Wall Street Weather

The July 3 Full Moon marks the midpoint of the Gemini New Moon Cycle described in Part I of this Forecast. The Full Moon shines like a spotlight on events and initiatives begun at the time of the New Moon on June 19. The second half of the Gemini New Moon cycle (July 3–18) is a time for completing projects and letting go of what no longer works.

Emotions run high at the time of the Full Moon as we become fully aware of what needs to be resolved. This realization tends to occur through our relationships and interactions with others.
The Capricorn Full Moon shines the spotlight on matters relating profession and reputation. Fulfilling professional ambitions and responsibilities must be balanced with personal needs and obligations. Capricorn and its planetary ruler Saturn represent all types of structures and hierarchies. These energies describe all types of authority figures; from the boss, to law enforcement, to corporate and government leaders.

The Full Moon shines the spotlight on the revolutionary and transformative square between Uranus and Pluto (see Part I). The Moon occulted Pluto in Capricorn a few hours before the Full Moon occurred at 2:52 PM EDT.(1) Past events and secret actions involving governmental authorities, corporations, and plutocrats are brought to light. This could relate to debt, interest rates, loans, bonds, taxes, derivatives and other opaque financial products, insurance, nuclear and sexual/reproductive issues. As the USA celebrates its 236th birthday, it is feeling the Capricorn Full Moon which opposes the USA’s natal Sun in Cancer.

Mars in Libra: July 3 – August 23
The Full’s Moon’s balancing act is represented by Libra, the energy that seeks balance and equilibrium in all things.

Mars moved into Libra a few hours before the Full Moon. As the planet of action, energy, and assertion, Mars is used to pushing forward with its own agenda. Mars rules Aries. With Mars in Aries’ opposite sign Libra it becomes far more difficult to move forward unless action is taken to reach out to gain the cooperation of others.

Mars wages war with armies and weapons; Libra and its planetary ruler Venus seek peace through diplomacy. “Money talks” is the motto of Venus in Gemini. Venus and Libra can be just as assertive as Mars when it comes to fulfilling their desire for peace and harmony (especially with Venus in her morning star phase now). Venus/Libra does it by cutting off their enemy’s ability to make money. Economic sanctions are very difficult to enforce since its success depends on gaining the cooperation with those who conduct business with their enemy.(2)

This is the policy President Obama is pursuing with IRAN. The President’s progressed Sun in Libra conjoins the USA’s natal Midheaven.(3) With Mars in Libra traveling through this sector of the USA chart representing the nation’s reputation, President Obama will be assertive about promoting his agenda.

The Full Moon squares Iran’s progressed Venus and natal Sun in Aries which opposes Pluto in Libra. Iran uses its nuclear development and crude oil as a negotiating chip with the West. Iran’s natal Venus and Mars are in Pisces, with Mars squaring Neptune in Sagittarius (ideological/religious dogma.) Jupiter in Gemini and Neptune in Pisces impacting Iran’s natal Venus as Venus in Gemini squares natal Saturn now describe how the sanctions have resulted in hyperinflation in Iran.

The USA’s progressed Mars in Libra conjoins Iran’s natal Pluto. As Mars in Libra conjoins these planets August 3-6, it is likely to become evident whether the President’s course of action is succeeding or not.

The Last Quarter Moon in Mars-ruled Aries occurs on July 10 at 9:48 PM, reinforcing the potential for increased volatility over financial shocks and surprises and heightened geopolitical tensions as it triggers Mars in Libra activating the Uranus/Pluto square.

Millions of people in several U.S. states were and still are impacted from the property damage and power outages caused by the extreme heat, high winds, severe storms, and fires that especially wreaked havoc on June 29 as the Sun in Cancer impacted the Uranus/Pluto square.

Mars will exactly impact Uranus and Pluto July 17-18. Mars energy is hot and dry, and can create fires that spread quickly and bring fast moving and violent storms. The energies of Uranus in Aries are accentuated July 7-19 as Uranus stations retrograde July 13. Uranus describes high winds, extreme temperatures and weather that is freaky and occurs out of the blue. Uranus energy is a record breaker. Pluto intensifies the energies of Mars and Uranus. Pluto in Capricorn can describe the financial toll from large scale property damage.

The Moon in Cancer impacting Mars, Uranus, and Pluto July 17-18 could bring high humidity and sudden downpours that flood the parched land. Mercury retrograde in Leo then (see next section) could either signify a more extreme and intensive repeat of previous weather conditions, or at least a temporary change in weather. (But with all of the planetary energies ultimately deferring to Mercury in the sign of the Sun, I tend to doubt it.)

These energies set up the potential for the weather conditions described, along with the possibility of earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes. Western Canada, the U.S. West Coast and surrounding states, Japan, Australia, and New Guinea could be vulnerable to earthquakes or other extreme phenomena.

From the physical atmospheric conditions, to the realm of human behavior, Mars is quick tempered; the combination of Mars/Uranus/Pluto can increase the potential for accidents and outbreaks of violence. People could become aggressive about defending their turf with the Moon in Cancer impacting Uranus/Pluto. It’s especially important to be as calm, focused, and alert as possible and take extra care driving and using knives, tools, machinery, and weapons.

These energies can manifest as saber rattling incidents such as surprise attacks, nuclear tests and rocket launches, cyber warfare, and military coups/power grabs. Dictators and military leaders can act defiantly, while the public is more likely to rebel and riot. These planetary energies are strongest for Iran and the Persian Gulf and Russia.

Uranus rules electricity and technology, while Mercury rules data and communications. The combination of Uranus and Mercury retrograde (see next section), could indicate sudden power disruptions/outages, computer system breakdowns, and data service disruptions. Together with Mars and Pluto, it raises the potential for cyber attacks.

Mercury retrograde in Leo could indicate saying things in the heat of the moment that are later regretted. Although relationships and business partnerships could break up now, breakthroughs could occur for those who want to “clear the air” to work things through or reach agreement to amicably split.

Of course the energies of Mars in Libra can be positively harnessed! Make the effort to reach out and cooperate with others. Mercury retrograde aspecting Mars July 22 is an opportunity to repair relationships; the Sun in Leo aspecting Mars at the same time the Moon is in Libra is an opportunity to actively pursue your passions (and share them with a loved one); form a business partnership.

Mercury Retrograde: July 14 – August 8
Mercury the planetary energy of communications, movement, and commerce stations will be retrograde July 14 until August 8.

Regular readers of this blog know the rules of the road for Mercury retrograde. This is not the time to start something new, sign important contracts, or make major purchases. To minimize/ eliminate the communication snafus associated with Mercury retrograde, put the “re” prefix in front of everything (review, revise, revisit, repair, etc.) you do during this time.

Reconfirm all appointments, schedules, and reservations. Keep a flexible schedule to allow extra time for travel delays/cancellations, unexpected events, and the potential for things taking longer than usual to accomplish.

The beginning of Mercury retrograde period (July 13-18) could be the most challenging as Uranus stations retrograde the day before Mercury turns retrograde as the Moon in Mercury-ruled Gemini which occults Jupiter. There is the potential for travel delays/cancellations affecting several countries, along with a barrage of global news events. And then there’s the Mars/Uranus/Pluto alignment previously described.

Overall though Mercury retrograde in Leo can be a good time to take some time off and engage in hobbies and leisure activities previously enjoyed. July 19-25 favors creative self expression and mental breakthroughs. What failed or was rejected in the past could succeed now; reconnect with people from the past who might be interested in what you have to offer.

See my post from the last Mercury retrograde period for more, including the last section that describes the next Mercury retrograde period (November 6-26).

Stock Market:
Now it’s time to put all these energies together to see what this could indicate for the stock market for the next couple of weeks and beyond.

Full Moons represent conditions that are peaking. Many times the stock market will reach its monthly peak around the time of the Full Moon. The best case for the stock market over the next two weeks is the market is peaking for now or is mostly range bound. The worst case is the market starts contracting.

Mars transits the same sign about every two years. The previous two transits of Mars in Libra occurred from July 29 – September 14, 2010, and August 19 – October 4, 2008. Two years later, the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis has deepened, but with it a greater impetus for action. (The last time Mars was in Libra the market was comforted by the “stress tests” on European banks which we know now were anything but stressful.) Four years ago the financial crisis fully erupted after the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Mars in Libra puts the focus on financial relationships; from banking relationships to financial counterparties, to the relationship between banks and their regulators.

Libra is ruled by Venus which is easily seen each morning in the predawn sky. Venus is close to Jupiter now in the sky now which is helping to keep the market up. (Venus exactly conjoined Jupiter when both were in Venus-ruled Taurus on March 15.) Venus in the morning sky until February 16, 2013 tends to correlate to the time period the market is higher. What Venus as a morning star does do is provide a level of support that keeps the market higher than it would otherwise be as Venus seeks to get back to equilibrium after a fall.

In Gemini, these energies indicate a market that is largely news driven, with high expectations for support from global central banks. The market expects the Fed to act, but this time with Mars in Libra, the Fed is relying on other central banks to do the lifting instead.

Uranus stationary July 7 – 19 as it stations retrograde July 13 (see that day’s entry) raises the potential for market instability and rapid reversals. Uranus turning retrograde as it impacts the 1842 chart of the 20 year economic cycle between Jupiter and Saturn, indicates we are in a period of slow global growth. As I have previously written, the economies of China and Germany are not immune as both nations were born with the Sun in Libra which is being impacted by Mars/Uranus/Pluto.

Mercury in Leo the sign of speculation turning retrograde the following day (July 14) can also indicate a trend reversal. Such a reversal could remain in place until Mercury stations direct August 8 or be temporarily interrupted when Mercury conjoins the Sun at the midpoint of its cycle on July 28.

July 17-18 is likely to be the most volatile period of this time and for July. Mars opposite Uranus represents the “Full Moon” phase of their cycle that began at the April 3, 2011 Aries New Moon when Mars in Aries conjoined Uranus. Mars opposite Uranus can indicate rapid price swings that break through support and resistance levels. These are the kind of energies that can bring a sharp spike one day and a rapid decline (or within the same day). Mars square Pluto can indicate M&A activity and coordinated action relating to sovereign debt.

Things look better for the market once it has passed the volatility and likely downdraft from the energies of mid-July until mid August when Mars conjoins Saturn as Venus opposes Pluto and squares Uranus in Aries. The Pisces Full Moon on August 31 squares Jupiter which could bring rumors and scandal that could lead to panic of a global financial contagion. The biggest downturn this year could occur between mid September and November which kicks off with Uranus and Pluto squaring off for the second time with the Moon in Scorpio as Pluto turns direct. These energies could describe profit taking to lock in gains before the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of the year.

Largest potential market moving days: July 6, 9, 13, 16-18

All times listed are EDT.

Thursday, July 5
ECB:
In the ECB subsection within the Venus post, I described the strong potential for the ECB to announce some type of additional policy accommodation which I thought would have occurred at the ECB’s June 6 meeting.

But today as Jupiter in dualistic Gemini conjoined the ECB’s natal Mars and opposing natal Pluto in Sagittarius as Venus in Gemini squared President Draghi’s natal Venus/Sun conjunction in Virgo, the ECB announced TWO policy actions. These energies describe actions affecting interest rates within the Eurozone but also impact foreign currencies and markets.

Uranus and Aquarius can indicate reversals. With Venus slowly moving forward again and aspecting Uranus in Aries as the Moon transits Uranus-ruled Aquarius, the ECB reversed course and cut interest rates 25bps to 0.75% and also cut the interest rate the ECB pays banks to park its excess reserves there from 0.25% to zero.

Friday, July 6
June Employment Report:
The market estimates the Labor Department will report that around 100,000 new jobs were created in June vs. 69,000 in May. The June report or a combination of June’s data with better prior revisions could indicate an upside surprise.

It’s interesting to note that the employment reports began to disappoint since Venus entered Gemini April 3. Due to Venus being retrograde May 15 – June 27, Venus remains in Gemini until August 7. Whether this turns out to be totally coincidental or whether employers were hitting the pause button remains to be seen. In an example of predicting the wrong thing at the wrong time or getting too far ahead of myself, I wrote a post just before the April 6 employment report that foresaw improving employment conditions.

The Moon is Void in Aquarius from 11:48 AM until entering Pisces Saturday at 12:29 AM; the Pisces Moon becomes Void-of-Course from 7:00 AM Sunday until Monday morning.(4)

Positive.

Monday, July 9
The Moon moves into Aries from 8:14 AM today until Wednesday evening. The market could start off reacting to events that occurred over the weekend when the Moon was in Pisces and Aries’ planetary ruler Mars was in a stressful alignment to Neptune in Pisces. There’s an increased potential for rumors, deception, fraud, and scandal.

Negative, but could improve in the final hour.

Tuesday, July 10
Choppy/mixed to negative.

The Last Quarter Moon in Aries occurs at 9:48 PM (see Mars in Libra section above). This is the time to get moving to complete projects and look ahead to what to begin at the New Moon on July 19.

Wednesday, July 11
Reverses from negative to positive; improving as day progresses.

The Moon is Void from 5:23 AM until entering Taurus at 7:30 PM.

GOP to Vote for 31st Time to Repeal Obamacare:
They’re they go again! The House is scheduled to vote on repealing Obamacare for the 31st time. Repeal is the operative word as both House Speaker Boehner and Senate Minority Leader McConnell have been crystal clear that the GOP has nothing to “replace” The Affordable Care Act with despite almost two years of the House under Republican control. All those provisions and protections in the law that millions of Americans have already benefitted from would end.

Second in number to the bills voted on the House floor to repeal Obamacare are all the bills Republicans have brought to the floor about social issues (such as restricting women’s reproductive rights). Yet none of these bills which has nothing whatsoever to do with as they like to say, “putting people back to work.”

Since the Supreme Court’s decision, Republicans have been calling the penalty for not having health insurance in 2014 a tax. Even though Obamacare is virtually a carbon copy of Romneycare, yet Republicans and even Gov. Romney claims the penalty for not obtaining health insurance in Massachusetts is not a tax!

Thursday, July 12
Banks and the financial sector are usually in focus with the Moon in Taurus today and tomorrow. Taurus is ruled by Venus which is now reached its greatest brilliancy as a morning star. (Look in the eastern sky before dawn for Venus and Jupiter.)

Positive.

Friday, July 13
Shocks and surpises with Uranus SR today together with Mercury about to SR tomorrow.

Reverses from yesterday; negative.

The Taurus Moon becomes Void at 3:46 PM until the Moon enters Gemini at 8:26 AM Saturday.

JPMorgan Chase/Jamie Dimon:
The Moon is in Venus-ruled Taurus on Friday, the day of the week ruled by Venus. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) will be the first bank to report quarterly earnings this morning.

During the earnings call exactly three months ago, JPM CEO Jamie Dimon referred to reports about losses at the bank’s Chief Investment Office as a “tempest in a teapot.” On May 10, the bank reported that the CIO had racked up $2.3 billion in trading losses. Despite this and the transits impacting his chart, Dimon managed to have most of the members of the Senate Banking Committee fawning over him at a June 13 hearing.

Venus retrograde seemed to have given Dimon a bit of reprieve. But after Venus stationed direct conjoining Dimon’s progressed Mercury, The New York Times reported that an internal JPM report stated that the losses could be as high as $9 billion.

Uranus rules electricity. Uranus in Aries squaring Dimon’s natal Mars as Pluto conjoins has brought the ire of the FERC (the U.S. electricity regulator) which is investigating whether JPM’s bidding strategies inflated electricity prices in California and the Midwest by at least $73 million. FERC has issued the bank with subpoenas twice during the last three months and petitioned federal court July 2 to force JPM to turn over the requested documents.

Private equity firm The Carlyle Group formed a joint venture with Sunoco in which Sunoco would retain a minority interest in one of its Philadelphia area refineries. JPM is going to provide all the inputs to the plant as well as be responsible for purchasing and distributing all of the refined products from the plant.

It would appear that the level of risk JPM is engaging in these types of activities are more reminiscent of proprietary trading than servicing their customers.

Uranus stations retrograde today reinforcing the energies of the Uranus/Pluto square on Dimon’s natal Mars in Capricorn. Neptune in Pisces once again conjoins his natal Mercury at the same time Mercury stations retrograde opposing Dimon’s progressed Mars in Uranus-ruled Aquarius. Mars in Libra impacting Uranus and Pluto squares Dimon’s natal Mars as the New Moon conjoins natal Uranus in Cancer (July17-19). Then Mars in Libra squares Dimon’s natal Uranus and conjoins natal Neptune in Libra (August 20-22).

These planetary influences not only indicate the challenge for Dimon to keep a lid on his temper, but describe a pattern of conduct that not only seeks to blur the boundaries between prop trading and hedging, but defy them. All of the Uranus/Neptune influences describe JPM’s active involvement in the energy industry.

Capricorn is about taking responsibility and being accountable for one’s actions. Jamie Dimon has said he takes responsibility and “the buck stops with me.” But he has yet to learn that having natal Mars in Capricorn means walking the talk.

Monday, July 16
This is the first market day with Mercury retrograde. The Moon is Void in Gemini from 6:56 AM until entering Cancer at 8:31 PM until Thursday, which can accentuate the energies of Mercury retrograde.

Negative (but potential for intraday reversal).

Tuesday, July 17
The combination of Mars making a harmonious relationship to Jupiter while squaring Pluto brings large market moves and could at least initially bring a relief rally.

Positive.

Wednesday, July 18
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke gives his semiannual testimony before the House which might be one of the catalysts that keeps the market negative.

The next New Moon cycle begins on July 19 with the New Moon in its “home” sign Cancer.

(1)The Moon’s occultation to Pluto basically means the Moon hides or conceals Pluto as if it is eclipsing Pluto. This has occurred each month since April and will do so through December. April 12, May 9, June 5, July 3, August 26, September 23, October 20, November 16, and December 14 are the times when all Pluto-themed issues described permeate public consciousness.

(2)For more information, see the section of my post on Mars retrograde in Virgo entitled “A Fresh Start To Resolve Unfinished Actions.”

(3) Progressions move the natal planets and chart positions forward in time, symbolizing the individual or entity’s progression through life. The Ascendant is the zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at birth.

(4)The period of time about every 2.5 days between when the Moon has finished making major aspects to the planets before the Moon enters the next sign is when the Moon is considered to be “Void-of-Course.” These time periods are best suited for routine matters and “going with the flow” rather than making major decisions, purchases, or initiating action where a specific outcome is desired. There’s a greater tendency for things to go nowhere or unfold in unexpected ways.