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Pluto Brings Control of Financial Markets
NewsScope; August 13, 2007. Last Thursday, France's largest bank halted trade on its securities because it couldn't place a value on its funds, which were heavily invested in the American subprime mortgage market. The move triggered panic selling in the global stock markets, including the Dow, which fell 380 points. Friday, order was at least temporarily restored following concerted action from the world's largest central banks.
One way to track the current credit crisis is through the Federal Reserve horoscope (December 23, 1913; 6:02 pm; Washington, D.C.). This chart features 18º Cancer Rising, with a hyper-defensive Mars in Cancer right on the Ascendant. Transiting Uranus at 18º Pisces has been forming a trine to the Fed's Ascendant as it also squares natal Venus, the natural ruler of money.
The presence of Uranus in this celestial equation invokes the crisis atmosphere, but the favorable trine to the Ascendant infers that Chairman Bernanke, as the lender of last resort, can manage the problem. However, astrologers can see from this chart that when transiting Pluto enters Capricorn next January, it hits the Fed's Sun-Pluto opposition, and squares the Aries Midheaven.
Pluto Brings Control of Financial Markets
NewsScope; August 13, 2007
Last Thursday, France's largest bank halted trade on its securities because it couldn't place a value on its funds, which were heavily
Danger Signals
for the Economy
NewsScope; March 3, 2008. A flurry of negative economic reports sent the Dow down over 300 points last Friday, evoking grudging
NewsScope; January 21, 2008.The economy is now the number-one concern of voters across America, as worsening financial news pushed the stock markets down and inspired the Bush administration to propose a major tax rebate to stimulate consumer spending. Citicorp and Merrill Lynch wrote off huge losses, while General Motors announced incentives to lure 46,000 workers into early retirement, and the housing market continued to slump.
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moreHousing Market: Bubble or Soft-Landing?
NewsScope; September 2, 2006. The long-anticipated end of the housing market boom is now shaping up, as
invested in the American subprime mortgage market. The move triggered panic selling in the global stock markets, including the Dow, which fell 380 points. Friday, order was at least temporarily restored following concerted action from the world's largest central banks. The Fed's horoscope
The Fed's horoscope
the number of unsold new homes has reached a ten-year high. Over the last five years, housing prices have soared at double-digit rates annually, but this year, prices have been flat. Economists are generally predicting a "soft-landing", while others see a bursting bubble leading into an economic recession or even crash. Find out how Saturn and Neptune marked the end of the boom: continued
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The Over-Leveraged Economy
NewsScope; January 21, 2008. The sub-prime mortgage fiasco is widely blamed for most of the bad news. As described here recently, the mortgage problems evolved out of the Saturn-Neptune opposition, with transiting Neptune in the U.S. fourth house of real estate. Neptune (when afflicted by Saturn) can inspire fraud, deception, and unrealistic hopes, and which led to expectations that the housing bubble would continue expanding forever.
Transiting Mars is currently in the U.S. eighth house of mortgages, financial incentives, and banking institutions, where it's in a severe opposition to transiting Pluto. In financial astrology, Mars is often
associated with cuts, which is the current modus operandi for the affected corporations. Mars turns direct on January 28, when the Fed meets next, and when we can expect an unusual ½ point cut in the fed fund rate.
Mars completes its opposition to Pluto on March 6, so between then and now, we can expect a variety of cost-cutting measures to come out of corporate America. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress last week that he sees no recession on the horizon, but then he doesn't see the transiting Saturn-Uranus opposition later this year hitting the U.S. eighth house Mars, which means even deeper and more severe cuts. Factor in Pluto's pending opposition to the U.S. Venus, and the financial picture looks tempestuous.
The drama continues with some astrological perspectives below:
admissions from previously upbeat forecasters that the recession scenario is looking more credible. However, an ordinary recession would be a best-case scenario considering that transiting Pluto is heading into an opposition to the U.S. Venus and Jupiter, which are located in the 8th house of credit and banking.read more
read more.
Jupiter and Pluto in Early Capricorn
NewsScope; December 17, 2007.Jupiter is leading the way for Pluto's entrance into Capricorn on January 25, 2008. While Jupiter will be in this sign of government and institutions for only one year, Pluto remains until 2024. What Jupiter and Pluto have in common – and therefore what will be most impacted by their combined cycles – is an influence over financial matters, with Jupiter-Pluto symbolizing the growing power of the "plutocracy".
Danger Signals for the Economy
NewsScope; March 3, 2008. As described recently in NewsScope, Pluto's transit through the U.S. second house and opposing natal Venus and Jupiter carries a high probability of a major recession. A number of economists are already comparing the current credit crunch and market formations with the 1973-74 collapse, which unfolded the last time transiting Pluto made a hard aspect to the U.S. Venus and Jupiter.
During the 1907 crash, transiting and progressed Juno were conjunct each other at 25º Scorpio. In the '29 crash, transiting and progressed Juno were once again conjunct at 3º Sagittarius. This astro-event only happens once every four years, and if Pluto and other outer planets suggest financial collapse, then this combination could activate it. Pluto is probably not yet a critical factor, but the next time transiting and progressed Juno will be conjunct is March 20.
Pluto was prominently conjunct the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant during the October 1987 market crash. During the Panic of 1907 (set for October 24), transiting Pluto was in the U.S. 8th house and exactly opposite the progressed U.S. Midheaven. In the Crash of '29, Pluto's role was more subtle, as it squared natal Juno in the 12th house of self-undoing.
Curiously, this little asteroid can trigger historic market crashes.
The Over-Leveraged Economy
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Jupiter Rekindles Hope and Faith
NewsScope; July 3, 2006. Last week, Warren Buffett made the surprise announcement that he would give 85 percent of his wealth to The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. With some $44 billion at his disposal, Buffett's phenomenal philanthropic gesture amounts to the largest charitable donation in history. He explained that he agrees with the Gates' mission and likes their track record.
The first slice of $1.5 billion arrives now, right as transiting Jupiter – the planet of gifts and benefits – turns direct on the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant. As forecast over the last several weeks in this column, Jupiter here was bound to bring renewed enthusiasm, benefits, and a brighter outlook. However, only those who use the Scorpio Rising U.S. horoscope (July 4, 1776; 2:21 pm; Philadelphia) would be able to see this.
Jupiter turns direct once a year, but on July 5, 2006, it turned direct while conjunct the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant. This rare and extremely beneficial astro-event triggered an immediate and enduring bull market, lasting until the subprime mortgage crisis kicked in.
As Jupiter turns direct, it happens to be exactly octile Pluto, which is transiting through the nation's second house of money. Pluto, traditionally associated with fabulous wealth, presents Jupiter's gift as actual money. Following the regenerational nature of Pluto, Buffett's plan is to give five percent of his Berkshire-Hathaway holdings each year. If his stock value increases annually by at least five percent, then the donation process could go on indefinitely.
In the algebra of astrology, Jupiter's association with legal affairs also presented an historic Supreme Court decision on Guantanamo detainees. Jupiter's current position is modified by a square to transiting Chiron, which as forecast last week, creates events concerning military justice. As Buffett and Gates team up and the Supreme Court weighs in, U.S. citizens can feel a rekindled hope for American values and ideals, as befits the power of Jupiter turning direct on the nation's Ascendant.
The last time Pluto entered a cardinal sign was in 1971, when President Nixon initiated unprecedented government controls over the economy, including the elimination of the gold standard and the implementation of a wage and price freeze. In financial terms, Pluto entering Capricorn might represent a major tightening of credit, a process which has already begun. Next year, when Pluto hits the Fed's vital points, we can expect extreme measures to control the unstable financial and mortgage markets.
In the U.S. horoscope, Venus and Jupiter reside in the early degrees of Cancer, and so they will be the first planets transformed by this Jupiter-Pluto one-two punch. In the Scorpio Rising chart, Venus and Jupiter reside in the eighth house of capitalism, where they represent the financial power of the banks, investment and insurance companies, and the institutions that own the sub-prime mortgages.
Pluto's more calamitous potential in this degree area lasts through 2011, and gives credence to those who suspect that the sub-prime mortgage fiasco is only the tip of the iceberg. The last time Pluto formed a hard aspect to the U.S. Venus-Jupiter was in 1972-75 when oil prices quadrupled. Americans experienced a recession then, and will most likely experience another one soon. One might also expect major consolidation among the leading financial corporations.
The Astrology of the Credit Crunch
Financial astrology is a difficult branch of the celestial arts, with a variety of complex techniques available to make forecasts. A common approach is to use planetary cycles as markers of troughs and peaks. Another approach is to track national economic trends using the national horoscope, which is the method used here.
As a primary example of the power of the Scorpio Rising horoscope in action, see what happened when Jupiter turned direct right on the Ascendant. Then, you'll know what to expect when transiting Pluto opposes the U.S. Venus and Jupiter in the eighth house of banks and credit. Click here for more info on the Scorpio Rising U.S. chart.Housing Market: Bubble or Soft-Landing?
NewsScope; September 2, 2006. The long-anticipated end of the housing market boom is now shaping up, as the number of unsold new homes has reached a ten-year high. Over the last five years, housing prices have soared at double-digit rates annually, but this year, prices have been flat. Economists are generally predicting a "soft-landing", while others see a bursting bubble leading into an economic recession or even crash.
Many astrologers predicted that Saturn's passage through Cancer, the sign of home and housing, would bring the real estate market to a screeching halt. Saturn's transit through Cancer ended over a year ago without the market missing a beat, though perhaps it did contribute to a lot of worry. One problem with this prediction was that Saturn in Cancer was not seriously challenged by any other outer planets.
Another problem was that the sign describes psychological traits or expressions, while the national horoscope's houses tell us exactly where events take place. Using the Scorpio Rising chart, transiting Neptune is currently in the fourth house, the house associated with the domestic real estate market. Neptune here has fostered speculation and unreasonable growth, but now that transiting Saturn is opposing this Neptune, the reality factor kicks in.
A complicating dynamic is Pluto's transit through the U.S. second house of money. Pluto is now turning direct and heading for the mysterious and powerful Galactic Center, which might easily translate into an economic disaster.
Another factor is that the U.S. progressed Mars is turning retrograde, which signifies a withdrawal of energy and drive. We can see this clearly in America's involvement with Iraq, but it may also be associated with the real estate boom.
Getting an astrological handle on the mortgage crisis necessitates having an accurate U.S. horoscope. The angular Jupiter station (see below) triggered the boom, while the angular Saturn-Neptune opposition (right) activated the collapse. Transiting Pluto opposite the U.S. eighth house Venus is bringing the credit crunch. For more on the U.S. horoscope, see Scorpio Rising or Political Astrology
