Financial astrologers love the US stock-market. Indeed for many – this is the only stock market in the world. Consequently, every time there is even the slightest negative indicator in the sky, there is tendency to predict an imminent stock market crash.
It is all too easy to get caught up in this Doom for the Dow mentality. I almost got hooked in September/October 2006, when Neptune opposed Saturn – an obvious sign of price depression. Fortunately, before putting any money on this, I wisely checked out the actual charts of the Dow and Nasdaq, only to find that they weren’t “picking up” the Neptune/Saturn aspect at all- by which I mean, the opposition was not making any significant aspects to the planets in the indices’ charts.
Furthermore it is crucial for any financial astrologer to understand the economics of a situation. Price inflation and currency deflation– whilst not accompanied by any apparent major structural changes ( the situation in 2006-7) will lead to inflation in the relevant stock-market as indeed as happened. I
So it is important to remember there are many stock-markets around the globe, all resonating to different themes. A negative transiting aspect may pick up all those stock-markets, just some selected ones or none at all.
Furthermore it is crucial for any financial astrologer to understand the economics of a situation. Price inflation and currency deflation– whilst not accompanied by any apparent major structural
changes ( the situation in 2006-7) will lead to inflation in the relevant stock-market as indeed happened with the Dow over this period.
Having said that, clearly there is a reason for the Dow obsession. It is an index containing some of the world’s biggest companies. And, while the US remains the biggest country by GDP in the world, it is a good place as any to start when looking at future stock performance.
2008 Bi-polar Bear?
Now obviously the Dow has fallen significantly (even into a technical bear market) since its high of 14,200 last October, and now stands at around only 11,500 its value two years ago.
So what has occurred this last twelve months? We know that a major cycle ended in December when Jupiter completed its conjunction with Jupiter. The progressed Jupiter of the Dow is at 27 Leo so trined that over-expansive event. Is there anything else that explains the process?
Progressed Venus was approaching a trine with Pluto all year- completed in mid June and is now approaching a trine to progressed Pluto. This indicates transformation in value- clearing out dead wood ( no companies mentioned by name…), but by itself probably wouldn’t lead to big falls. However progressed Venus is also squaring the progressed Ascendant and in the last three months this has been further triggered by the progressed moon. Definitely a sign that the index is under change as some companies no longer qualify.
In the short tern of course there can be big fluctuations. The current boost is a product of transiting Jupiter conjoining the progressed moon at 15 Capricorn this month.
So what about the upcoming eclipses? Do they affect the chart? The solar eclipse doesn’t really but the Lunar eclipse on 16th August is square the Dow Venus and widely aspecting progressed Jupiter. It also, to a lesser extent, aspects the Dow Mercury and progressed Sun. All this throws the market into the spotlight and asks questions about real value. Expect more trading and re-pricing of the index companies in the run up to this date- though by itself the aspect does not really say what will happen to the overall index value. However a major rise is not anticipated – Jupiter returns to its position in February – the low up until the last couple of weeks. Still, another big fall doesn’t look to be on the cards at the moment either.
In September, Uranus returns to its square with the Dow progressed Neptune, and Neptune to its square with the Dow Uranus, another indicator of volatility in duplicate. Expect the period around 15th September to be eventful too. I’m expecting a possible US interest rate change during the month so maybe this leads to a rebound. Saturn is square the Dow Pluto at this time, and while this could be interpreted as a negative influence, I see it more as intervention creating some stability for a while.
Obviously by November we have Saturn/Jupiter and Uranus all in aspect to one another. As this picks up the Uranus/Saturn conjunction in the chart in a relatively positive way, it looks as if the overall. Jupiter returns to the IC and the progressed Moon in late November which might result in another boost.
2009
If the number of progressions becoming exact is an indicator of the importance of events in a chart, then the Dow is showing a lot of activity. As well as the previously mentioned Venus aspects, the progressed Sun will square Mercury and trine Venus during 2009, the progressed Mercury trines the progressed Neptune and progressed Mars conjoins the Dow Neptune.
The early part of the year seems to be only a continuation of late 2008, although the January/February eclipses pick up both the Dow’s Sun, and progressed Mercury/Neptune suggesting plenty of focus on the index, and a progressed Moon /Sun trine in March – again relatively positive.
However by April Uranus will oppose the Dow progressed Sun and square its Mercury and sextile its Venus. Big unexpected changes are afoot, but only just beginning. At the same time transiting Pluto will finally reach a square to the chart’s Mars. This suggests major trading challenges and with the other aspects in place, value issues are also likely.
Saturn goes retrograde in January and repeats some of the aspects ( such as the square to Neptune and progressed Mars) that it makes in late 2008, this is a depressing effect, but in the light of other aspects, I would not expect it to dominate the picture.
May is dominated, of course, by the exceedingly rare Jupiter- Neptune-Chiron conjunction, backed up by a semi-sextile from Uranus. In the Dow chart the conjunction opposes Jupiter. Watch the August 16th 2008 trends of an indication of the themes we will see in 2009, but it is likely to lead to huge levels of trading- maybe liquidation of large portions of the stocks involved. At this stage I would just bet on huge volumes, not direction – given the potential for immense shifts in currency values at this time.
These themes carry on throughout the year. The Saturn Uranus opposition repeats in September-November 2009 across the progressed Sun access square Mercury and sextile Venus- as this is a battle between old and new, I would expect the index to be redefined and new companies to replace old at this time – I suspect at least some of the components will have gone into bankruptcy by this time. The position of transiting Jupiter at this time ( trine Neptune and progressed Mars) suggests that there will be a big demand for shares in the index at this time.
Late December sees the end of the Jupiter Neptune Chiron relationship, and a repeat, though to a lesser extend of the May themes.
Also in December Saturn reaches its square with Pluto and will give us an indication of the themes for 2010.
2010
It is notable that in the Dow chart there are a number of planets at early degrees of the signs. But, only Mars at 3 degrees of Aries is in a cardinal sign. Jupiter is at 4 degrees of Leo, The Sun at 6 of Gemini and the Moon at 4 of Sagittarius. What this means is that the Cardinal cross is not all bad for the Dow, as the planets that form it are as likely to support the Dow chart planets as challenge them.
In February 2010, we will get more of an idea of how this will play out over the year and especially the tight summer cross. Uranus continues to oppose the progressed Sun at this time, more changes in the way things are run on the markets can be anticipated.
In March there is yet more activity. Neptune will oppose progressed Jupiter and transiting Jupiter will trigger the Pluto/progressed Venus/progressed Ascendant again- more re-evaluation of relative values of the components.
The only prediction we can make based on the chart for the summer and the cardinal cross in August is that there will be a huge amount of trade. In what direction is less easy to predict.
In the last months of the year, Uranus and Jupiter retrograde to oppose the Dow’s Sun again and Saturn moves forward to conjoin progressed Venus trine Pluto and square the progressed Ascendant triggering off more re-evaluation – this time almost certainly in a negative direction.
2011
Saturn remains within a few degrees of the Venus/Pluto configuration until September of 2011 and Pluto within aspect of the Dow Sun, which together suggests generally depressed prices during most of this time.
Uranus returns to 3 degrees Aries in May 2011, and again in August, suggesting increased trading at that time and Jupiter squares Jupiter in June continuing this theme.
After September Saturn moves on to trine progressed Neptune and Mercury, a mild aspect which by itself probably does not signify. However Saturn’s absence from the Venus/Pluto configuration will release some of the pressure and prices might recover. The likelihood of this is enhanced as the progressed Moon reaches transiting Neptune opposite Jupiter by November/December time, suggesting significant speculation and loss of touch with value reality – although Saturn in orb of a trine to the progressed Moon in the last week of December might mitigate this a little then.
Note however that this is the last trine of Saturn to the progressed Moon, an aspect that has been in force since 1996/7, presumably this is the point where government policy is forced to stop protecting the public shareholders and funds as other matters take priority.
2012
Again, a year with conflicting themes.
Progressed Venus, still within orb of the progressed Ascendant and now conjunct the natal Ascendant is very much the focus of the year as it approaches a trine to the Dow Neptune.
Uranus makes its final transit to the Dow Mars (and thus Moon and Jupiter) in February, a last twist in the tail of the events of the last year or two before going on to sextile the Dow’s Sun. Jupiter marks the turning point as it opposes the progressed MC in March and the Saturn Uranus conjunction in April.
The Neptune conjunction with the progressed Moon continues through to May, leaving a sense of uncertainty, lack of confidence and feeling of deception. But this begins to recover as the progressed Moon trines the natal Jupiter.
Saturn stations on the chart’s progressed Mercury in June-September, which by itself suggests lack of activity, but at the same time Jupiter will conjoin the chart’s Sun, and activate the Mars/Jupiter/Moon trine, a positive offset.
In the last months of the year Uranus continues to transit the Dow Sun. In September Jupiter reaches Pluto, and by 2013 will again re-activate the configuration with progressed Venus – even though this should otherwise be well past.
Chart:
Dow (DJIA): 26 May 1896, New York, 15.00 local time (Index based on close of business). Sources www.NYSE.com
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