Wall Street Weather

Published by WallStreetWeather.net

Dear Readers: I went overboard with this post which rivals a mini eBook on the cycle of Venus, Venus in Gemini, Venus retrograde and the historic June 5-6, 2012 Transit of Venus in relationship to market cycles. There are subsections on the Fed, ECB, Greece, and key elections. In the spirit of Venus in Gemini, I thought about breaking up the post into two parts, but the Venus/Neptune influence seemed better suited for one continuous flow connecting the Venus cycle to the outer planet cycles. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Deborah :-)

Women comprise half of Earth’s population yet Venus is the only planet named after a goddess and her symbol represents women. I choose to interpret this to mean Venus is very special as only a goddess is capable of being entrusted with the most precious and beautiful energies life has to offer: LOVE, prosperity, beauty, and harmony. No other planetary energy embodies these qualities but Venus who appears as the brightest and most beautiful “star” in the sky!

The Twin Currencies of Venus
Venus is the planetary ruler of money and banking. Venus’s twin currencies of love and money are the primary energies used to assess self-worth, net worth, values and valuations. Central banks will reach the limit to how much money printing they can do, yet every individual can generate an unlimited amount of LOVE! Unlike a central bank, an individual can maintain a highly accommodative love policy for an indefinite period of time! Our biggest problem is a deficit of love and cooperation. Each individual can choose to be part of the solution.

Venus rules two signs – Taurus and Libra. The TAURUS side of Venus works to accumulate assets to provide financial security and physical comfort. Taurus is nature in the full bloom of spring; Libra is the beauty of fall colors and crisp autumn air. The LIBRA side of Venus is the bridge that brings people together. Libra rules all types of relationships: alliances, collaborations, partnerships (romantic/marriage, business/professional, financial counterparties).

Although I do not work directly with these methodologies, Elliott Wavers and Fibonacci fans reading this will recognize the 1.6 ratio at play here.

Conjunctions represent a new beginning, and the Venus cycle begins when Venus retrograde conjoins the Sun. (The current Venus cycle began on October 28, 2010; the next one begins on June 5, 2012.) This is when Venus is at its closest distance to Earth and is “banking” the Sun’s energy. Around 8 days after their union, Venus appears as a morning “star” rising ahead of the Sun. The dawn of a new day represents a new beginning as the rising Sun ascends in the sky. This period resonates to the Taurus side of Venus working to accumulate assets. Taurus is symbolized by the bull, and the stock market has a tendency to peak each year during the morning phase of Venus. (Venus last appeared in the morning sky November 4, 2010 – July 11, 2011; Venus will be in the morning sky June 12, 2012 – February 16, 2013).

The June 5 Venus/Sun conjunction is particularly important as Venus will “eclipse” the Sun, the second Venus Transit that began with the current 8 year Venus in Gemini retrograde cycle in 2004. Examining the past 8 year cycle, prior Venus retrograde in Gemini cycles, and two watershed market years will illustrate how the Venus cycle works before moving on to exploring the energies of the Venus in Gemini retrograde period and the birth of two new Venus cycles.

2012 Connects to 1932 and 1964:
1929:
April 20: Venus retrograde conjoined the Sun in Aries. The market’s historic peak on September 3 and Crash that began on October 24 occurred while Venus was a morning star (April 25 – December 26). Due to the dualistic characteristics of Venus, it is not uncommon for the market to reach its high AND low for the year when Venus is a morning star. (Jupiter was in Gemini during this time period and will be again from June 11, 2012 - June 27, 2013.)

1932:
June 28: Venus retrograde conjoined the Sun in Cancer. Venus was a morning star Jul 4, 1932 – March 13, 1933.

This is an example of when Venus in the morning sky did not correlate to the market’s high for the year. After reaching its high on March 8, 1932, the market began declining until bottoming to a historic low on July 8 - an almost 90% decline from the September 3, 1929 top. UNDERLINE: Years when the market high does not occur when Venus is in the morning sky usually indicates the presence of other major planetary alignments. A decline during the morning star phase of Venus can signal the market is headed for a serious fall.

April 21, 1932 marked the start of the first of five exact squares between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Cancer through January 1934. These energies described extreme economic shocks on a massive scale which necessitated the need for reforms to help transform conditions by creating greater economic security. (Social Security, insurance on bank deposits, public works programs, and the Glass-Steagall Act being a few examples.)

For the first time since the Great Depression, Uranus is once again in Aries and Pluto is in opposite sign Capricorn as the two planets make a series of seven exact squares beginning on June 24 until March 2015. 

Although Venus stationed retrograde in Cancer and the new Venus cycle began in that sign, Venus stationed direct in GEMINI on July 20, 1932. The direct station occurred at the same degree as the June 19, 2012 Gemini New Moon (which in true Gemini fashion will be the second Gemini New Moon in a month). This was also the same degree as the June 20, 1964 Venus/Sun conjunction which was the birth of the current Venus retrograde/Sun conjunctions in Gemini during contemporary times.

The alignments of Uranus and Pluto connect to both of those time periods to now. Uranus and Pluto were in the last stage of their cycle in the 1930s. A new cycle began during the mid-1960s when Uranus and Pluto conjoined in Mercury-ruled Virgo. Now Uranus and Pluto are in the crisis phase of their cycle. Shocks will occur to instigate mass action to transform outmoded economic and societal structures.

While the energies of the Uranus/Pluto square does not necessarily mean the market will experience a crash or decline to levels below the March 2009 bottom (which as we will see occurred the day Venus stationed retrograde in Aries), at a minimum it indicates heightened volatility with sudden and sharp spikes that quickly break through support and resistance levels. The dominant direction (if there is one since Uranus is such an erratic and unpredictable energy) is subject to unexpectedly powerful reversals. As powerful people, corporations, governments, and institutions start falling from their exalted perch of Capricorn’s mountaintop as the public wakes up to what’s really going on, it is likely the 2012 low has yet to occur.

2012 Presidential Election:
The Venus retrograde/Sun conjunction in Gemini every 8 years since 1964 have mostly occurred during presidential election years (1972, 1980, 1988, 1996, 2004). With the exception of the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, either the incumbent or his political party has been re-elected during the years that Venus has been retrograde in Gemini since 1964.(2) (I am referring to the 1988 election when Reagan’s Vice President George Bush Sr. was elected; LBJ was elected in 1964 after serving out JFK’s remaining term.) The Venus cycle combined with the last two Uranus/Pluto cycles taking place under the leadership of Democratic presidents who implemented reforms that expanded the social safety net and civil rights, is further confirmation that Barack Obama will be re-elected President.

The market highs during those years when Venus retrograde conjoined the Sun in Gemini occurred during the period when Venus was a morning star.

The 8 Year Venus in Gemini Cycle: 2004-2012
Now let’s look at the 5-pointed star that Venus has created during the 8 years since Venus was last retrograde in Gemini in 2004.

As the center of our solar system, the Sun represents leaders and Venus rules money and banking. As you will see, key time periods during the Venus cycle can correspond to changes in central bank policy.

2004:
The current 8 year cycle began in 2004 when Venus entered Gemini on April 3. The market declined into and formed a low at the May 17 retrograde station and then began moving higher, reaching an intermediate peak when Venus conjoined the Sun in a historic Transit on June 8, 2004. (See the section on “The June 5-6 Transit of Venus” further below.) The market was lower when Venus turned direct June 29 than when Venus entered Gemini on April 3.

Aptly reflecting the dualistic nature of Venus in Gemini, both the low (October 25) and high (December 28) for 2004 occurred while Venus was a morning star.

The Fed raised interest rates 25 bps to 1.25% on June 30, the day after Venus turned direct. The Fed had kept interest rates at 1% since June 25, 2003 which was their first meeting after Saturn the planetary energy of contractions and limits, entered Cancer (real estate) on June 3. Ultra low interest rates were the foundation that fueled the housing and credit bubbles (Uranus entered Pisces on March 10, 2003 a sign that the housing and credit bubble would ultimately burst.)
2006:
Venus stationed retrograde December 24, 2005, and the market peaked two days before the Venus retrograde/Sun conjunction January 13, 2006 in Capricorn. The Venus/Sun alignment conjoined the Fed’s natal Jupiter and the USA Pluto in Capricorn. The Fed was slowly raising rates 25 bps at a time (4.50% at the time), while Wall Street bonuses hit record highs mostly due to M&A activity. Capricorn represents structural issues; hairline cracks were starting to appear in the foundation of the housing boom.

2007/2008:
Subprime mortgages began to hit the fan as world leaders and much of Wall St. was enjoying summer vacation as Venus stationed retrograde July 27. Interbank liquidity began to dry up, prompting the Fed, ECB, and other central banks to inject billions of liquidity to support the global financial system. As Venus conjoined the Sun in Leo on August 17, the Fed lowered the discount rate 50 bps to 5.75%. Venus stationed direct September 18; the Fed lowered interest rates 25 bps to 4.75%. Wall Street’s party was not quite over yet as Venus was a morning star from August 22, 2007 – May 3, 2008. The Dow and S&P closed at record highs on October 9, hitting record intraday highs on October 11. Jupiter in its home sign Sagittarius conjoining Pluto which was spending its last full year in Sagittarius fittingly brought the market to a peak but at the same time described the size of the looming debt crisis.
Venus conjoined the Sun in Gemini on June 9, 2008 – a day and degree apart from the Venus retrograde/Sun conjunction of 2004.

NOTE: Representing the dualistic aspects of Taurus Venus and Libra Venus, Venus/Sun conjunctions when Venus is in direct motion (“Libra Venus”) occur 4 years later in the same sign close to the same day and degree of its “twin” retrograde Venus/Sun conjunction (“Taurus Venus”).

The financial crisis erupted and the market declined to its lowest level in an over a decade when Venus was an evening star (July 15, 2008 – March 24, 2009). Jupiter the planetary energy of expansion was in Capricorn the sign of contraction, as Pluto (debt; interest rates) was shifting from being in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius since 1995 to Capricorn.
The Fed announced its first round of quantitative easing (“QE1”) on November 25, 2008 – the day before Pluto entered Capricorn. The Fed lowered interest rates to their current 0-0.25% range on December 16, 2008.

2009:
Planets changing direction can indicate market reversals which can close to or on the exact day of the planet changing direction. For example, the NASDAQ bottomed from its March 10, 2000 record high on October 10, 2002, the day Venus stationed retrograde in Scorpio.

2009 marked the 80th anniversary of the 1929 crash and when the Venus retrograde/Sun conjunction first began in Aries in contemporary times. Venus stationed retrograde March 6, 2009 in Aries. The NASDAQ dropped to its lowest intraday level since the Venus retrograde of 2002, while the intraday lows for the Dow and the S&P reached their lowest levels in over 12 years. (The Dow and S&P’s closing lows occurred on March 9.)

The Bank of England cut rates 50 bps the day before Venus turned retrograde to its current level of 0.50%, while the ECB cut rates 50 bps to 1.50%. On March 10, Fed Chairman Bernanke in a speech called for the Fed to be given the power to oversee the entire financial system. (Dodd-Frank allowed the Fed to continue regulating the biggest banks and we’re already starting to see the error of that.)

Venus retrograde conjoined the Sun in Aries on March 27, 2009, reappearing in the morning sky April 1 until December 1. Jupiter was conjoining Neptune in Aquarius in the spring of 2009, indicating that monetary and fiscal policies were helping to reinflate the market that has sharply rebounded ever since.

2010- Now:
The current Venus cycle that is about to conclude began on October 28, 2010 when Venus retrograde conjoined the Sun in Scorpio, the opposite sign of Taurus. Ruled by Pluto, Scorpio rules debt, opaque financial instruments such as derivatives, and financial extremes (great wealth to bankruptcy).

The Fed announced a repeat round of bond buying (“QE2”) at its November 3 meeting. After having gone through bankruptcy the year before, GM returned to being a publicly traded company as Venus (and Jupiter) stationed direct November 18. Venus was a morning star from November 4, 2010 – July 11, 2011. (The major indices reached their 2011 highs on April 29.)
On August 16, 2011, Venus conjoined the Sun in Leo exactly one day and one degree apart from its 2007 retrograde conjunction. The market’s volatility of August 2007 was repeated during August 2011 when Uranus and Pluto were one degree apart from their exact square occurring in June 2012. Pluto in Capricorn describes sovereign debt, and markets were getting shook up from the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis to the U.S. debt ceiling debacle and subsequent credit downgrade. The Fed first extended its “extended period” of virtually zero rates in an effort to maintain market momentum.

The market tends to have less momentum when Venus rises after the Sun has set (September 23, 2011 – May 30, 2012). Unless other factors are present, the market seeks to maintain equilibrium or decline when the Libra side of Venus shines as an evening star.

The 2012 Cycle of Venus in Gemini
The Dow and S&P closed at their highest level since the financial crisis on April 2, the last day Venus was in its home sign Taurus. (The NASDAQ reached its highest close since the crisis on March 26.)

Although the Dow made a new closing high on May 1, the market has been in decline since Venus entered Gemini on April 3. The market was unhappy then that it could find no hints of QE3 in the Minutes from the March 13 FOMC meeting. Gemini’s planetary ruler Mercury was retrograde and was about to turn direct. From April 3 – June 3 Venus’s energy is operating “out-of-bounds,” an indication of unexpected financial events that create increased market gyrations.
Venus began her long sojourn in Gemini squaring Neptune in Pisces and retrograde Mars in Virgo the day before Mercury turned direct in Neptune-ruled Pisces. These energies describe information beginning to emerge that shatters financial illusions. Venus is surrounded by several layers of cloud cover that obscure the ability to see the planet’s surface; Neptune rules fog. During Venus retrograde (May 15 – June 27) we can reassess the assumptions we’ve been sold and push through the clouds to see the reality underneath. 
Venus stationed retrograde May 15, squaring the degree that Mercury stationed direct April 4 and Mars stationed retrograde on January 23. Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces are mutable energies that represent the transition between the ending of one phase and the start of another. Flexibility is needed to navigate these rapidly changing conditions involving issues and situations that have yet to be fully resolved.

It is important to pay attention to issues and events that occur at the time a planet changes direction as the planet’s energy is particularly potent. What happened when Venus turned retrograde May 15 will reverberate throughout the retrograde period and could resurface around July 31 when Venus will once again return to the retrograde degree.

USA:
My Mars in Virgo post (see section entitled “A Fresh Start To Resolve Unfinished Actions”), explained the unified message of the planetary stations of Mars, Mercury, and Venus impacting the USA’s natal Mars in Gemini and Neptune which conjoins President Obama’s natal Mars in Virgo.

Venus stations retrograde conjoining the USA Mars in the sector of the USA representing allies, diplomatic relations, and open enemies. Venus retrograde squaring the USA Neptune in the sector ruling foreign affairs, imports, the Courts, universities, and religion, reinforces the square between Venus in Gemini and Neptune in Pisces happening in the sky. The nation confronts its money illusions and reassesses its values as the data doesn’t add up.

Venus stations direct June 27 conjoining the USA Uranus in the sector representing the work force, armed services, and health matters as both square the USA’s progressed Sun in Pisces. (3) There is the potential for both positive and negative shocks and surprises around this time, from technological innovations to disruptions in accessing financial data.

Federal Reserve:
Venus retrograde can indicate repeating past financial policies which would tie into the market’s hope for a third round of quantitative easing. (As mentioned earlier, the Fed announced QE2 the last time Venus was retrograde.) But in keeping with the dualistic nature of Venus in Gemini, there is a second way to “value” this.

The June 4 Lunar Eclipse conjoins the Fed’s natal Mercury in Sagittarius and opposes Saturn in Gemini which conjoins the Venus Transit. The Fed’s talk therapy has already had the same effect on interest rates as if it had already conducted another round of quantitative easing. This can describe the Fed’s balance sheet is stretched to its limits beyond maintaining its balance sheet by continuing to replace maturing securities.

The seasonal turning points of the year tend to be active times for the Fed. The FOMC’s next meeting occurs on the day of the Summer Solstice, conjoining the Fed’s natal Pluto in Cancer which opposes the Fed’s natal Sun in Capricorn.

The Fed will need to communicate what will happen with its balance sheet as Operation Twist expires on June 30. Mercury in Cancer squares Saturn in Libra which is virtually stationary in the sky as it stations direct June 25. These energies can indicate cautious and pessimistic thinking over concerns about structural imbalances. Treasury yields tend to move lower in a flight to quality. But since they’re already at record low yields, they could hit a wall. These energies tend to be negative for the stock market.
The Mercury/Saturn alignment impacts the Fed’s natal Jupiter in Capricorn. An expansion of the Fed’s balance sheet might only occur if the impact of the Eurozone crisis expands to the degree it is really impacting the structure of the U.S. financial system. Venus stations retrograde conjoining Chairman Bernanke’s natal Jupiter in Gemini and the Venus direct station opposes his natal Venus in Sagittarius. These influences could represent the potential for the Fed conducting operations in coordination with the ECB and other central banks to ensure adequate liquidity in the global financial system.

Venus retrograde could indicate the Fed renews Operation Twist. Saturn represents boundaries and limits while Jupiter expands and inflates. Inflation remains near the upper end of the Fed’s manipulated target and is unlikely to trend lower with Jupiter in Gemini squaring Neptune in Pisces. The Jupiter/Neptune square first occurs on June 25 – the same day Saturn stations direct.

Uranus in Aries squaring Pluto in Capricorn indicates what might have worked in the past is not going to be effective now as it’s time to head off in a new direction. Uranus brings shocks, surprises, and reversals. A major policy reversal and change of leadership at the Fed is likely as the Uranus/Pluto square exactly impacts the Fed’s progressed Sun in Aries in 2013.

Meanwhile, Neptune stations retrograde at the June 4 Sagittarius Lunar Eclipse squaring Chairman Bernanke’s natal Mercury in Sagittarius. Chairman Bernanke’s “transparency” could be called into question if Wall Street is disappointed because they misinterpreted his remarks.

These mutable energies affecting the Fed and Chairman Bernanke describe the Fed’s dual roles: its “dual mandate” setting monetary policy and regulating the nation’s biggest banks. The Fed has been silent regarding the growing losses in derivatives trading at JPMorgan Chase’s chief investment office in London, as Jamie Dimon serves on the Board of Directors of the New York Fed. Chairman Bernanke could be accused of being asleep at the wheel.
The period of virtually zero interest rates and quantitative easing that began on June 9, 2008 following the direct conjunction of Venus in Gemini and the Sun completes the pentagram that began at the Venus retrograde/Sun conjunction on June 8, 2004. As we will see in the section further below on “The June 5-6 Transit of Venus,” this begins not only a new 8 year cycle of Venus in Gemini, but also a new 235 year cycle of Venus.

Europe:
With Europe’s natal Mars exactly conjoining President Obama’s natal Mars and the USA Neptune in Virgo, President Obama’s active involvement to motivate Eurozone leaders to act swiftly to prevent the crisis from becoming a contagion that spreads to U.S. shores is more than mere election year maneuvering.

Neptune’s June 4 retrograde station conjoins Europe’s natal Jupiter in Pisces. This is either a time of euphoria (i.e. a big type of rescue of some kind) or panic that the contagion could spread into areas not previously envisioned. The June 5 Venus Transit exactly conjoins progressed Venus in Gemini and squares progressed Saturn in Virgo. Leaders could agree to initiate a framework to build a new fiscal structure if they think about the amount of purchasing power and cost efficiencies the Eurozone would have if member nations cooperated to work toward full fiscal integration.

Eclipses repeat every 19.4 years and this year’s set of eclipses harkens back to 1993. The Maastricht Treaty was ratified two weeks before the November 13, 1993 Scorpio Solar Eclipse which repeats on the same day and degree in 2012. The 121 year conjunction of Uranus and Neptune in Capricorn in 1993 described the dissolving of national barriers to form the new structure of the Eurozone. Venus stationing direct June 27, 2012 opposite the Maastricht Treaty progressed Mars in Sagittarius could describe taking action to spur fiscal growth after persuading those demanding moral hazard that the austerity measures are impossible to meet. Much of the “heavy lifting” as to whether the Eurozone’s bonds become tighter or breaker apart could become more evident during the fourth quarter of 2012.

ECB:
The May 15 Venus retrograde station exactly conjoins the ECB’s progressed Sun in Gemini, an indication that contrary to what has been communicated, the ECB could announce some type of additional policy accommodation. For example, the ECB could emulate what the U.S. did during the financial crisis by guaranteeing bank bonds over a four year period.

The strong potential for a policy reversal is also indicated in the chart of ECB President Draghi’s chart. His unexpected change of mind is indicated by the Venus retrograde station conjoining natal Uranus in Gemini, the May 20 Gemini Solar Eclipse opposing progressed Venus and Jupiter in Sagittarius, the June 4 Lunar Eclipse conjoining natal Mercury, and the Venus direct station squaring natal Sun and Venus.

Planetary alignments in the sky that recreate natal planetary patterns intensify the natal energies. Draghi was born on the day of a Venus direct/Sun conjunction in Mercury-ruled Virgo. This not only describes him being the leader of a central bank, but synchronizes to the June 5 Venus/Sun conjunction. The ECB’s next meeting is June 6, when the Venus Transit will be in progress at sunrise in Europe (except for Portugal and western Spain).

Greece:
The Venus retrograde station in Gemini aptly describes the bank runs that began in Greece as depositors fear their money will be devalued if Greece is forced to leave the Euro currency and return the Drachma. Greece is scheduled to hold re-elections on June 17 after Alexis Tsipras the head of the leading party (SYRIZA) was unable to form a coalition government. Tsipras wants to end the austerity measures approved by the previous coalition government.

Born four days after Greece returned to democracy, his path and the path of Greece are bound together. 37 year old Tsipras embodies the energies of Uranus in Aries seeking to implement reforms that challenge the Pluto in Capricorn establishment pushing austerity. The election is one week before the Uranus/Pluto square and is exactly impacting Tsipras natal Venus in Cancer and probably his progressed Moon in Aries.(4) Tsipras will likely become the new prime minister of Greece. And in one form or another, Greece is going to break free from the unrealistic financial bounds it finds itself entangled in.

Venus Balances 2 Gemini New Moons
It is quite appropriate that Venus in Gemini “balances” the 2 Gemini New Moons that occur while Venus is retrograde.

New Moons represent new beginnings. Eclipses are supercharged New Moons that serve as harbingers of major change as they temporarily disrupt the incoming energies of the Sun (speculation) and Moon (sentiment). The influence of an eclipse tends to be in effect for at least six months.

The May 20 Solar Eclipse squares Neptune in Pisces. Neptune in Pisces describes how everything and everyone is interconnected; one affects the other. Venus in Gemini describes attractive winged insects such as bees, ladybugs, dragonflies, and butterflies. “The butterfly effect” is when a butterfly flaps its wings in one part of the world which causes the wind to shift and affect the climate in another part of the world. A small change in one place can result in tremendous change in another.

Neptune dissolves boundaries. Its square to the Eclipse indicates we are just beginning to learn what has been going on behind the scenes contradicts what had previously been communicated. Neptune’s elusive energy is in direct conflict with Gemini’s duality of love/hate, black/white, legal/illegal, etc. Neptune is that murky area that creates confusion as the lines become blurred between fact and fiction, truth and lies because it mixes a bit of both.

In the market, Neptune’s energies range from hope (and hope of rescues) to bubbly euphoria, to contagion concerns and panic. It is what the market is addicted to at any given moment. Credit downgrades, insider trading, fraud, and scandals are all part of Neptune’s domain. Neptune rules oil, gas, chemicals, drugs and all addictive substances and behaviors. Leaders are particularly affected by the Solar Eclipse since the Moon temporarily blocks the Sun’s light from reaching Earth. During eclipse season, their past may come back to haunt them.

Mercury moving into its home sign Gemini May 24 and squaring Neptune the following day speeds up the message of the Solar Eclipse.

Venus’ Disappearing Act:
There are a few days left before Venus disappears from the western evening sky on May 31due to the planet’s close proximity to the Sun. Many ancient cultures viewed Venus’ disappearance from the evening sky as the time when Venus descends into the underworld. The Maya viewed the disappearance of Venus as the time when warriors prepared to do battle once Venus became visible as a morning star.

As the planetary energy of debt, interest rates, and opaque financial products such as derivatives, Pluto is ruled by Taurus’s opposite sign Scorpio. Financial dealings, corruption, and potentially large losses that have been kept secret below the surface could start to emerge from the darkness even before Venus regenerates anew. (See the section within my Mars in Virgo post entitled “The Grandaddy of the Jupiter/Saturn Cycle” for more information on Pluto’s impact at this time another major market cycle.)

The period between May 31 and June 12 when Venus appears in the morning sky describes the relationship between Venus and Pluto, the mythological lord of the underworld. This period could signal a change in trend now or when Venus conjoins the Sun on June 5.

Mercury conjoins Venus June 1 as the two planets are simultaneously out-of-bounds May 31 – June 3. News will likely move financial markets strongly one way or the other, but this combination can indicate happy talk.

Global issues are at the forefront and feel closer to home during the time of the June 4 Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius as the Moon is at its closest approach to Earth (perigee) as Earth partially blocks the light of the Moon. Tensions are heightened as the truth emerges amongst an avalanche of information. The situation in Greece propels Italy and Spain to center stage. A major legal ruling could occur today or during the next two weeks which could even be the Supreme Court’s ruling on Obamacare (Although I could easily make a case for the Court’s opinion being issued on any of the other planetary jam-packed Mondays in June.) Ethical issues, the courts, politics, religion, higher education, and publishing are emphasized. Large multinationals, international banks and financials are in the spotlight as the Moon opposes Venus the day before her landmark conjunction with the Sun.
The energies of April 3-7 and May 20-25 get reactivated as Venus squares Mars for the second time as Neptune stations retrograde until November 11. (See the May 20 Gemini Solar Eclipse for Neptune themes.) Expect BIG market moves now as the Moon in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius exaggerates market sentiment. There is either a surge of optimism and euphoria or panic that is overdone. This Jupiter/Neptune influence can be a precursor to the June 25 square between Jupiter and Neptune.


The June 5-6 Transit of Venus
Another “twin” aspect of Venus is the Transit of Venus. On June 5, Venus will appear as a small black dot moving across the Sun.(5) Venus eclipses of the Sun occur in pairs 8 years apart and these pairs alternate between being 121.5 years apart, then 105.5 years, 121.5 years apart, etc. Venus Transits occur in Gemini or Sagittarius; the next one will occur 105.5 years from now on December 11, 2117 in Sagittarius.

This Transit is the twin to the June 8, 2004 transit. The last Transit of Venus cycle occurred in Sagittarius on December 6, 1882 and December 9, 1874. Venus made publishing history then as pictures of the Transit was photographed for the first time and appeared on the front page of all the major newspapers. John Philip Sousa composed the “Venus March” for the 1882 Transit.

The financial crisis that is often referred to as the Great Recession erupted in 2008 at the midpoint of the current pair of Venus Transits. Most of the 8 years between 1874 and 1882 were spent in a “Long Depression” (1873-1878). This was the last time that Uranus squared Pluto in the “crisis in action” phase of their cycle that is unfolding during 2012-2015. The three squares between Uranus in Leo and Pluto in Taurus between October 1876 and August 1877 that occurred during the longest Depression in U.S. history were in the signs ruling speculation, money and banking. Additionally, both Uranus and Pluto were in the signs opposite their “home” signs (Uranus rules Aquarius and Pluto rules Scorpio). This was a long depression because Uranus and Pluto were in fixed signs which are slow to act as these energies tend to stubbornly resist change.

The last pair of Venus Transits that occurred in Gemini took place on June 6, 1761 and June 3, 1769. It was during these two Transits years that astronomers collaborated and traveled to various parts of the world to use the Transit to calculate the distance between Earth and the Sun along with the size of the solar system itself. ( “Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens“ by Andrea Wulf tells the story of the astronomers involved in this quest.)

Uranus was in Aries and Pluto was in Capricorn in 1765 as they are now but the two planets did not aspect one another. (It was not until the Uranus/Pluto squares during the early 1930s that the world was aware of the existence of both planets.) These were the years leading up to the American Revolution that lit the spark for other revolutions, as the Age of Enlightenment gave birth to the Industrial Revolution.

The Gemini Transit of Venus cycle that began 251 years ago ends as the June 5-6 ushers in the birth of a new Gemini Venus Transit cycle until the next Venus Transit in Gemini on June 11, 2247. The birth of the Venus/Sun conjunction cycle in Gemini in 1964 and the start of the new Uranus/Pluto cycle in Virgo during 1965-66 ushered in the Information Age as Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo. Revolutions don’t even have to involve physical demonstrations or standing armies; individuals can gather together in virtual protest against a ruler, government, or corporation.

The Moon in Capricorn conjoins Uranus and occults Pluto the evening of the Venus Transit. This is the public’s wakeup call to the energies of the Uranus/Pluto square. The dualism of Gemini combines with the extreme and transformative energies of Uranus and Pluto. A new cycle is starting which begins with deciding which direction to travel.

Wisconsin Recall Election:
The time between the disappearance of Venus from the evening sky (May 31) and Venus’ emergence in the morning sky (June 12) can increase the potential of the transition of a beloved leader or individual. At the other extreme, there is the potential for uprisings or coups against a leader. Venus is peace and diplomacy; change occurs through peaceful protest and at the ballot box.

The gubernatorial recall election in Wisconsin occurs as Venus retrograde conjoins the Sun. Wisconsin entered the Union one Neptune cycle ago on May 29, 1848. Venus stationed retrograde squaring Wisconsin’s natal Sun in Pisces, an indication that money coming from out of state is corrupting the executive branch of Wisconsin’s government. This is also evident in Gov. Scott Walker’s chart as Venus stationed retrograde exactly squaring his natal Venus/Pluto conjunction. Gov. Walker’s natal Venus/Pluto conjunction in Virgo reflects he serves the plutocrats by implementing an agenda that has eroded workers rights, blocked healthcare reform and has severely curtailed women’s reproductive freedoms. Most of the Governor’s contributions are coming in from wealthy and powerful out of state donors and special interests. Venus in Gemini reflects the billionaire Koch brothers are the Governor’s biggest financial supporters.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is Gov. Walker’s Democratic challenger. Venus stationed retrograde conjoining Mayor Barrett’s natal Jupiter in Gemini which can help expand his donor base and attract more voters.

The combination of the Lunar Eclipse in the ideological sign of Sagittarius the day before the election on the same day Venus squares Mars as Neptune stations retrograde, indicates the attacks and spin coming out of this election are of epic proportions. Both candidates’ charts are impacted by Neptune which means that neither campaign is immune from rumors, lies, and potential scandal. There is the potential for Election Day snafus and accusations of fraud which could go to court.

The Lunar Eclipse conjoins Mayor Barrett’s Sun in Sagittarius as the Venus Transit opposes his Sun. Tom Barrett unsuccessfully ran against Scott Walker in 2010. Now he is likely to succeed the second time around as Wisconsin’s progressed Venus conjoins Barrett’s natal Sun.

What the new Venus cycle could mean for the market
The Moon occulting (eclipsing) Pluto during the Venus Transit heightens public awareness that there are so many more financial secrets yet to be unraveled.(6) Venus and Pluto retrograde reveal deep financial fissures. Jupiter in Taurus and Saturn in Libra the signs ruled by Venus in a stressful alignment to one another as they wrap up their sojourns in these signs. Adjustments need to be made to actions initiated since the financial crisis.

Those financial institutions holding European sovereign have not been entirely forthcoming with their exposure, and those proclaiming little net exposure to the related CDS (credit insurance) are not disclosing their gross exposure. Since matching CDS might have both term and counterparty risk, net exposure is meaningless. JP Morgan Chase proclaimed a matched book with CDS on differing terms – you know the resultant loss.

The Sun’s light shining on Venus supercharges her energy which could provide a lift to the market June 5-6.

All of these energies come together during the week of June 24 as Uranus and Pluto square off followed by Jupiter and Neptune as Saturn stations direct followed two days later by Venus’ direct station on June 27 as the Moon in Libra aspects Uranus and Pluto. Venus returns to her retrograde degree and harmonizes with Saturn in Libra July 31. The Moon will be in Saturn-ruled Capricorn the day after the Moon occults Pluto as the Sun in its home sign Leo harmonizes with Uranus in Aries. These energies can help to facilitate structural reforms.

In assessing the direction of the market under the new Venus cycle, one final cycle factor not mentioned is what Mary Ann Bartels, Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s head of technical and market analysis calls the market’s “Decennial pattern.” The market made a major bottom in years ending in two (1932, 1942, 1962, 1982, 2002) before birthing a new cyclical bull market.

History repeats itself because we fail to understand and work in harmony with planetary cycles. Uranus in Aries describes a time of breaking new ground into unchartered territory. The prior Uranus/Pluto cycles did not occur in a fiscal and monetary environment such as this. The wealth gap is even more extreme than it was in 1929. There are issues we know about but don’t know how they’ll turn out and there no doubt there will be issues that unexpectedly erupt out of the underworld.

To sum it all up, I think the market is likely to enter into bear territory during a highly volatile summer. Expect shocks that generate one or more “flash” type crashes some of which could be accompanied by snap back rallies. The market will move bottom before rising while Venus is in the morning sky. With Venus in Gemini the twins can go one way or both ways.

With Venus retrograde now, let’s remember that the Venus in Gemini cycle is about understanding the dual currencies of Venus. The Sun and Venus rule matters of the heart. Venus is about to give the Sun one long sweeping kiss as she transits the Sun on June 5-6, showing the world there is no currency more valuable than love.

(1) A pentagram is formed whether tracing the cycle of 5 Venus retrograde/Sun conjunctions or 5 Venus/Sun conjunctions when Venus is in direct motion over an 8 year period.

(2)President Carter was no match to Reagan’s extraordinary charisma. President Reagan transitioned on June 5, 2004 – three days before the Venus in Gemini conjunction/Transit of the Sun. This describes the death of a beloved leader who had two distinct careers. The stock market was closed on Venus-ruled Friday, June 11for his funeral.

(3) Progressions move the natal planets and chart positions forward in time, symbolizing the individual or entity’s progression through life.

(4)I say “probably” as Tsipras’ birth time is unknown. (Tsipras was born July 28, 1974 in Athens.)

(5) DO NOT look at the Sun! The Transit in the U.S. will only be able to be seen in its entirety in Alaska and Hawaii due to the Transit beginning in the evening. Click here for a link to NASA's live webcast of the Transit of Venus on June 5.

(6)The Moon occulted Pluto on April 12 and May 9; these occultations occur each month through December 2012. Notice that the first one occurred the day before JPMorgan Chase reported earnings, and the second one occurred the day before JPM revealed the $2B+ trading loss.

USA: July 4, 1776 5:10 PM LMT Philadelphia, PA
Barack Obama: August 4, 1961 7:24 PM AHST Honolulu, HI
Federal Reserve: December 23, 1913 6:02 PM EST Washington, DC
Ben Bernanke: December 13, 1953 time unknown Augusta, GA
Europe (Schuman Declaration): May 9, 1950 4:00 PM CET
Maastricht Treaty Ratified: November 1, 1993 Midnight CET Brussels
Greece: July 24, 1974 4:00 AM EET Athens
ECB: June 1, 1998 Midnight CEDT Frankfurt
Mario Draghi: September 3, 1947 time unknown Rome
Scott Walker: November 2, 1967 time unknown Colorado Springs, CO
Tom Barrett: December 8, 1953 time unknown Milwaukee