| Written by Raymond Merriman | |
Review and PreviewThe majority of world stock markets were up again last week as we completed the first of three back-to-back critical reversal zones that extends through May 26. Many of these indices came down into the midpoint of this first reversal zone, which was on April 22, and then rallied into the end of the week. In many cases, this rally took the indices to their highest levels since the lows of January 22 or March 17. In Asia and the Pacific Rim, all four markets we track soared to their highest levels since March 17. Both the Japanese Nikkei and India’s NIFTY rallied all week, topping out at 13,886 and 5117 respectively on Friday. This represents gains of 18.7 and 14.5% respectively in the past month. The All Ordinaries of Australia topped out on Wednesday at 5712, up 11.3% from its 5130 low on March 17. But the stellar performer was the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong, which soared 25.7% from a low of 20,572 on March 18 to a high of 25,861 last Thursday. In Europe, the pattern was similar, but not so strong. Two of the four indices we track made new cycles highs on Friday. The London FTSE index soared to 6098 on Friday, a gain of almost 9% in the past month. The German DAX was the strongest, gapping up on Friday to 6945 for a gain of 12.6% since the 6167 low of March 17. But neither the Netherlands AEX nor the Swiss Stock Index (SSI) were able to make new monthly highs on the last week’s rally, thus creating a possible case of intermarket bearish divergence in this reversal zone. The U.S. stock markets performed well too. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the NASDAQ Composite both made new cycle highs on Thursday. In the case of the DJIA, the 12,942 high on Thursday represents an 11.24% gain from the lows of January 22. The 2447 high in the NASDAQ Composite is a 13.5% appreciation since its primary cycle low of March 17. But the greatest example of this part week’s reversal signature was noted in the currency market, especially the euro currency against the U.S. Dollar. On April 22, our exact reversal date, the euro currency topped out with yet another new all-time high at 1.6018. By Friday, it was in the mid-150’s. This may be the start of something big over the next month or so. In other markets, Crude Oil also made a new all-time on April 22 as it touched 119.90. It didn’t sell off much, however, but our time band remains in effect for the all-time high to be completed anytime before the end of May. Gold and Silver both sold off last week to their lowest level since April 1, with the appearance of falling lower as we approach the time band for Gold’s 11.33-month cycle trough, due before the end of July. Short-Term GeocosmicsThe only thing traders need to know about this coming week is that Saturn turns stationary direct on Friday, May 2 – the day the Employment reports come out. It will mark the end of the second reversal zone of this period that extends to May 26. Saturn direct is a Level 1 signature (highest correlation to primary type of cycles), with a 70% correlation to primary or greater cycles within 9 trading days. But in this case, we are not in the time band for a primary cycle – at least not a primary cycle trough. We are in a time band for a major (5-8 week) cycle trough. The most important thing to recognize about major Saturn signatures is this: any financial market that is declining into a period of one day before through one day afterwards, has a high potential of completing that decline and starting a rally. The fact that Saturn direct happens on the Employment reports day may mean the news is very gloomy (but we already expect it to be gloomy, so maybe it is more than gloomy – like maybe it is frightening). In this case, if the world stock markets (or any other markets) decline into May 1 +/- one trading day, then the rally that follows could be quite substantial, because the next geocosmic signatures are Jupiter turning retrograde on May 9, followed by the Sun-Jupiter trine of May 12. Just as Saturn correlates with the end of declines, Jupiter signatures can correlate with the end of rallies. They don’t always behave this way, but when they do, an ideal set up presents itself for trading. And of course we will monitor this development closely – and give our formal recommendations for various markets that unfold in this “ideal set up” formation - in our daily reports. Longer-Term Thoughts“Fear Sells.” It’s a mantra that I have written about for the past 7 years that would dominate public consciousness throughout this decade, and into the next. It is the mantra politicians will exhort more and more in their quest to get voters to vote against their opponent (and for them). It is the mantra of negativity that doesn’t really win elections, but rather defeats the other side by placing doubts into voter’s minds about the electability - or the ability to govern fairly in regards to the needs of all the people - by the opponent. In the study of astrology, the concept of “fear” is ruled by Saturn. And for only the fourth time in the past 200 years, Saturn is forming an opposition to all three of the planets outside of its orbit within only ten years. In the present decade, Saturn started this “triple opposition” period with its 32-37 year opposition to Pluto in 2001-2002. That is when the “fear sells’ mantra of modern-day politicians began. Or, at least it notched it up to an entirely new level. The second phase happened in 2006-2007, when Saturn entered its 36-year opposition cycle to Neptune. That was also the time of massive fraud and deception – in business and politics – which would take 1-3 years to be revealed. Those fraudulent and deceptive practices are just now coming out into the open. And the last Saturn opposition is the 45-year cycle to Uranus, which occurs 5 times between November 4, 2008 and July 26, 2010. Not only does “fear sell,” but also “fear defeats,” which means the person who instills the most “fear” usually ends up the victor when a vote is needed to decide the outcome in a election between two (or more) people. At least it is that way for most of this current “Triple Saturn opposition” period (2001-2010, or even longer). I bring this up because we are in the beginning stages of one of the most heated presidential races in the history of the United States. And the first passage if the Saturn-Uranus opposition – November 4, 2008 – is on the day of that Presidential Election. On Friday, April 25, the “What’s News” section on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, posted two pertinent snippets. The first stated that “The U.S. said it found Iranian arms caches in Iraq…. The charges mark a hardening of U.S. rhetoric on Iran, which it now calls the greatest long-term threat to Iraq.” Does it sound like the trumpet roll to… “Fear Sells,” as we approach the campaign season? The second article states, “U.S. Intelligence officials said there had been at least a decade of cooperation between North Korea and Syria to build a nuclear reactor.” This came out on the day that the Bush Administration released photos of a nuclear reactor in Syria that Israel destroyed last September 2007. According to these intelligence reports, the facility was built with the aid and cooperation of North Korea. In other words, the United States is in grave danger – still - from not only Iran, but also Syria and North Korea. But why release these photos and this intelligence report now, almost eight month after the fact? Why harden the rhetoric now with Iran, after the so-called “troop surge” was just reported as being successful? Isn’t violence down in Iraq since the White House approved the troop surge a year ago? Well, yes, but…. “Fear Sells.” And we have an election coming up. And if the polls don’t show a certain political party in the lead as the election gets closer and closers, then… well, wouldn’t current political leaders need a reason to start something that may really drive home the point that you really do need a president who can keep you safe? One who can protect you against your “Fears?” So let the posturing commence, and along with it, a lot of “new intelligence” suggesting the imminent danger Americans are in (as if we forgot). And if that doesn’t work, let’s look at the “fears” about the economy. After all, Friday’s Consumer Confidence numbers were at the lowest level in 26 years. That would mean 1982 – the year that ended a rather harsh recession (and under a Saturn-Pluto conjunction). Yes, people are afraid about the future of the economy. And yes, at recession bottoms, confidence is always at its lowest point in the cycle. These are the two big “fears” to be drilled into us in the coming months: the fear of war and the consequent loss of our freedom, and the fear of an economic collapse wiping out our financial security, probably exasperated by higher taxes. Friday’s Wall Street Journal also had an editorial about the economy, pointing out that the U.S. Corporate tax rate is currently the second highest in the world after Japan, and that is what is “… driving investment and jobs overseas.” Why is it that major elections – and leaders of political parties – seem to no longer inspire confidence and hope? Maybe, just maybe, with Saturn in opposition to Uranus, one candidate can emerge who will break this depressing pattern of 21st century America. After all, Saturn represents patterns, and Uranus represents change and the breaking of old ways. Saturn also represents the old guard, and Uranus represents youth. This election will likely be about those two opposite ends of the spectrum. There should be a real clear distinction between the candidates this time - about as clear as black and white, young and old, and maybe hope and fear. |
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Stock Market Comments For The Week Beginning April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
COSMIC WEATHER REPORT
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Copyright 1998-2006 Sandy Bryan
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
ASTROLOGY AND THE STOCK MARKETS
Before detailing the methods to be employed it will be convenient to give a list of the commodities and other matters ruled by the planets, signs, and houses, together with their effect upon Markets.
SUN--The Sun rules gold, gilt-edged stock and Government Securities, and the general tone of the Market. It does not materially affect the Market itself, except as it forms aspects to other planets, and its influence is exerted thru the sign in which it is placed. Favorable aspects increase the value of Government securities of the country ruled by the sign, and bad aspects depress it.
MOON--The Moon is not a particular significator of anything. Its passage thru a sign stimulates the commodities ruled by the sign, and often those of the opposite sign as well. Aspects to the Moon do not always act in accordance with their natures, but seem rather to mark turning points, and to denote the times of highest rise and lowest fall. The position of the Moon in its orbit, however, has a general influence on fluctuations, especially in regard to changes from an upward to a downward movement, and vica-versa. This is very marked in the case of the Moon's passage over its apogee and perigee.
MERCURY--This planet rules with others wheat, corn and grain (partly), silver and quick-silver, as well as bonds, returns and publications, news, rumors, and public confidence. Its effect upon the Market is to cause nervousness, activity, instability, quick buying and selling, and rapid fluctuations. If afflicted it brings false or adverse news and rumors, and indicates lack of public confidence. Thus Jupiter afflicted by Mercury would cause quick fluctuations and selling of affairs ruled by Jupiter and the sign containing it, due to adverse rumors.
VENUS--Venus rules copper, silk, textiles, sugar, cotton, furnishing, money, corn, and the wheat market. It affects the market thru money, and its general influence is to cause a peaceful condition in the country in whose sign it is, with steady development, good crops, and a generally settled state. Its good aspects bring a steady, tho often not very lasting, rise in values, but with few fluctuations, while its bad aspects tend to cause dull periods.
MARS--Mars rules iron and steel, railways, motors, and machinery. Its effect is to cause great activity and enterprise, with brisk buying and new flotations. It causes very sharp, but often unsustained, rises and falls according to its aspects.
JUPITER--Jupiter rules tin, zinc, rubber. It brings expansion, new industries, prosperity, and its good aspects bring very high rises. Its bad aspects show selling for profit taking, and a fall in values. It may also indicate over-capitalization and over-production. Jupiter indicates the direction of speculative interest according to the sign it is in.
SATURN--Saturn rules lead, coal, mines, building, and conditions of labor. Its effect is to cause famines, failure of crops, political troubles, want, and unemployment. Its bad aspects produce great depression in prices, while its good ones steady the market.
URANUS--Uranus rules electrical concerns, aviation, telegraphs, and wireless. Its effect is to cause strikes, revolutions, and political upheavals, its aspects affect the Market thru political conditions. It causes sudden sharp fluctuations in accordance with its aspects.
NEPTUNE--Neptune rules drugs, narcotics, tea, tobacco, oil, and institutions such as hospitals, asylums, and prisons, as well as large syndicates and combines. Its affect is to produce socialistic, democratic, and anarchistic activity, and a condition of confusion or chaos in the affairs signified. In good aspect it inflates prices, often thru the action of rings and combines, and in bad aspects it depresses them thru the same agency.
Al aspects have a certain Orb, this is the distance in degrees which seems to be most favorable or unfavorable. I have noticed that when two or more Planets are within 12 degrees, they begin to have some effect, scarcely noticeable for a time, but as the aspect comes closer than 12 degrees, the market gets more active in the direction that the aspect indicates.
The conjunction, when two planets are within orb of the same degree, but as a rule, a planet is a little the strongest about one degree from the aspect, at its best when coming to the aspect and within one degree, but very apparent several degrees, at least five degrees away.
The Parallel aspect, when two planets are within One degree of the same Declination, is also about the same in strength as the conjunction.
The Opposition is the next strongest, when two or more planets are within orb of each other in opposite signs of the Zodiac.
The Square aspect next strongest when two or more planets are within orb of 90 degrees.
The Trine aspect, when two or more are within orb of 120 degrees.
The Sextile, when two or more are within orb of 60 degrees.
The Semi-Square, when two or more are within 4 or 5 degrees from 45 degrees.
The semi-sextile is a very weak aspect and not noticeable.
The 150 degree aspect also a somewhat weak aspect.
The conjunction of the Sun, Venus, Jupiter are good aspects.
The conjunction of Moon, Venus and Jupiter are good aspects
The Sextile and Trine are good between all planets.
The Opposition is a bad aspect, and always bad, except when with Neutral planets, which have a good aspect.
The Square is a bad aspect, except when it has also a good aspect combination with a Nuetral planet.
Neptune, Uranus and Moon are Neutral, also Mercury at times.
The Conjunction Square and Opposition are active aspects, the Square aspect the most active, the Opposition is a steady, slow at times, bad aspect.
The Sun aspects are slightly good or bad according to the nature of them, but much depends on the aspects between the other planets. If the Sun comes to a good aspect of Jupiter, it favors slight advance, possibly one or two points, and a bad aspect a like effect downward, but if the planet aspected has a close good aspect to another, the advance may be several points, or a close bad aspect several points down.
The Moon aspects depend on the aspects of the Sun; If the Sun has close good aspect, the good aspects of the Moon, when within five or less degrees of the aspects will be quite strong for advances, and a bad aspect of the Moon to an unfavorable aspect is only slightly weak, but if the Sun be in a close bad aspect to Saturn, or Uranus, the good aspects of the Moon have little if any strength, and the bad aspects may be quite strong to cause breaks.
If the Sun be a good aspect to Jupiter and it closely aspected to Uranus by a Trine or Sextile, then any aspect of the Moon to Jupiter or Uranus, good or bad aspects may cause more or less advance, although there may be antagonism and the market scalpy.
Mars aspects are often slightly good, but if a good aspect of Mars and Jupiter or Mars and Saturn, then a good aspect to Mars by the Moon or Mercury advances the market, and bad aspects of the Moon to Mars not bad.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Stock Market Comments for the Week Beginning April 21, 2008
The majority of world stock markets ended their corrective decline early Monday, and then soared to their weekly highs on Friday. This was right in line with one of the two basic patterns described last week, based on the principles of Financial Astrology. As stated in last week’s column, “There are no major geocosmic signatures in effect this coming week that have a high correlation to reversals in financial markets… This means one of two things: either the move down that started last week will continue into the following week, or the move down ended Friday (April 11) and the market will start another rally immediately this week, and continue rising into the following week.” It looks very much like this later pattern was –and is still - operative.
In Asia and the Pacific Rim, the four markets we track made their weekly low on Monday. In the case of Australia’s All Ordinaries, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, and the Japanese Nikkei stock indices, each put in their high of the week on Thursday. But none sold off much on Friday. In India, the NIFTY stock index also made a weekly low on Monday, but continued rising into Friday. Of all these indices, India’s again looks the strongest headed into the new week.
In Europe, the pattern was similar. Each of the four indices we track made weekly lows on Monday. In the case of the London FTSE index, the weekly high unfolded Wednesday, but Friday was not that far off. In the other three indices – Netherlands AEX, Germany’s DAX, and Switzerland’s SMI index - the high of the week was not until Friday. They are all pointed up heading into next week’s powerful cluster of geocosmic signatures.
The U.S. stock markets performed slightly different. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the NASDAQ Composite bottomed early Tuesday (instead of Monday), and then soared to their highest levels of the year on Friday’s huge up day. It is looking more and more like that low of January 22 in the DJIA was the 4-year cycle trough.
In other financial and commodity markets, the Euro currency made yet another new all-time high on Thursday, while Crude Oil closed well above $116/barrel for the first time ever on Friday. The Euro started a sell-off after that high on Thursday, and I still expect Crude Oil to top out by the end of May (Jupiter sextile Uranus), and then begin a decline that could surprise many people. If it doesn‘t, it will surprise me. And isn‘t Uranus known for surprises? In this case, the surprise would pertain to the greater number of people, and not to me, the individual.
Short-Term Geocosmics
This forthcoming week is one of the most intense weeks of geocosmic activity this year.
After the Sun enters Taurus this Saturday, April 19, there are six major aspects between planets the following four days. It starts with the Sun making a grand trine to Saturn and Pluto on April 20-21, which could coincide with news that an agreement has been reached (or proposed) to resolve the sub-prime debt crisis. The feeling that “the worst is behind us” may be on the increase. Friday’s big up day in the stock market is a step in that direction, and it might continue to lead to higher equity levels as we start the new week.
On Tuesday, April 22, Mars will form a waxing trine to Uranus. This is a powerful Level 1 signature, according to our work published in “The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, Volume 3: Geocosmic Correlations to Trading Cycles.” It has a 70% correlation to primary cycles within an orb of 12 trading days. And then on Wednesday and Thursday (April 23-24), Venus will form a cardinal T-square to the Mars-Jupiter opposition. On a personal level, this can correlate with big attractions and/or disputes in love. It is sort of like falling in – and then out – of love. On a Financial Astrology level, this can correlate with a big price swings in the equity markets. It is sort of like falling in – and then out – of love for your portfolio (or broker).
On top of all that, we will go through another Sagittarius Factor period (Moon is Sagittarius) Tuesday-Thursday. This typically is a lunar phase that can correspond to be very large price swings as well, especially when Mars, Jupiter, or Uranus aspects are involved. And as you see, they are involved with one another in the middle of this week. Just watch out who you are involved with this week! Everything (or someone) looks good. But are you ready for the ride of your life? Use your brakes, your clutch, and whatever other means of support you have at your disposal if you don’t want to overshoot the “Cliff Up Ahead!” sign. Ah, spring.
Longer-Term Thoughts
There is another primary election taking place this week, on April 22, in Pennsylvania. The Moon is in Scorpio that day, which would seem to give an advantage to Hillary Clinton. But despite the results of that primary, Mundane Astrologers are going to have a difficult time successfully forecasting the victor of this year’s USA Presidential race. Oh, I am certain that after the election is over, many will loudly announce their correct call of this election. But I can honestly say that right now, I still can’t tell who will be the next President based on astrology alone.
I look at the transits of that day, and like every other Mundane and Financial Astrologer, I see the first passage of the Saturn-Uranus opposition. But what does it mean? It certainly means a new course, a new direction of leadership with anything that is decided around that time. On the surface, that would seem to mean a Democrat will win, for isn’t John McCain (the Republican candidate) suppose to be the same direction as George W. Bush? Well, yes, and maybe no.
If we think of Saturn and Uranus as the opposite ends of the spectrum between the old (Saturn) and the new (Uranus), the liberal (Uranus) and conservative (Saturn), experience (Saturn) versus someone who is perceived as original and not so experienced (Uranus), we can see a choice in which the candidates are truly different this time. There is a clear distinction between the two sides. But which one wins? Saturn or Uranus?
There are five passages of this aspect between November 4, 2008 and July 26, 2010. On this first passage, the Moon and Jupiter will be in Capricorn, the sign that Saturn has dominion over. This would seem to suggest that the Saturn principles (old, conservative, and experienced) would prevail. But on the other hand, Saturn in opposition to Uranus also implies many surprises still be in store for the nation - for the world - going right into the election. Perhaps Saturn is highlighted because it is being “hit” in a candidate’s chart and (s)he has a change of status in life even nearby to the election. One might note that John McCain is a Virgo (August 29, 1936, 9:00 AM, Panama City, but this is not confirmed data). If he wins, he would be the oldest person ever to be elected to this office (72 years young). That certainly fits with Saturn being emphasized, especially with the Moon in Capricorn on Election Day. But Saturn is transiting through Virgo all year, and he is a Virgo. What can happen to someone who runs a grueling campaign, with Saturn on his Sun? It depends on his health and vitality of course, but Saturn on anyone’s Sun, let alone one who is already past 70 years of age, is not a time when one is advised to “push the limits” of what might be needed to conduct a successful campaign. I realize that some astrologers are reading this as a time when one takes on more responsibility in his/her life, and therefore he is the candidate to win because of this very condition of Saturn on his Sun. Perhaps. But he also has his natal Saturn at 20 Pisces, right where Uranus is passing back and forth all this year. And that natal Saturn is opposite his Venus-Neptune conjunct, with Venus ruling the probable ascendant (Libra). Transiting Saturn is there too, on his natal Venus-Neptune, opposite his natal Saturn). So this Saturn-Uranus opposition that is transiting in the heavens denotes sudden and unexpected changes along the way towards this election, towards the assumption of this office by next year. And it falls on very critical points to Senator McCain’s chart.
Can he win on the basis of Astrology? Yes, of course he can. In fact, on the basis of astrology alone, I would say McCain has the advantage. The Moon – Jupiter conjunction on Election Day implies the country does not want to make a change, and that they do want someone in the office who has experience and represents the idea of “safety to the nation.” It favors the older man, the one with more experience, in my way of looking at things.
But it could also be interpreted to favor Senators Clinton and Obama too, because they represent Uranus – especially Obama (youth). If the youth come out in large numbers, they could produce the classical theme of “change” (or upset) that goes with Uranus in opposition to Saturn. Or something else can happen along the way that derails the whole process, prior to January 20, when the new president is sworn in. And if that happens, you can be certain it would open up a whole new realm of conspiracy theories, especially if it means the current Administration has to stay in office beyond that date, which - after all – isn’t that what many conspiratorial theorists are suggesting anyway? It could happen, and it may not be the result of a dark conspiracy. Or, maybe it is. In any event, this signature promises one thing for certain: nothing is certain. Anything can happen with this election, and even right afterwards.
Fall of the Roman Empire
You have heard an expression that America is likes a Roman Empire.
Below you can read how connected the dots between what is going on now in our country and what reason Roman Empire had fallen.
It has a strong parallel between them. Read and THINK...
In his famous history, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, Gibbons outlined the major reasons for the fall of Rome:
- The government became increasingly controlled by the rich and the military
- Imperialistic militarism became the primary state policy, with increasing amounts of funds spent on armaments for foreign wars
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Patriotism declined as people lost their allegiance to the state
- The state imposed ever increasing taxes on the middle class
- Moral decay was evident as depicted in its literature, amusements, and lifestyles that often portrayed gratuitous sex and violence; there was a mad craze for pleasure, with sports becoming progressively more brutal
- As productivity declined, the Roman empire became more dependent on foreign products (globalism)
- A break-down in the labor force occurred as the traditional work ethic declined
- The infrastructure of the cities eroded and began a steady decay
- A balance of trade deficit began to occur in increasing volume
- The cost of government, including the military and welfare, became unbearably burdensome to the taxpayers
- Class economic warfare broke out between the rich and poor
- Parts of the empire were not taxed while others were overtaxed
- Christianity challenged the traditional Roman character traits and caused people to neglect the state as they concentrated on personal salvation; religion degenerated into mere form, losing touch with life and becoming impotent to guide it
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
The beginning of 2008 was the poorest start of a year in a long time, the financial markets were shattered violently and the stock markets dropped sharply. This has not really been a surprise, the danger of a January weakness was also mentioned in press interviews, e.g. in the December issue of Germany's leading market magazine "Börse online". The 'malefic' responsible for the timing of the turbulences is without doubt the dwarf planet Pluto, at the top of the page it's depicted with its main moon Charon. In Roman mythology Pluto is the lord of the realm of the dead and the lower world (Greek equivalent: Hades) and Charon the ferryman to the realm of the dead.
Pluto symbolizes death, rebirth, karma, power, transformation, intensity, war, trauma, fanaticism, the occult, the crowd, the collective. In a nutshell, Pluto is the principle of destruction and a malefic comparable to Saturn. The impact of Pluto often triggers painful events and crises, it brings the suppressed and archaic to the surface. This symbolic death planet was activated several times the past months, and you wonder how many skeletons are still hidden in the closet... Relating to the financial markets, Pluto rules these two markets:
(1) bonds, obligations: this is also the link to the subprime crisis
(2) natural resources in general but especially the strategic/ war-affine commodities gold and oil: from a historical perspective, gold is the traditional 'metal of violence' being the cause for many wars; oil is the most important reason to start a war in newer history, already WW1 had a strong oil background as the excellent analyst and best-selling author William Engdahl writes (http://www.plutobooks.com/cgi-local/nplutobrows.pl?chkisbn=9780745323091&main=&second=&third=, see also http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7529).
In general, there are three times when a planet is very powerful and dominating the world for some time, the window is +/- a few years:
(1) A planet is most dominant when it's discovered: this is a unique event, so it's most extra-ordinary.
Pluto was discovered in early 1930 when the world economy was at the beginning of the most severe depression in the history of capitalism. At the same time dictatorships and especially fascism were gaining ground very fast in the late 1920ies and 1930ies (dictatorships & fascism are Pluto's 'preferred' political systems). The US banning gold in 1933/34 (until 1975) also marked the victory of the conspiracy of the illuminati/ high finance over democracy, since that year one has to label the US rather a plutocracy than a democracy. Wikipedia offers the following definition for plutocracy: "Plutocracy is a government controlled by that minuscule percentage of extremely wealthy individuals found in most societies." On the scientific level the most destructive invention in human history was made in the 1930ies: the atomic bomb (the idea was born in 1933, Leó Szilárd's patent in 1934). So the Pluto principle of destruction can be easily found on all levels: economic, political, scientific.
There is a special case that never happened before 2006: in August 2006 Pluto lost its status as a normal planet and was re-classified as a dwarf planet. This happened, by the way, almost exactly 76.6-years (37 x 108 weeks) after its discovery. In the spring of 2006 I found out that we are repeating history with a cycle of 76.6 years and this Pluto event did fit almost magically.[1]
So what are the parallels between 1930ff and 2007ff? Certainly more than you would guess (and probably wish). In both cases we are at the beginning of world-wide depression that evolved deflationary in the 1930ies (the natural outcome) but today's 100% fiat money system should end in a hyperinflation. In the past year we witnessed events and indicator readings that haven't recorded seen since the 1930ies (e.g. see http://www.shadowstats.com/article/265). Even very specific events are repeating, too, both the crisis in the 1930ies and today started with a collapse of an Austrian bank with the headquarters in Vienna, Austria (Vienna is considered to be the heart chakra of Europe, i.e. the subtle center of the continent, which explains its central role):
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In May 1931 the Creditanstalt declared bankruptcy, the largest bank default by that time.[2]
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In May 2006 (almost exactly 76.6 years after the stock market crash of October 1929) the Austrian BAWAG would have gone bankrupt without a government bail-out, after Refco (2nd largest corporate scandal in history) had filed for chapter 11. BAWAG and Refco had close ties.
On the political level both around 1930 and 2007 there was/ is a rapid increase of fascist sentiment trying to abolish civil rights, today mostly represented by the Bush regime since 2001. The usual strategy is that governments abuse inside jobs initiated by themselves (the Reichstag fire respectively 9/11) as an excuse to cut civil rights and abolish democratic rights. The warmongers call the shots, the propaganda (both on the economic and political level) is getting more and more ridiculous. Naomi Wolf describes the typical model how democracies are transformed into dictatorships: "Fascist America, in 10 easy steps."[3]
In the 1930ies there was a racist Jew-baiting, today the agitation is mainly against the Muslims, which can be explained with the different sign placements of Pluto: in 1930 Pluto was in Cancer, the sign Cancer presents home (land) and the genetic roots while Pluto in Sagittarius the past years is the symbol for belief and religion. In the 1930ies the nuclear bomb was invented, today the US are threatening to nuke Iran. And as Warren Buffett already said: the US$ 516 trillion OTC derivatives (notional value) are today's weapons of financial mass destruction.[4]
Uranus, the planet of liberation, revolution and inventions, was discovered in 1781, what happened during this time if you give or take some years? The dollar was created in 1775, 1776 is usually accepted as the beginning of capitalism and in this year the US started their independence war.[6] As a matter of fact, Uranus is the principle of the free market economy because the only factor that creates real wealth over the long haul are innovations. The Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter coined the phrase "creative destruction by the free entrepreneur". The political orientation of Uranus is free democracy.
Neptune was discovered in 1846 during the time of romanticism. In 1848 Karl Marx published the "Communist Manifesto", the political ideology of Marxism based on nothing but illusions is very Neptunian indeed. Communism was/ is governed by the Saturn-Neptune cycle. The political system ("New World Order") aimed by the political elite (illuminati) is a combination of Neptune (communism) and Pluto (dictatorship, full control). For instance, the EU commission is but a copy of the structure of the Politburo of the Soviet era, which of course allows interesting conclusions...
(2) A planet is also powerful when it's aspecting the Galactic Center (GC) at 27° Sagittarius, the conjunction (0°) is the strongest activation: the transits of the slow planets (Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) over the Galactic Center in the past half century have always triggered a kind of a crisis.
The conjunction of Pluto and the GC happens every 248 years, the last instance was in late 2007. As a matter of fact, the first time I wrote about this coming key event was 2001 (http://www.amanita.at/e/reading/01/e-0103-galactic.htm, http://www.amanita.at/e/reading/01/e-0104-galacticgold.htm). Pluto rules gold and oil, both markets have done extremely well over the past year. This constellation was fine-tuned by Venus passing over the GC on January 21, 2008, on this day the market appeared to have no bottom. The 2nd most important angle after the conjunction (0°) is the opposition (180°): in the early 1910ies Pluto was in late Gemini opposite to the GC in late Sag. This marked the one of the most perfidious crimes in history and the final victory of Plutocracy: the formation of the Fed - which is an unconstitutional institution and as 'Federal' as 'Federal Express'. Needless to say, in 1914 WW1 started. US president Woodrow Wilson who signed the Federal Reserve Act later admitted:
“I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated governments in the civilized world. No longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men.”
The founding fathers recognized the danger, e.g. president Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, warned:
"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
The 3rd most important angle after conjunction and opposition is the square (90°), Pluto squared the Galactic Center in 1970. 1971 was the year of the most momentous decision since Bretton Woods (1944) as US president Nixon closed the gold window. Therefore, we have a 100% fiat money system since 1971 and as a consequence the past 37 years have been more inflationary than the previous two thousand years combined...! Unrecognized by the public, the closing of the gold window in 1971 was a hidden state default of the US.
When the liquidity planet Neptune (named after the sea god in mythology) went over the Galactic Center in the early 1980es, we saw the inflation high (and bonds low) of the 20th century and the low of the stock markets (inflation-adjusted) of the 2nd half of the 20th century.
And when Uranus, the planet of volatility, surprise and invention, passed over the GC in 1987-88 we experienced the sharpest crash in history. The previous conjunction coincided with Einstein publishing the relativity theory in 1905, probably the biggest scientific breakthrough of the 20th century (Newton science is Saturn but the new paradigm is Uranus, e.g. chaos theory). Another effect of this transit was the bear market in 1906-07 that almost halved the Dow.
(3) And finally, a planet is potent when it's on the ecliptic which is the plane connecting sun and earth, then the planet is in conjunction with its own planetary node which happens twice each revolution (http://www.astrologyhoroscopes.info/planetnodes.htm2]).
Pluto's nodes are at 19° Cancer/ Capricorn, due to Pluto's orbital eccentricity this transit is not a regular event, it's approximately a 90/ 160 year alternation cycle. The last touch of the ecliptic were the early 1930ies around the discovery, so what was said above does apply here, too. The next conjunction of Pluto with its nodal axis is 2017-19, which can be expected to a time of maximum global destruction.
Neptune (node 11° Aquarius/ Leo) crosses the ecliptic every 82-83 years, the last time after WW1 when many countries suffered from a very high inflation and Germany even from an outright hyperinflation (ended in1923). Neptune is also ruling low immunity (it's the antagonist of Saturn that is ruling the immune system), the Spanish flu 1918-20 was the largest pandemic of the past centuries which killed 25-100 million people or about the same as the Black Death. In the past years Neptune also went over its node which explains why global inflation was never as high as in the 21st century (although the inflation numbers are heavily doctors in many countries, especially in the US).
Interestingly, at the time of their discovery Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were all rather close to the ecliptic which could suggest that points 1 and 3 are usually connected.
In the night of January 25th/ 26th Pluto entered the sign Capricorn where it stays until 2024. An interpretation rule independent from the sign is that the ingresses of the slow planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto frequently create instability in the 12-18 months before, i.e. when the planet is in the final degrees of a sign when it's often "void-of-course". Void-of-course periods do coincide with recessions and stock market lows. It's like manually changing gears when driving a car, you have to throttle when are in a 'void' for a short time. Without doubt, 2007 was characterized by a lot of instability, one of the many reasons being the ingress of Pluto into Capricorn in January 2008 - although this crisis window is now closed. Actually the remainder of the year 2008 is dominated by soft signatures suggesting the situation is calming down. 2008 should be very different than 2007 or 2009. 2009-11 is a double crisis window because both Uranus and Neptune are transiting the last degrees of a sign (then this window is closed until 2017-18). It's worth mentioning that the previous instability window was the 12-18 months before March 10, 2003, as on this day Uranus entered the sign Pisces. Needless to say that this window ushered in 9/11, a global recession and bear market and the start of the last war (Iraq war March 18, 2003).
The bottom line is that the last degrees of a sign require mankind to finish off with the past and this indeed was a dominant topic of the past year. A sign change as in late January 2008, however, brings in new energy, mankind is again able to focus on the future and new projects and not on the past. So it's no surprise that the first 1-3 years after a sign change (and partly longer) are commonly beneficial for the economy and politics.
What do the signs Sagittarius and Capricorn represent? The table below offers a comparison.
 Pluto in | Sagittarius 1995-2007 | Capricorn 2008-2024  |
| basic sentiment | happiness, hope, mania, optimism | cautious, fearful, defensive, pessimistic |
| basic tendency | expansion, growth, abundance | contraction, scarcity |
| symbolism | endowment (of life) with meaning, community, values, goal orientation, freedom, philosophy, religion | discipline, perseverance, steadiness, order, concentration, hard-nosed, karma, laws, norms, control, technology |
| economic/ business | free trade, globalization, free enterprise, dismantling trade barriers | restriction of economic freedom, (re-) nationalizations, prices fixed by the state and not by the markets, centrally planned economy, re-erection of trade barriers |
| economic confidence & tendency to take risks | high | low |
| role of the state | rather irrelevant, capitalism | dominant, decisive, planned economy |
| stock markets | manias & overvaluation | realistic to low valuations |
| political | political correctness/ "do-gooders", religious-philosophical topics dominate, terror by fundamentalists | discussion focused on absolutely necessary topics, restriction of freedom |
| challenge for companies | How can we sell into supersaturated markets? | How can we still produce in spite of the problems, limitations & bottlenecks (e.g. lack of commodities)? |
| sectors | global & multinational companies, luxury goods, export – import, sports goods, gambling, clothing (for men), wholesale, ethical investment, travel and transport (tourism, airlines), growth companies, consumer, services | blue chips, public administration & bureaucracy, industry (esp. heavy industry), construction, hardware, commodities, agriculture |
In 1994 the stock markets experienced the longest correction of the 80ies and 90ies and with the ingress of Pluto into Sag on 1/16/95 the real mania started: the Nasdaq 100 index rose from below 400 points in 1994 to almost 5000 points in 2000. Besides, the year 1995 marked the breakthrough of the internet as one key element of globalization.
One of the characteristics of the Saturn-ruled sign Capricorn is bureaucracy and planned economy. In 1989 the Eastern bloc collapsed under the very remarkable triple conjunction of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in the sign Capricorn. Uranus and especially Neptune dissolved the Capricorn structures. For world politics, 1989 was without doubt the most important year in the 2nd half of the 20th century due to the extra-ordinary constellations the events were foreseen by some astrologers albeit almost no one did pay attention because the end of communism of the Soviet Union seemed surreal to political observers without the necessary astrological background.
The market that is currently almost the only mechanism to set prices and distribute goods should be partly replaced in the coming 15-20 years by other means, e.g. coupons. In the past years some states have started to re-nationalize key industries. The privatizations of the past 20+ years have been touted as a 'progressive' policy but reality looks different: from a historical perspective, privatizations have been a means to avoid or at least postpone an approaching state default!
Viewed from the sun (heliocentric), Pluto enters Capricorn on 7/19/08, viewed from earth (geocentric) there are two ingresses due to the retrograde period, one at the beginning and one at the end of the year. The United States are for me a Sagittarius country while Capricorn is more associated with China which is the 2nd oldest state on the planet, after Egypt. So the transit of Pluto as the planet of power from Sag into Cap certainly paraphrases the ongoing power shift from the US to China. There are numerous signs that the US empire is crumbling.[8] Interestingly, two symbolic events happen near the sign change of Pluto in July 08: first, in June 08 Bill Gates, the founder of one of the most valuable US companies and the symbol of the American dream, is (semi-) retiring. Second, in August 08 the Olympic Games take place in China. Another key event could be the withdrawal of the US army from Iraq in fall 2008. And last but not least it's a nice synchronicity that PetroChina is replacing Exxon as the company with the highest market capitalization, both being oil companies (= Pluto).
The cycle of civilizations (rise & fall) is typically 220-240 years long, which approximately equals one revolution of Pluto (247 years) and is also close to a higher vibration of one Venus cycle (225 years).[5] The scarcity of raw materials is clearly on the horizon, in particular of the commodity #1 for the capitalistic society: oil. Robert Gover expects the most serious depression in the history of the US 2008-19, and I concur.[7] This should throw the nation back to the level of a 3rd world country, the country should also return to the isolationism policy of the 19th century. Politically you have to be prepared for an Orwellian police state during the Capricorn transit, this is a key element of the New World Order plans.
Saturn and the sign Capricorn have another traditional meaning: age. The revolution of Saturn of about 30 years is about the length of one generation. Is it just a coincidence that according to Harry Dent the West reaches the top of the generation cycle in 2008-9 with the ingress of Pluto (= the mass) into the sign Capricorn (= age), a long-term growth top?
Analyzing the sectors it's obvious that those industries that have profited most from globalization will also suffer the most. Tourism and transport (especially airlines) will have a hard time when oil is getting extremely expensive. Instead, the "dirty" sectors" (industry, commodities, agriculture) are favored by the global trends.
[6] Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" published in 1776 is usually taken as the start of capitalism; moreover, the illuminati were founded in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt in Ingolstadt, Germany
Stock MArket Comments for the Week Beginning April 7, 2008
Review and Preview
After ending a corrective decline last Monday, March 31, many of the world stock indices commenced one of their strongest rallies in a long time over the following two days. In some indices, the rally continued right into the end of the week. This behavior fits with well our Financial Astrology bias stated in last week’s column as follows: “One key may lie in the important Venus-Uranus conjunction of this past Friday, March 28. If that indeed acts as a reversal signature, it could lead to a rally, as the U.S. stock market has declined into it.” Later on, this same column ended with, “Another reason why stocks may reverse right here is because Jupiter is making its first of three sextiles to Uranus on March 28, the same day that Venus forms a conjunction to Uranus.” Bingo! After bottoming at 12,177 on Monday, the DJIA soared to close the week at 12,608, a gain of 391 points from the prior week’s close. The NASDAQ Composite had its low the prior Friday as Venus formed its conjunction to Uranus. That is noteworthy in the study of Financial Astrology because aspects to Uranus are relevant to technology companies. The NASDAQ is heavily weighted in tech stocks. For the week, this index was up 109 points.
In Europe, the pattern was similar. These markets ended their corrective decline on Monday, and all soared sharply higher the next two days, with the London FTSE and Netherlands AEX continuing their rallies right into the close on Friday, just like the NASDAQ Composite. But the German DAX and Swiss SMI indices topped out on Wednesday and then went sideways, just like the DJIA.
In the Pacific Rim and Far East, it was mostly similar to Europe and the U.S.A. Both the Australian All Ordinaries and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index were up all week, with a huge gap up day in the middle of the week. Japan’s Nikkei ended a modest corrective decline on Monday at 12,430, and then soared nearly 1000 points to its weekly high on Thursday. But in India, the NIFTY index was a little different. It topped out under the Venus-Uranus conjunction of the prior week, and then spent most of this past week trending down.
Precious metals and grains ended their sharp declines on Tuesday, and then promptly started impressive rallies right into the end of the week. During this rally, Corn prices soared to an all-time high. Of interest here is the fact that farmers announced they were increasing their plantings of Soybeans by 18% and Wheat by 6%, while decreasing their planting intentions of Corn. This is exactly in line with our forecasts made in this year’s Forecast Book as well as our past few issues of the “MMA Cycles Report.” As anticipated, this announcement caused Soybeans to fall sharply, down to $11.35/bushel in the July contract. Just a month ago it was trading above 15.80. Wheat also fell, but Corn soared. As stated in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal, “Stocks of corn before the new harvest could fall to a decades-long low of 636 million bushels, compared with 1.4 billion bushels currently. If corn usage remains unchanged and if yields are the same as last year, he (Terry Roggensack of the Hightower Report) says ‘we’ll run out of corn.’”
Short-Term Geocosmics
There are three signatures of importance this week. On April 6, Venus will ingress into Aries and form a waxing square to Pluto. On April 10, the Sun will form a waxing square to Jupiter. The Venus transit through Aries will last the entire month (April 30), and suggests new proposals (Aries) that could affect the value of currencies and treasuries (Venus and Pluto). We saw some of that last week when Treasury Secretary Paulsen introduced his idea of sweeping changes in the banking world, including increased powers for the Federal Reserve Board. This idea of increasing the powers of the FRB is in direct contradiction with my understanding of Pluto moving into Capricorn, and its relationship to the Sun-Pluto opposition in the FRB chart. For an astrological view of this transit over the next three years to the Federal Reserve Board, and its implications concerning lessening of powers (not increase), please check the article that appears on our website at http://www.mmacycles.com/articles/articles/pluto-in-capricorn/. Not surprisingly, the investment community reacted as if Paulsen’s plan was “dead in the water” already.
The two aspects – Venus square Pluto and Sun square Jupiter - are rather powerful signatures. Both have a nearly 80% correlation to 4% or greater price reversals within four trading days, according to our studies reported in “The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, Volume 3: Geocosmic Correlations to Trading Cycles.” This week could be a little bit wild, especially since Jupiter alone represents the principle of exaggeration. A quick 200-400 point down day in the DJIA is within the realm of possibility sometime this week. However, that does not negate the possibility that a new 4-year cycle is in force. That won’t be negated until the DJIA falls back below the 11,634 low of January 22.
Longer-Term Thoughts
The Labor Department’s employment report of Friday, April 4, showed a decrease of 80,000 jobs last month, the biggest monthly decline in several years. Of course this immediately prompted further proclamations that the U.S. economy is already in the midst of recession, a claim that spurred the dramatic sell off in world-wide equities just two-three weeks ago. Our column of the past two weeks alluded to this reminder, as it stated, “With Pluto turning retrograde April 2, followed by Venus in a square aspect to Pluto on April 8 (should be April 6-7), we have to be aware that the forecasts of a great and miraculous recovery may also be pre-mature.”
But what about a recession? Are we in a full-fledged recession? Will it be a deep one, or is this just mild and temporary? What does Financial Astrology say? For this year, and especially the next two months, the long-term geocosmic signatures are favorable, according to principles of modern-day astrology. That is, there are important trine (120 degree) relationships in effect between Jupiter and Saturn, as well as Saturn and Pluto. And, as mentioned last week, Jupiter has also now begun its first of three favorable sextile (60 degree) aspects that will last into November. Modern-day astrology, applied to the field of market timing, hypothesizes that such favorable aspects are ultimately favorable for the economy and equity markets.
However, we also discussed the idea that traditional astrology might have another viewpoint. Here, it is not planets in aspect that are so important, but rather planets in signs that are more important. In this regard we note that both Jupiter and Saturn are in earth signs (Capricorn and Virgo respectively), and earth signs have more a contracting quality. Thus the economy and stock markets might not perform so well with these placements. In my opinion, I think it is a combination of both these principles at work. The planet-sign relationships may coincide with the constriction we have experienced in regards to economic growth and stock market behavior so far. But the favorable aspects have also limited the amount of downside activity too. The economy and stock markets may not be so bullish right now, but they aren’t falling hard either. For the amount of fear witnessed in the world investment community in March, these economies and equity markets have held up pretty well. The fear was great, but the fear has yet to materialize into anything near the degree to which many analysts predicted.
Yet it is interesting to note the similarity between the last instance of the 29-year cycle of Saturn in Virgo, to this current time. (Virgo, by the way, represents "the work force," and Saturn represents "contraction"). The last time Saturn was in Virgo occurred from November 1977 through September 1980. You may remember in the United States, this was a time of sharply rising prices (inflation), when precious metals soared to historic highs. But it led to an economic recession and sluggish stock prices. They called it “stagflation.” And here we are again, with Saturn in Virgo, September 2007 through October 2009. Commodity prices are soaring, and Gold recently passed $1000/oz for the first time ever. Yet the economy and stock markets are struggling, and the ‘R’ word is being bandied about loosely. Back then, President Jimmy Carter forbid the use of the ‘R’ word, preferring instead to refer to the economy as “bananas.” I wonder what words today’s administration will use to address the state of the economy. Maybe peanuts?
