Despite its size and non-participation in the EEC, Switzerland has been on my “to do” list for a couple of reasons.

I wrote the bulk of this around 13th October, but editing the 2010-12 element has taken a little longer and events in the form of a bail out have overtaken me.

The reasons for my Swiss post plan were:

• First it is generally associated with banking and also with gold deposits.
• Secondly, it is one of the co-host countries of CERN and its Large Hadron collider.

Due to the delays with the LHC, I will return to that issue another day. I think early 2009 should be plenty of time, as I am sure that the collision experiments will bear fruit ( whether good or bad I haven’t analysed yet) in May next year when Jupiter Neptune and Chiron combine semi-sextile Uranus.

In the meantime, banking is much more topical. As of 11 October 2008, the banking industry in Switzerland has an average leverage ratio (assets/networth) of 29 to 1, while the industry's short-term liabilities are equal to 260% of the Swiss GDP or 1,273% of the Swiss national debt (1). However, contrary to what might be said about countries with large banking industries, this does not make the country more or less prone to failure – the factor that matters is the business and risk strategy they employ. Unfortunately of late Swiss banks have pursued some risky strategies…

Once again we are faced with the “which chart?” question. There are a number of options, all of which have some tale to tell. I am torn between the September 1848 chart, with a Virgo sun, which I think describes modern Switzerland well and the August 1291 (o.s. calendar) chart, which I thought probably has something greater to say about European co-operation, trade, banking and taxation.

However on reading up on the history it becomes apparent that despite Switzerland’s reputation in banking, it was Amsterdam and London that were the big trade banking centres first. So my early post on the Bank of England is probably the better source for where we are going banking-wise.

Nevertheless I still think Switzerland can tell us something about bank deposits/gold etc. The only question then is do I use the 1848 country chart or the 1850 coinage chart? They have remarkable similarities and since the 1848 chart seems to be timed but the 1850 chart is not, I am using the former. I am not confident with this chart yet, so the longer term forecasts are not very insightful. I will return to it periodically to reforecast as the meaning of the configurations become clearer.

As I write this, I am wondering how things are going under the surface in the Swiss nation. The September full moon was opposite the country’s natal Saturn, highlighting both its weaknesses and on the other hand its safe haven status.

The chart shows that it currently has progressed Sun conjoining its natal Neptune. Deception all round. Perhaps there are internal leadership problems, but perhaps there are banking issues we have yet to see there as well or problems in the pharma industry – all of which are represented by the importance of Neptune in the country’s chart.

Furthermore Uranus is at 19 degrees Pisces, opposite the country’ natal Sun and square its progressed Ascendant. Saturn is at 16 Virgo and the progressed Moon at 18 Capricorn. Within one month there is likely to be a radical evaluation.

Indeed while I have commented elsewhere that the Uranus Saturn opposition of November is not directly picked up closely by many of the economic charts, The same cannot be said for Switzerland. The calm so far has been because the country did not so severely pick up the August eclipses.

Now however with Neptune tapping in the key 21 degree of the Ascendant, and also picking up natal Saturn and Uranus, the focus is switching there. The question is, is this because it will flourish due to safe haven status – or will that assumption be challenged by events? My guess is a bit of both. A major banking problem will undermine the economic situation, but the currency will maintain its strength at least in the medium term.

Note (25/10/08): the bail –out type support offered by the Swiss government on 16th has confirmed the banking element statement of this.

Late November and early December signs suggests that government action keeps stability in place. But later in the month of December we have a double whammy of Jupiter conjoining progressed Mars and square Pluto, together with Pluto squaring Mars. This is aggressive stuff, expect some trouble then- a challenge to the things that make Swiss banking attractive, perhaps security and/or gold reserves are found to be deficient. At a political level there is likely to be infighting.


2009
2009 starts more gently, with a trine aspect of the progressed moon to Saturn and a sextile to the Ascendant. But the events of December rear up again in February as the progressed Moon conjoins progressed Mars and reactivates the same themes.

March is disruptive, if less aggressive. Jupiter opposes Jupiter and Uranus conjoins Saturn. Saturn is retrograding over the natal Sun. Since this all picks up the mundane opposition we can expect Switzerland to be the focus of attention again. I wish I had the time to look at the charts for the individual banks. All in all it will be a difficult time to manage a country or currency. The latter will probably suffer in value as Pluto squares Venus.

May is of course the critical currency time. But in this case, while the progressed Sun is still approaching the conjunction with Neptune, the other factors don’t look so bad. A sextile to Pluto and a Pluto sextile to the progressed Sun are what we have to think on. Definite fundamental change but not too difficult to deal with- certainly there are worse currencies to be in. Although with the progressed Moon square Pluto during the month there will be fear from the public. I think it will be short lived though here and would probably bank (sorry!) on the Swiss Franc at this crucial time – although the events of February should clarify this one way or the other.

Curiously it is over the summer that things seem to get a little tougher again. Saturn returns to conjoin the Sun, and Pluto to square Mars in August. In September Saturn opposes Saturn and Jupiter passes over the progressed MC. The country may be the focus of attention yet again for the reasons mentioned in November 2008.

November 2009 continues uncertainty with Uranus transiting Saturn, and Saturn restraining the Mars motivation to trade and compete. When the Neptune conjunction reforms in December it is closer to 21 degrees square the Ascendant and Pluto square Saturn contacts Venus so Switzerland’s currency does not escape in the way it appears to do in May.

2010
Two background themes define this year. Progressed Mars approaches a sextile to Saturn suggesting strength and comfort with the mechanisms that run the country. However the country’s progressed MC will square its Ascendant- the rest of the world won’t be so happy with the decisions made by Switzerland at this time.

In January the December 2009 themes continue. By March though, Saturn retrograding over Mars, suggests depressed activity at the time, maybe government imposed suspensions of trading, and the Sun progression to Neptune becomes exact suggesting some weakness of state and currency but little direction. May and June time continues this theme of not much happening, surprising given the upcoming square.

The square in July and August impacts the country’s Venus and Mars, which suggests challenges in terms of its assets and its sporting/military and other Mars related activities and to a lesser extent its Pharmaceutical and banking industries as the progressed Sun /Neptune conjunction is also activated. Maybe there will a major bankruptcy. The country will require some re-evaluation of where it is going at this time. The people will be emotional as the moon opposes Jupiter – so perhaps Switzerland has to face some unpleasant facts about its attitude.

The period around October is more mixed yet November might see some big upsets as Jupiter and Uranus transit Saturn progressed while sextiling Mars. However breakthroughs in new technology are also possible with this aspect.

The MC square becomes exact in December suggesting a poor image with the outside world. At the same time progressed Mercury crosses the IC, in some ways Switzerland is going back to a situation pre 1996 – given that this was the time that global banking really took off perhaps Switzerland tries to recover its niche as the safe secret haven.

2011
The early part of the year is less eventful. But the country reaches a key point in April as it has a Neptune return – the first since its establishment in its current form in 1848. This will mean reviewing the core function of the country and its government and then currency. A process that will likely take a few years and may involve it deciding to co-operate in more international unions.

By May 2011 Uranus opposes Venus ( generally another challenge to asset values would be suggested based on this ) and with the progressed Moon transiting the progressed MC the country’s relations with the rest of the world will be in focus again throughout the summer months.

However August looks positive benign and even September when the Uranus aspect to Venus returns, it is modified by a nice sextile of the Moon and Pluto.

November and December look trickier though. Saturn opposes the country’s Uranus and Pluto conjunction, while transiting Uranus opposes Mars again. Even a gentle sextile from Jupiter to Neptune and the progressed Sun, activated by the progressed Moon is unlikely to offset the effects of this hard aspect – expect significant government restriction to developments- an example would be refusal to allow a takeover of a major Swiss company from outside.

2012
The themes of the end of 2011 continue into the first half of 2012.The Neptune return continues throughout the year and the Saturn opposition to Pluto continues until the end of August. We will have a better idea how these will play out by 2010/11, there are too many variables at this time to determine the exact path.

In April Uranus returns to its opposition with Venus. A key aspect as progressed Venus will also conjoin natal Uranus at this time increasing the impact – it is an unlocking value but not always with the result that is desired.

And in May the country is in the spotlight as Jupiter crosses its Ascendant and reaches a turning point of some sort in August when the progressed Moon reaches the IC.

The latter months of 2012 are then focused on integrating the events so far, with no new direction.


Sources:
Chart for Switzerland, 12 September 1848, 11.12 LMT (-0.29), Bern, N Campion. Book of World horoscopes.

(1) wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banking_in_Switzerland