Let’s go random in this post and jump around the world hoovering up the outliers.

Australia
As I forecast the Australian economy missed out on negatives from cardinal square in 2010, continuing to boom on the back of its commodity base.

Politically it was affected though as on 24th June Gillard replaced Rudd as Prime minister but was then confirmed in place by the election of last August. I didn’t pick this up from the chart – but in terms of overall power not much changed so that is not so much of a surprise. Still worth another peak to see what I missed.

In my forecasts I also expected the currency to continue to rise in 2010, however I expected this to be accompanied by some shocks and, sure enough, there were a series of interest rate rises in the first half of 2010 and again in November.

The Austrailan dollar remained strong but volatile due to the interest rate rises and the US$ trajectory. Against the Swiss franc it has no discernible trend throughout the 18 months to May 2011.

I noted that the situation would become harder in December 2010 and the floods in December 2010/January 2011 caused GDP to contract in Q1 2011 – the biggest contraction in 20 years due to the floods in the coal region. Now that’s a prediction to be proud of as it went against trend.

However, I hold my hands up and admit a big error – I predicted droughts not floods. That’s again me not the astrology which, as I say, got the timing absolutely right.

I also liked my comment re immigration changes with apparently some key changes to the system in recent months. I have to say I don’t even know how I managed to deduct this…..! Astrology is pretty cool when treated with respect and due reverence.

Australia was still expected to remain one of the fastest growing developed countries in 2011 due to its combination mining and agriculture. But I felt that some difficulties would be experienced by May and sure enough the government is worried about the increase in unemployment, interest rates have been fixed for 6 months and the A$ has recently fallen a bit vs the beleaguered US$.

Another nice, if not quite spot on, set of deductions.

Russia
Another commodity based country, another country that didn’t get much action with the cardinal cross of 2010.

The economic decline bottomed out at the end of 2009 with big devaluations of the Rouble in late 2008.

I expected some forceful action around April and May of 2010, but the absence of the cardinal cross suggested little over the summer. I expected little new problems of any magnitude for the economy or government until the year end.

The nation was not untouched by the cross however with the, mentioned, wide Saturn Pluto configuration activated leading to severe drought and fires in July and August which reduced agricultural output.

Overall, however, 2010 was indeed considered to be a good year for the country as much of the 2008-9 problems were stabilised. GDP grew by 4% in 2010 and inflation was high. As a result, Russia raised rates to 8% in early 2011 and then again to 8.25, but given they were over 12% in early 2009 this is hardly revolutionary. Bank reserves requirements were also increased in early 2011.

The Rouble has risen to highest against dollar since 2008. It has been rising since beginning of 2010- it rose rapidly in first 4 months of 2009, and has continued volatile since then. Versus the swiss franc it depreciated June to December 2010 but has been flat for much of 2011.

A let down however was my prediction for leadership difficulties at the end of 2010 and early 2011; the only evidence of these was lower poll ratings. In fact events of the Jupiter Uranus conjunction manifested through a terrorist attack at Moscow airport in January 2011 instead.

My highlighting of March & April turned out only to be regional polls, although they were accompanied with the usual accusations of corruption.

Russia is also focussing on its communications and software status in 2011 in line with my expectation that change is in the air.

A bit of a mixed bag this- could do better but given what was happening when I was preparing my forecast I think I did well to forsee getting back on an even keel so rapidly.

Saudi Arabia
Saudi continued to rise above the global economic storms of 2008 as it posted 3.8 GDP growth in 2010 on the back of its commodity base. Its currency peg to the dollar is of limited impact in the shorted term despite the currencies depreciation because of the benefits from the rising oil price.

As I forecast the country went on much as ever during the whole of 2010.

Around April 2011 I forecast more activity but only a rather more extreme case of the same. And, although in 2011 Saudi Arabia has not been completely immune from the ‘Arab Spring’ with a “day of rage” on 11 th March and continued minor protests through into May and of course the inevitable bans on them, in comparison with many other middle eastern and North African countries matters have been relatively subdued.

This might however change in the next few months if my prediction is correct.


South Africa
My predictions for security issues surrounding the world cup could have been completely off track but I concluded in the end that much disruption could be avoided. Security was tight and nothing much of a global nature happened – although there were many unpleasant events surrounding the cup these were mainly focussed on a number of European teams rather than spectators or local population!

I predicted that the economic benefits wouldn’t last however, and while there was small growth in 2010, and trade with China is also rising, growth was indeed below potential and tailed off after the benefits of the World Cup.

I predicted increased demand for the rand in mid 2010 and on going issues surrounding this into 2011 and sure enough the rand has been strong in keeping with other commodity backed currencies- gaining 30% over less than 3 years due to capital inflows and this has an impact on the wider economy.

I suspected that early 2011 would see less economic optimism, and that there would be more emphasis on the internal problems . The economic situation seems to be as I expected. Furthermore the Zuma government is trying to take action on key issues such as crime prevention ( there is continued violence in townships due at least partially to unemployment levels of 40% in some parts)and a plan to test 15m for HIV by mid 2012. Fascinating.

Although not as fascinating as the fact that, elsewhere, I predicted the World Cup winner before the first match in SA began. Now that is a real prediction given that it was based on a chart for the 15th century. Astrology really is quite extraordinary.

Turkey
Much of my forecast for Turkey in 2010 was positive. Although I expected June to September to have some internal issues, my expectation was that any issues would more likely be political rather than economic though.

In fact Turkey was the fastest growing nation in Europe in 2010 with 8%GDP growth and a good recovery coupled with stock market highs. Interest rates were 7% from May to November , to deter speculative capital.

However the situation is not perfect with Euro exports down, energy prices problematic and currency risk hovering over the externally funded debt.

The Turkish Lira – for a long time a depreciating currency - has managed to track the dollar for much of the last 18 months, although it has declined significantly vs the Swiss Franc. Perhaps this tells us more about US$ woes than Turkish Lira strength but it does prove that there are big shifts in power in the world today and that Turkey is a pivotal nation.

I also expected issues from summer of 2010 to resurface in early 2011 but probably peter out with perhaps a few policy changes.

But by the far the most interesting element of my forecast was the advance of Pluto to the Ascendant which I anticipated would mean Turkey would be pulled into international issues. What I did not know ( having looked at none of the Arab countries but Saudi Arabia) that so many of Turkey’s neighbours and Arab partners would be dragged into the Arab Spring uprisings. As I write its borders are being inundated with Syrian refugees.

It is such a beautiful manifestation of that Pluto aspect that I am rather pleased with my identification of this in the chart of a closely associated nation but one that is not directly impacted. Although obviously from a responsible citizen perspective I do not applaud civil unrest and/ or retaliation anywhere.

I have June to September as a good period; and with the election on 11 June 2011 appearing to see the incumbent returned to power there is no reason to doubt this.