfamiliar state of chaotic disrepair as a result of an incoherent response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  The lack of any coordinated government response has seen infections rise once again following the premature and haphazard reopening after the Memorial Day holiday in late May.   The recent anti-racism protests and riots also haven't helped matters as many states now report worsening numbers, largely among young people.  Southern states are now having to reverse their reopening in an effort of gain control of the new outbreak.

Of course, astrologers know that eclipses are traditionally seen as celestial events that mark times of uncertainty, disruption and chaos.  It is therefore perhaps not surprising that Sunday's lunar eclipse will occur just a day after the US national holiday.  It is almost as if the stars are declaring that all is not well in the 'land of the free' and that the universe has yet to decide what course it will set for the future. 

As the Mercury retrograde cycle continues, it seems likely that the US will be unable to gain the upper hand in the fight against the coronavirus in the near term.  In last week's post, I suggested that the end of the Mercury retrograde cycle on July 12 could be just the first step towards getting a better handle on the virus. 

In terms of financial markets, last week's decline was not too surprising as Mars was aligned with Saturn and the Lunar Nodes, Rahu and Ketu.  That said, I thought we might have seen some upside late in the week with the culmination of the Venus retrograde cycle, although we did get one up day on Thursday.  Friday's decline coincided with the Mars alignment with the June 21 solar eclipse point at 6 Gemini.

So far this week, we have seen stock markets rally as Jupiter conjoined Pluto in the first degree of sidereal Capricorn.  This was in keeping with the forecast outlined in my newsletter since Jupiter alignments with outer planets like Pluto tend to coincide with rallies.  This was perhaps even more likely since the Sun conjoined Mercury today (Tuesday). 

The rest of this week is perhaps somewhat less bullish, although not really bearish either.  Jupiter has moved past Pluto while the Sun has moved past Mercury.  This suggests diminishing positive sentiment for the rest of the week.  At the same time, I would not be surprised to see further gains, if only due to upward momentum. 

After the lunar eclipse just after midnight on Sunday, July 5, I would expect sentiment to turn more bearish.  In addition to the post-eclipse uncertainty, irascible Mars will aspect Mercury, the planet of commerce, in the first half of next week.  This is a bearish combination that seems more likely to see stocks decline.


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.


Photo: CSPAN.org

US sees surge of new Covid cases

(23 June 2020) The coronavirus continues to occupy center stage in our lives here in mid-2020.  Most countries remain in some state of lockdown along with suppression measures like mask-wearing or social distancing.  For the most part, the successful efforts of past two months have at least significantly reduced the number of infections to the point were reopening is now considered fairly safe.

But the picture is less encouraging in the US.  While some states started to reopen at six weeks ago, infection levels are still stubbornly high and have not followed the steeper declines seen in Europe and Asia.  Moreover, several southern US states have seen a significant rise in cases in recent days.  This is not only includes infections which could be an artifact of wider testing but hospitalizations and deaths as well.  This is a clear indication that the virus is still not under control in places like California, Texas, Arizona and Florida. 

In a previous post, I thought there was a very real chance for a second and third wave of Covid-19.  However, I didn't give proper attention to the possibility that the current first wave would remain a problem for this long.  The afflictions in President's Trump's horoscope pointed towards the possibility of a second and third wave in the fall and around the time of the New Year.  Trump's chart is still under heavy affliction as Saturn (6 Capricorn) sits atop of his 6th house of health and illness.  As a rule, Saturn makes most things worse.

If we look at the Inauguration horoscope for the Trump presidency, we can see how current planetary alignments may well be prolonging the first wave of Covid.  The Inauguration chart (Jan 20, 2017 12.00 p.m.) symbolically represents the key events and conditions in the US over the course of the president's four-year term.  For health matters, we should analyze the condition of the Sun (vitality), the 1st house and its ruler, Mars (the nation as a whole), the 6th house which contains the sign of Virgo (health), and its ruler Mercury. 

Clearly, Saturn (6 Capricorn) has recently stationed and turned retrograde and remains conjunct the Sun.  This is a reflection of the general weakness of national vitality and presidential leadership in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Lagnesh (1st house ruler) Mars was just recently conjunct with its natal position at 0 Pisces.  This excessive Mars energy likely reflects the negative outcomes of Covid disease as well as high level of tensions and anger surrounding the violent race protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police.  The theme of emotional upset and volatility is also seen by the opposition of Uranus (15 Aries) to the Moon (15 Libra). The Moon symbolizes the nation's emotion state while Uranus represents the desire for freedom and the breaking of traditional bonds.  That is very much the case in these protests against Confederate monuments which have links with the slave era.  This Moon-Uranus aspect therefore describes the unpredictable and somewhat irrational behavior that seems to be taking hold in the US this summer.  

But the worry over the recent resurgence in cases largely corresponds with the start of the Mercury retrograde cycle last week.  Mercury is an important planet for the nation's health since its ruler, Virgo, is placed in the 6th house of health.  Whenever transiting or natal Mercury is weakened, then the nation's well-being is more likely to be compromised.  The retrograde condition of the 6th house ruler, Mercury, is one such planetary weakness.  For this reason, the worrying rise of infections in the Southern states may well be connected to Mercury's current retrograde cycle. 

Looking ahead, we could see a peak of this latest surge sometime in early July.  At that time, Mercury will conclude its retrograde cycle and station direct in exact opposition to its natal position at 12 Sagittarius.  The affliction will be likely be magnified due to the square aspect from Mars (12 Pisces) around July 8.  Therefore, US may have to endure this first wave setback a while longer, at least until Mercury separates from Mars and returns to direct motion (July 12).  


Weekly Market Forecast

Stocks have been moving sideways in recent days as Federal Reserve stimulus attempts to neutralize the economic fallout of rising unemployment rolls.  As expected, last Thursday's Mercury retrograde station did see some pullback in US markets.   This week has been more positive, however, although last night's 'Navarro flash crash' in the Futures underlined the vulnerability of the market to bad news. 

The planets this week seem more difficult.  Sunday's solar eclipse has so far been a non-event although transiting Mars will activate the eclipse point  (6 Gemini) this Saturday by square aspect.  According to astrological theory, eclipses release their energy -- for good or ill -- when they are aspected by another planet.  The Mars aspect here suggests a more negative outcome.  Moreover, we can see that Mars will form an alignment with the Lunar Node (Rahu) and bearish Saturn for the rest of the week.  But the late week offers a hint of redemption as Venus ends its retrograde cycle and aligns with the Sun.  Venus-Sun alignments have a positive bias, although that could be partially offset by the negative Mars influence.  I would expect an eventful week regardless.


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.


Photo of Anthony Fauci: CSPAN.org

Stocks rally ahead of Thursday's Mercury retrograde station

(16 June 2020) Well, this is the last thing we need.  With all that is going on in the world these days, Mercury is due to turn retrograde just after midnight (EDT) on Thursday morning, June 18.  Three or four times a year, Mercury undertakes an apparent backwards journey in the night sky for a period of approximately 21 days.  The solar system's fastest planet isn't actually going backwards, of course, but only appears that way because of its different orbital speed from Earth.  Astrologers believe that Mercury retrograde periods are marked by misunderstandings, technical breakdowns, frustrations and delays.  

While Mercury retrograde periods can very often coincide with these kinds of problems, it is important not to exaggerate its importance in our daily lives.  Many people may be unaffected by the retrograde cycle, especially if the Mercury retrograde cycle does not activate any key planets in their natal horoscope.  On Thursday, Mercury will station retrograde at 20 degrees of sidereal Gemini.  If a person was born with, say, Jupiter near that point, then the Mercury retrograde station will likely be very positive and could manifest as good career news.  Conversely, if someone was born with Saturn near 20 Gemini, then this week's Mercury retrograde station is more likely to bring frustrations and setbacks related to Mercury's symbolic portfolio of commerce, computers and travel.  

Mercury will conclude its retrograde cycle at 11 Gemini on July 12.  Individuals with malefic planets like Saturn and Mars in that middle range of 11-20 degrees of Gemini, or perhaps in the opposite sign of Sagittarius, are therefore more likely to experience the classic sorts of Mercury retrograde hassles.  Other specific elements of the individual horoscope may also form positive or negative aspect with Mercury as it moves through its retrograde cycle.

In that sense, we should think about Mercury retrograde as having a stronger impact for good or ill, largely because it is moving more slowly than usual.  As a rule, the slower the planet, the stronger its impact.  That's why the time around the retrograde and direct stations are the most powerful.  When Mercury is stationary it can form an aspect with another planet for a much longer time than it ordinarily would. 


Mercury retrograde and the stock market

Nonetheless, retrograde Mercury's bad reputation is not all myth.  We can see how it manifests on our collective consciousness through its effects on the stock market.  If nothing else, the stock market is a barometer for collective human sentiment at any given time.  From my experience, Mercury retrograde cycles do have some modest correlations with down markets.  But there are two important conditions that should be noted.  First, the 3-4 days around the time of the stations (i.e. the reversal of direction) is usually the most important for markets.  Markets are not more or less likely to fall during the entire 21-day retrograde cycle.  Second, while Mercury retrograde stations may be somewhat bearish, it also matters a great deal what planets it aligns with at the time of the retrograde and direct stations. 

At the time of the last Mercury Rx station on Feb 17, 2020, Mercury formed a minor 45 degree angle with Saturn and was aspected by Rahu.  Both planets are malefics and thus stocks fell slightly on the day after the retrograde station and fell further three days after the station.  The retrograde cycle ended on March 9, 2020 as Mercury aligned closely with malefic Saturn.   Not surprisingly, this was also a bearish influence as stocks were in the midst of their Covid-19 waterfall decline. 

The previous Mercury retrograde station occurred on Oct 31, 2019.  Stocks did indeed also fall that day but rebounded the following day and continued higher thereafter.  One reason may have been that Mercury was conjunct bullish Venus at the time of the Rx station so that mitigated much of the inherent negativity of the Mercury retrograde station.  The lesson here is that not all Mercury retrograde periods are created equal.  While there seems to be a general bearish bias to them, the negative effects can be quite minor and short-lived, sometimes just one day or even less.  But if Mercury is heavily afflicted by malefic planets at the time of its retrograde or direct station, then the down move could be more significant. 

Weekly Market Forecast

This week's retrograde station looks more negative in that respect.  While Mercury turns retrograde in its own sign of Gemini (that's usually a plus actually), it will form a tense minor aspect with Saturn.  This is not a full-strength aspect so the effect may not be too strong, but it is not helpful.   Moreover, it forms the same minor 165-degree aspect with Ketu (South Lunar Node).  Significantly, the midpoint of Saturn and Ketu will be exactly opposite Mercury on Thursday and Friday.  

Another potential negative in the mix this week is that Mars will change signs on Thursday-Friday and enter Pisces.  Mars sign ingresses sometimes coincide with increases in volatility, although by itself the effect is limited.  This week, however, we will also have Mercury turning retrograde while in an unusual alignment with Saturn and Ketu.  This loads the cosmic dice in favour of some negative sentiment which could see stocks reverse lower. 

The upcoming solar eclipse this coming Sunday also has some interesting alignments that would suggest a more pessimistic mood.  The Sun-Moon conjunction of the eclipse forms a 150-degree angle with Saturn.  In the Navamsha D-9 chart, Saturn squares both the Sun and Moon.  This suggests disappointment and setbacks are more likely over the weekend which could further negatively impact sentiment going into next week.


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.


Photo Credit: NASA

Understanding the Covid stock market recovery

(9 June 2020) Looking at the stock market, it's hard to believe we are even in a recession with double-digit unemployment.  And yet the last two months has seen the stock market stage a remarkable recovery following the initial pandemic shock .  After crashing more than 30% in March due to the coronavirus lockdowns, US stocks have rallied strongly with the major indexes regaining 75% of their previous losses.  Certainly, the actions of the Federal Reserve have been pivotal as trillions of dollars of QE asset purchases and overnight repos have pushed money into the higher risk assets such as the stock market. 

With the number of Covid cases now sharply falling in many countries around the world, there is legitimate hope that the worst could be over and life and the economy can return to normal.  To be sure, this is still very much a glass half-full view since a second wave of infections is still very possible.  And even if there is no second wave, it is unclear when suppression measures like social distancing and mask-wearing can end.   But can the economy and the stock market fully regain their previous levels if the virus remains a threat?

An astrological analysis provides another perspective on these questions.  While the recent gyrations of the stock market can be seen through various planetary phenomena, it is useful to look at the horoscope of the New York Stock Exchange (May 17, 1792).  The huge sell-off saw a major low in stocks on March 23.  This low coincided with a bearish conjunction of Mars and Pluto, two malefic planets symbolizing tension and anxiety.   At that time, Saturn, the most bearish planet, formed a close 120 degree angle with the Sun at 6 Taurus.  Moreover, Saturn was just one degree from its retrograde station in May, hence it had a magnified effect on the Sun in the NYSE chart. 

 

At the same time, Jupiter (29 Sagittarius) was approaching its bullish conjunction with Pluto (0 Capricorn).  This was a hint that a recovery was on the way.  But more important was that both these planets were moving towards a 120 angle with natal Mercury (2 Taurus) in the NYSE.  Jupiter-Mercury aspects are usually quite bullish.  This was another clue that a significant recovery would be forthcoming following the March low. 

So while the bearish Saturn influence waned as it moved past its exact aspect with the Sun, the bullish Jupiter influence grew as it aligned very closely with natal Mercury.  Jupiter then stationed retrograde in mid-May at 3 Capricorn.  Over the past four weeks it has again formed a close 120 degree aspect with Mercury.  Currently, it sits at 2 Capricorn and thus the positive 120 angle is still in effect as the market is at post-Covid highs.

However, over the next week, Jupiter will move to 1 Capricorn which will put it past its exact alignment with Mercury.  As a rule of thumb, alignments that have moved past exact tend to be weaker.  This suggests that the bullish energy in the NYSE chart is more likely to diminish in the coming days. 

In addition, retrograde Saturn will move back to 6 Capricorn and thus will re-create its exact bearish angle with the Sun.  So that could be a double whammy for market sentiment.  Less bullish Jupiter and more bearish Saturn. 

Overall, it suggests that the market is ripe for some kind of pullback in the next few weeks.


Weekly Market Forecast

Stocks have continued to be generally strong in recent days, despite last Friday's difficult lunar eclipse. This week has been less positive, as today's session saw some significant selling. 

I would expect more downside this week, especially after Wednesday's Fed meeting.  The key alignment is the Mars-Neptune conjunction.  This sets up directly opposite the natal Mars in the NYSE chart.  Friday's Mars-Neptune alignment with the Moon seems more vulnerable to declines in that respect. 


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.