Post on 11-Sep-2021
TheBull,theBearandthePlanets
TradingtheFinancialMarketsUsingAstrology
M.G.Bucholtz,B.Sc.,MBA
iUniverse,Inc.Bloomington
TheBull,theBearandthePlanetsTradingtheFinancialMarketsUsingAstrologyCopyright©2013byM.G.Bucholtz,B.Sc.,MBA.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic,electronic,ormechanical,includingphotocopying,recording,tapingorbyanyinformationstorageretrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of briefquotationsembodiedincriticalarticlesandreviews.The information, ideas, and suggestions in this book are not intended to render professionaladvice.Beforefollowinganysuggestionscontainedinthisbook,youshouldconsultyourpersonalaccountant or other financial advisor. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable orresponsibleforanylossordamageallegedlyarisingasaconsequenceofyouruseorapplicationofanyinformationorsuggestionsinthisbook.iUniversebooksmaybeorderedthroughbooksellersorbycontacting:iUniverse
1663LibertyDriveBloomington,IN47403www.iuniverse.com1-800-Authors(1-800-288-4677)BecauseofthedynamicnatureoftheInternet,anywebaddressesorlinkscontainedinthisbookmayhave changed sincepublicationandmayno longer be valid. The viewsexpressed in thisworkaresolelythoseoftheauthoranddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofthepublisher,andthepublisherherebydisclaimsanyresponsibilityforthem.AnypeopledepictedinstockimageryprovidedbyThinkstockaremodels,andsuchimagesarebeingusedforillustrativepurposesonly.Certainstockimagery©Thinkstock.ISBN:978-1-4759-8002-8(sc)ISBN:978-1-4759-8004-2(hc)ISBN:978-1-4759-8003-5(ebk)LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2013904065iUniverserev.date:03/07/2013
Contents
DisclaimerAcknowledgementsFiguresandTablesIntroductionChapterOne:AstrologyBasicsfortheMarketTraderChapterTwo:TradingUsingLunarAstrologyChapterThree:PlanetaryTradingChapterFour:AstrologyandCommodityFuturesEpilogue:FinalThoughtsAppendixA:LunarEventDatesAppendixB:RetrogradeEventDatesAppendixC:Sun-PlanetAspectDatesAppendixD:MercuryAspectDatesAppendixE:VenusandMarsAspectDatesAppendixF:FirstTradeDatesGlossaryofTermsEndNotesAboutTheAuthor
DisclaimerAllmaterialprovidedhereinisbasedonfinancialmarketobservationsofthe author and material gleaned from astrological publicationsresearched by the author to supplement his own trading. This book iswrittenwithsincere intent for thosewhoactively tradeand invest in thefinancial markets and who are looking to incorporate astrologicalphenomenaintotheirmarketactivity.Whilethematerialpresentedhereinhas proven reliable to the author in his personal trading and investingactivity, there is no guarantee the material herein will continue to bereliable into the future. The author and publisher assume no liabilitywhatsoever forany investmentor tradingdecisionsmadeby readersofthisbook.Thereaderaloneisresponsibleforalltradingandinvestmentoutcomesandisfurtheradvisednottoexceedhisorherrisktoleranceswhentradingorinvestingonthefinancialmarkets.
AcknowledgementsTomybeautifulwifeJeanne,whocontinuestoinspiremeinsomany
waysandwithoutwhoseencouragementthisbookwouldnothavebeenpossible.
FiguresandTablesFigure1-1TheEclipticFigure1-2TheZodiacSignsFigure2-1LunarPhasesFigure2-2LunarDatainanEphemerisFigure2-3TeckResources(TSX:TCK/b)dailychartFigure2-4AllianceGrainTraders(TSX:AGT)dailychartFigure2-5Teck
Resources(TSX:TCK/b)apogeeandperigeeFigure2-6TeckResources30minutechart
Figure2-7AllianceGrainTradersapogeeandperigeeFigure2-8AllianceGrainTraders30minutechartFigure2-9S&P500Index—NorthNodechangingsignsFigure2-10S&P500Index—SolarandLunareclipsesFigure2-11DowJonesIndustrialAveragehourlychartJune4,2012Figure2-12DowJonesIndustrialAveragehourlychart
November13,2012Figure3-1ThePlanetsFigure3-2AstrologySymbolsFigure3-3EphemerispageDecember1980Figure3-4Apple(Nasdaq:AAPL)heliocentricfirsttradechartFigure3-5
Aspectsaffecting(Nasdaq:AAPL)sharepriceFigure3-6Moreaspectsaffecting(Nasdaq:AAPL)sharepriceFigure3-7
FordMotorCompany(NYSE:F)geocentricfirsttradechartFigure3-8Aspectsaffecting(NYSE:F)
Figure3-9Moreaspectsaffecting(NYSE:F)Figure3-10ExaltationdatesFigure3-11CocaCola(NYSE:KO)firsttradechartFigure3-12CocaCola(NYSE:KO)MercuryacrossMCFigure3-13CocaCola(NYSE:KO)VenusacrosstheMCFigure3-14CocaCola(NYSE:KO)MarsacrosstheMCFigure3-15CocaCola(NYSE:KO)MercuryandVenusacrosstheAsc
Figure3-16CocaCola(NYSE:KO)MarsandMercuryacrosstheAscFigure3-17ImperialOil(TSX:IMO)60minutechart
Figure3-18S&P500IndexMercuryretrogradeeventsFigure3-19S&P500IndexMercurychangingsigns
Figure3-20S&P500IndexMercuryconjunctNeptuneFigure3-21Alcoa(NYSE:AA)MercuryconjunctSaturnFigure3-22S&P500IndexMercuryconjunctUranusFigure3-23USSteel(NYSE:X)MercuryconjunctMarsFigure3-24S&P500IndexJupiter-SunaspectsFigure3-25S&P500IndexJupiterconjunctMercuryFigure3-26S&P500IndexJupiterconjunctVenusFigure3-27S&P500IndexJupiterconjunctNeptuneFigure3-28S&P500IndexVenusConjuncteitherofUranus,
Saturn,NeptuneorMarsFigure3-29S&P500IndexSaturn-Sunaspects
Figure3-30S&P500IndexSaturnconjunctMercuryFigure4-1GoldfuturesgeocentricfirsttradechartFigure4-2AspectsaffectingGoldfuturespricesFigure4-3PlutoretrogradeeventsandGoldfuturespricesFigure4-4
NeptuneretrogradeeventsandGoldfuturespricesFigure4-5Silverfuturesfirsttradechart
Figure4-6LunareventsaffectingSilverfuturespricesFigure4-7AspectsaffectingCopperfuturesprices
Figure4-8AspectsaffectingCrudeOilfuturespricesFigure4-9CrudeOilfuturespricesandPluto-NeptuneaspectsFigure4-
10Wheat,Corn,OatsheliocentricfirsttradechartFigure4-11WheatfuturespricesandheliocentricMercury-SaturnaspectsFigure4-12WheatfuturespricesandheliocentricMercurychangingsignsFigure4-13CornfuturespricesandheliocentricMercury-SaturnaspectsFigure4-14SoybeanfuturesheliocentricfirsttradechartFigure4-15AspectsaffectingSoybeanfuturespricesFigure4-16AspectsaffectingSoybeanOilfuturespricesFigure4-17AspectsaffectingSoybeanMealfuturespricesFigure4-18CanadianDollarandBritishPoundheliocentricfirsttradechartFigure4-19BritishPoundfutures30minutechartFigure4-20AspectsaffectingJapaneseYenfuturespricesFigure4-21AspectsaffectingEurofuturespricesFigure4-22AspectsaffectingAussieDollarfuturespricesFigure4-23AspectsaffectingLiveCattlefuturespricesFigure4-24AspectsaffectingLeanHogs
futurespricesFigure4-25AspectsaffectingLumberfuturespricesFigure4-2630YearBondfuturesgeocentricfirsttradechartFigure4-27Aspectsaffecting30YearBondfuturesprices0
Table2-1LunarfirsttradedatesforseveralCanadianandUSlistedcompaniesTable3-1Exaltation,DetrimentandFallPositionsTable3-2Planet-SunsynodicperiodsTable3-3Planet-PlanetsynodicperiodsTable3-4Saturn-Jupitercyclesub-dividedTable3-5EffectontheS&P500IndexofMercurychangingsignsTable3-6TheeffectofVenusretrogradeeventsTable3-7EffectontheS&P500IndexofJupiterretrogradeevents
IntroductionCallmearebel.Callmearadical.Ihaveneverbeenonetoresignmyselfto mainstream thinking. In 2002, when I decided to become anInvestmentAdvisor, I joinedasmall investment firm inwesternCanadathathadareputationforthinkingoutsidethebox.Iwasmentoredbytwoseasoned Investment Advisors who deepened my understanding oftechnical chart analysis. I learned that markets shift from being in anuptrend tobeing inadowntrendandbackagainacrossbothshortandlonger time horizons. I learned that if I followed these trend changesusing technicalchartanalysis Iwouldbe in tunewith the rhythmof themarkets. This refreshing approach represented a clear break from theacademic financial theory espoused as part of the exam regimenrequired for the licensing process with the Investment DealersAssociation of Canada. And thus began my quest to delve into theuncannyandesotericforcesthatalignwithtrendchangesinthefinancialmarkets.
In2003,afteraseriesof reflectivediscussionswitha fellowInvestmentAdvisor,IappliedtojoinalocalMasonicLodge.EarlyoninmyMasoniceducation, Iwasurged to contemplate thehiddenmysteriesof scienceand nature through further study of the harmony between arithmetic,geometry and astronomy. Nature comprises the whole of our materialuniverse from the solar systemall theway to the smallestmeasurableparticle of matter. Science is the disciplined use of mathematics todescribe the material universe in terms of prediction and control. Theprocess of contemplating the mysteries of science and nature is whatMasons call enlightenment. As I delved further into the relationshipbetweenscienceandnature,Ilearnedthevenerablemarkettrader,W.D.Gann,hadbeenaMasonaswell.Gannspentmuchofhistradingcareerpursuing the study of sacred math and astrological phenomena andapplyingittotradingthemarkets.KnowingthatGannhadbeenaMasonpiquedmycuriosityandmy journey to learnmoreabout the forces thataffect the financial markets took on an almost urgent tone. I began todevour literature relatednotonly to the ideasofW.D.Gannbutalso toesotericmathematicalpatternsofscienceandnature.
I soon learned,however, thatmy journeywas tobea lonelyone.Veryfew people in the financial industry are interested in contemplating theuncanny and esoteric patterns of science and nature, let aloneastrologicalphenomena.Inordertobeacceptedintothemainstreamofthe financial industry, one has to adhere rigidly to decades ofeconometricfinancialtheoryandmodellinggroupthink.
As financial market investing became mainstream in the 1920s,econometricmodellingwasintroducedtoexplainmarketbehaviour.Theseminalworkthatopenedthedoortodecadesofsuchmodellingcamein1934whenGrahamandDoddproducedSecurityAnalysis inwhichtheyadvocatedusingintrinsicvalueasatoolthatcouldhelpidentifysuitableinvestments. In 1938, John Burr Williams penned The Theory ofInvestmentValueinwhichheintroducedthenotionofdiscountingfutureexpectedstreamsofdividendpaymentstobetterdefineintrinsicvalue.In1959,HarryMarkowitzfocusedonrisknotbeinguniformlyequalamongstockmarketinvestmentswhenheintroducedModernPortfolioTheoryinPortfolio Selection—Efficient Diversification of Investments. WilliamSharpeextendedthismannerof thinking in1970withhisworkPortfolioTheoryandCapitalMarkets. Fast forward to the present and one caneasilyfindshelvesofjournalsinuniversitylibraries,brimmingwithmarkettheory.
Becauseeconometricmodelsandtheoriesunderpinmainstreamthinkingacrossthefinancial investment industry, theyalsoformthebackboneofentire programs of study leading to the MBA degree and the CFA(Chartered Financial Analyst) designation. While graduates of theseprogramsmayfeelempoweredandreadytotakeonthefinancialworld,they do not realize they have largely consumed a concentrated diet ofeconomictheoryduringtheircourseofstudy.
In 2005, driven by curiosity, I embarked on the CFA journey but to nosurprisequicklygrewwearyoftheflawsIperceivedinthetheoriesbeingadvanced to explain market movements. I found it difficult to embracetheoriesthatpurportedtopredictfuturestockpricesbasedonenterprisevalue,earningsdataorcashflow.I likewisefoundithardtoacceptthatcomplex credit default swaps and asset backed obligation instrumentswere being hailed as proper investment strategies complete withpredictivemodels.
In 2008, the ‘theoryland’ crowdwas given a long overduewakeup callwhen financial markets around the globe convulsed andmajor indicesplunged.Since then, thewindsofchangehavestarted toblow.A2012FinancialTimes Special Report onMBA Educationmakes it clear thatknowing the theory of business is no longer enough to get studentswhere they want to be. In this same report, Peter Trufano, Dean ofOxfordUniversity’sSaidBusinessSchool,notes“...post-recessionandmarketcrash,studentsneedadeepunderstandingoftheeconomy fromavarietyofperspectives.Science,technologyandpoliticsallplayarole.”Canadian David Orell, author of the books Truth or Beauty andEconomyths does an excellent job of assaultingmainstream economicthinking toprovidehis readerswithawake-upcall.Orell’sbooksareareminder that our desire to cling to theory is part of a centuries-oldimpulsetoseetheworldinsimple,elegantterms.
DespitesomehopefulsignsofchangeandthehardworkofauthorslikeDavidOrelltopainstakinglyexposeflawsineconometricmodels,Ifinditdisheartening that the financial industry continues to cling to narrowtheorieswhenitisobviousthatmanyofthecausesofeventsinourworldare intangibleandcannotbeseen, feltorheard.Weknow that tidesattheseashoreriseandfall.Tryaswemay,wecanneverseeorfeeltheactual force that moves the water. We know that earthquakes andvolcanoscancausetremendousdamage.Yet,weareunabletoseetheshiftingtectonicplatesdeepintheEarth’scrustthatcausetheseevents.ScientistshavenowexplainedhowthegravitationalpullsofJupiterandSaturnon theSun’sgaseousmattercontribute tosolarsunspotactivity.Yet, we cannot readily feel their gravitational pulls. Because we areunable to physically see and feel the causes of events around us, weimmediately opt for the comfort of eloquently penned explanatorytheoriesderivedfromlargestreamsofdatacollectedoverlongspansoftime. And so it is that individual investors entrusting their hard earneddollars to Investment Advisors and Financial Planners soon becomeresignedto thenotion that investing in the financialmarkets isaweary,mindnumbing, long termprocessoverlainand interwovenwithmodels,analystopinionsandtheory.
Itneednotbeso.
Thefinancialmarketsarenothingmorethanonebigpsychologicaleventruled by the emotions of fear and hope.Whenmarket participants arefearful, they sell.When they are feeling hopeful, they buy. If intangibleforces are capable of causing events like tidal motion, earthquakes,volcanosandsunspots,surelythenitmustbeplausiblethatthesesameforcescaninfluencetheemotionsoffearandhopewithinhumanbeingsandtherebyinfluencebuyingandsellingactivityonthemarkets.
Science tells us planet Earth is one gigantic electromagnet with polessituated north and south. The various other planets that comprise oursolar system are also electromagnetic in nature and exert gravitationalpullsoneachotheraswellasonplanetEarth.SciencealsotellsustheSunshinesonourgiganticelectromagnetwhilecontinuallyemittinghighfrequencywavesofradiation.
In grade school science classweall at onepoint playedwitha simpleprism.Welearnedthatbyvaryingtheangleof lightbeingshoneontheprism,wecould influence the refractionof the light toproducedifferentcolors. And so it is with the Sun’s radiated energy experienced bymankindonthesurfaceoftheEarth.AsthevariousplanetsorbittheSunandmake different angles with one another, the intensity of the Sun’sradiation reflectingoff their surfacesvaries.Asa result, the intensityoftheSun’sradiationreachingEarthvaries.Thisreasoningformsthebasisfor thenotionthatouremotionsarecontinuallychanging inresponsetothese variances. By extension of the argument, it is these changingemotions that can influence the behavior of our buying and sellingpatternsaswetradeonthefinancialmarkets.
As a result ofmy trading experiences on themarkets andmy esotericresearchoverthepastdecade,Ihavenowlargelydivorcedmyselffromthe theories that continue to be embraced by the financial investmentindustry.Tradingandinvestinghavebecomevibrantandexcitingforme.IhavecometoembraceastrologicalphenomenasuchasMoonphases,planetary aspects and synodic patterns. I use these phenomena andpatterns incloseconjunctionwith technicalchartanalysis techniques tolook for trendchangedevelopmentson indices,ETFs, individualstocksandcommodityfutures.
For the record, I do not consider myself to be an astrologer. I use
astrology only to trade themarkets. I do not use astrology to counselpeopleorpredictindividualfates.MyeducationalbackgroundincludesanEngineeringdegreefromQueen’sUniversityinCanadaandanMBAfromHeriotWattUniversityinScotland.Asaresultofmyengineeringbentandmy Masonic contemplations, I derive great satisfaction from observingpatterns of astrology—especially those that align with the financialmarkets.Thesciencebehindhowandwhyastrologicpatternsoftenalignwith the trendchangesof themarkets isdeep,mysteriousandelusive.These characteristics further add to the satisfaction I derive whenapplyingastrologytothemarkets.
The decision to write this book was a struggle. For quite some time Idebatedwhetherornottoevensharethismaterialwithothersgiventheskeptical looksandcomments I receivewhen trying toexplain to closeassociatesthatscienceandnatureplayaroleinthebehavioroffinancialmarkets.Theturningpointformecameinearly2012whenIattendedtheUnited Astrology Conference in New Orleans, USA where an entirecurriculum track was devoted to financial astrology. Listening to thediscussionsinthehallwaysbetweenlectures,IrealizedIwasnotaloneinembracing intangible forces that move the markets. There are ever-growingnumbersoftradersandinvestorswhoareopenlyembracingtheconnectionbetween financialmarketbehaviorand the intangible forcesofthecosmos.
Thisbookintroducesthereadertocorrelationsbetweenplanetarycycles,planetaryaspects,lunarphenomenaandthemarkets.Thesecorrelationsarenotnew.Infact,theyhavebeenknownaboutandusedsuccessfullyby traders and investors for many decades. There have been manycolorfulpersonalitiesovertheyearsasidefromjustW.D.Gannwhohaveemployed astrology towards successful trading. In fact, some of theoldestmanuscriptsresearchedwhilepreparingthisbookdatebacktotheearly1900s. Indeed, themostenjoyablepartof researchingandwritingthisbookwasdiscoveringandreadinghistoricalfinancialastrologybooksandpapersfoundinvariouslibrariesacrossNorthAmerica.
Thecorrelationsyouwilllearnaboutinthisbookshouldneverbeblindlyused in a vacuum. Rather, astrology should always be used inconjunctionwithtechnicalchartanalysisandwiththeprevailingshortandlongertermtrendsofthemarkets.Ideallytoderivemaximumsatisfaction
from thisbook, youshouldhaveacomfortablegraspon thecommonlyusedtechnicalchartanalysis techniques.Aswell,youshouldalsohavecopies of Ephemeris Tables spanning 1900-2000 and 2000 forward. IpersonallyusetheNewAmericanEphemerisforthe21stCenturyanditscounterpartNewAmericanEphemeris for the 20th Century which arereadilyavailableatmostbookstores.Alternatively,youmayalsoconsidergettinganastrologysoftwareprogramthatwillprovideyouwiththesamedata.
After reading this book and applying someof the astrological conceptspresented in it, Ihavenodoubtyouwillcometoviewouruniverse inaverydifferent,almostreverentway.Iexpectmanyofyouwillevenseektofurtheryourknowledgeofastrologythroughindepthstudy.Ihopeyourtradingandinvestingactivitywilltakeonanewpersonalmeaningasyoucometoviewthefinancialmarketsinadifferentway.
CHAPTERONE
AstrologyBasicsfortheMarketTraderAstrologyisanancientsciencethatdescribesthe
influenceoftheplanetsoneventsofnatureandbehaviourofmankind.Thisancientscienceisrootedinthousandsof
yearsofobservationacrossmanycivilizations.
•TheancientSumerians,AkkadiansandBabyloniansbetween the4th
and2ndcenturiesBCbelievedtheaffairsofmankindcouldbegaugedbywatchingthemotionsofthestarsandplanets.Theyrecordedtheirpredictionsand future indicationsofprosperityandcalamityonclaytablets.Theseearlyrecordingsformtheveryfoundationsofmoderndayastrology.
• Ancient Egyptian artifacts show that high priests Petosiris andNecepsowho lived during the reign ofRamses IIwere revered fortheirknowledgeofastrology.TheEgyptiancultureisalsothoughttohave developed a 12month x 30 day recordationmethod for timebasedontherepeatedappearancesofconstellations.
•AncientIndianandChineseartifactsrevealthatastrologyhasheldanesteemedplaceinthosesocietiesformanythousandsofyears.
•Hipparchus,PythagorasandPlatoarereverednamesfromtheGreek
era. Historians think Pythagoras may have assigned mathematicalvaluestotherelationsbetweencelestialbodiesandPlatomayhaveoffered up predictions relating celestial bodies to human fates.Hipparchus is thought tohavecompileda star catalogueand in sodoingwasthefirsttopopularizeastrology.
•DuringRomantimes,astrologyanddivinationwereusedforpoliticalgain with important military figures surrounding themselves withseers and diviners.PtolemyandValens stand out from the timeofthe Roman Empire as writers on astrology. In 126 AD, Ptolemypennedfourbooksontheinfluenceofthestarswhichcollectivelyarecalled the Tetrabiblos. In 160 AD, Valens penned Anthologies inwhichhefurthersummarizedtheprinciplesofastrology.
But, following the conversion of EmperorConstantine toChristianity, in312AD,divinationandmagicbecameacrimeaccording to theChurchandastrologybegana slow retreat to the sidelineswhere for themostpart it remains today. However, despite this sidelining by a Churchseekingtoprotectitsauthority,astrologyhasbeenusedinmoremodernhistory by leading thinkers such as Galilei Galileo, Tycho Brahe,Nostradamus, Johannes Kepler, Sir Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton andBenjaminFranklin.Indeedweowemuchofourcurrentstateofscientificadvancement to these brave souls who refused to let astrology fadeawayandbecomeadistantmemory.
TheZodiacInoursolarsystem,theSunisatthecenter.TheEarth,Moon,planetsandvariousotherasteroidbodiesallcollectivelycompriseourplanetarysystem.Thevariousplanetsandotherasteroidbodiesrotatethe360degreesaroundtheSunfollowingapathcalledtheeclipticplane.Pictureagiganticbandthatencirclesthe360degreesoftheplanetarysystem.Dividethisbandintotwelveequalportionsof30degreeseachandtheresultis
whatastrologerscallthezodiac.ThetwelveportionsofthezodiacallhavenamesincludingAries,Cancer,Leoandsoon.Ifthesenamessoundfamiliar,theyshould.Youroutinelyseealltwelvenamesinthedailyhoroscopesectionofyourmorningnewspaper.ThestartingpointorzerodegreepointofthezodiacsignAriesisdeemedtobeattheSpringEquinoxofeachyearasshowninFigure1-1.
Figure1-1TheEclipticGeocentricandHeliocentricAstrologyAstrologycomesintwodistinctvarieties—geocentricandheliocentric.Ingeocentricastrology,theEarthis
takentobethevantagepointforobservingtheplanetsastheypassthroughthesignsofthezodiac.OwingtothedifferenttimesforthevariousplanetstoeachorbittheSun,fromanastrologer’svantagepointonEarth,itappearsasthoughfromtimetotime
certainplanetsmakedistinctangles(calledaspects)withoneanotherandalsowiththeSun.Theaspectsthatarecommonlyusedinastrologyare0,30,45,60,90,120,150
and180degrees.
Inheliocentricastrology,theSunistakentobethevantagepointandtoanobserverpositionedontheSun,itlikewiseappearsasthoughvariousplanetsaremakingangleswithotherplanetsfromtimetotime.
Iuseboth typesofastrology tocomplimentmy tradingactivity,but IdofindIamslowlydevelopingapreferencefortheheliocentricvariety.Thismay be because it is a bit cleaner than the geocentric method, forheliocentricastrologydoesnotworryaboutfeaturessuchasAscendant,Descendant,MCand IC.Mostof theexamplesyouwillsee throughoutthisbookarebasedongeocentric astrology, but youwill also seehowheliocentricastrologyplaysa role in trading themarkets too,especiallywhenitcomestocommodityfutures.Afterreadingthisbook,Iencourageyouto takea lookatbothmethods.Likeme,youwillprobably find thatyoustarttodevelopapreferenceforonemethodovertheother.
Ascendant,Descendant,MCandICAs the Earth rotates on its axis once in every 24 hours, an observersituated on Earth will detect an apparent motion of the zodiac.Astrologersfurtherapplyfourcardinalpointstothezodiac,almostlikethenorth, south, east and west points on a compass. The east point istermed theascendant and is often abbreviated Asc. The west point istermedthedescendantandisoftenabbreviatedDsc.Thesouthpoint istermed the Mid-Heaven (from the Latin Medium Coeli) and is oftenabbreviated MC. The north point is termed the ImumCoeli (Latin forbottomofthesky)andisabbreviatedIC.Thesecardinalpointsareoftenused when applying astrology to the markets. For example, when theNew York Stock Exchange officially opened for business on May 17,1792, ithad itsascendant inCancer, itsMC inAries, itsDescendant inCapricornanditsICinLibra.
MythologyandMeaningsThroughouthistory,
variousstoriesandcharacteristicbehaviourshavebeenassignedtothe12signsofthezodiac.ThediagraminFigure1-2providesavisualrenderingofthe12signsandthetraditionalimagerythatrelatestoeachsign.Whatthenfollowsisanamusingbitofmythologyforeachsign.
Figure1-2TheZodiacSignsAries(0to30degrees,21March-20April)AccordingtoGreekmythology,Nephele,themotherofPhrixusandHelles,gavehersonsaramwithagoldenfleece.Toescapetheirevilstepmother,Hera,thesonsmountedtheramand
fled.Whentheyreachedthesea,Hellesfellintothewaterandperished.Phrixussurvivedtheordeal,theram’sfleecewasdedicatedtoZeuswhothenraisedtheram
intotheheavensandmadeitaconstellation.
Taurus(30to60degrees,21April-21May)AccordingtoRomanlegend,JupitertooktheformofabullandbecameinfatuatedwiththefairmaidenEuropa.WhenEuropadecidedtoridethebull,herushedintotheseaandwhiskedEuropaofftoCrete.Jupiterthenraisedthebullintotheheavenswhereitbecameastar.Gemini(60to90degrees,22May-21June)InGreekmythology,thetwinsareconsideredtobeHerculesandApollo.InRomanlegend,thetwinsaresaidtobeCastorandPollux,thetwinsonsofLeda.PolluxwasthesonofZeus,whoseducedLeda,whileCastorwasthesonofTyndareus,kingofSpartaandLeda’shusband.WhenCastordied,PolluxbeggedhisfatherZeustogiveCastorimmortality,andhedid,byunitingthemtogetherintheheavens.Cancer(90to120degrees,22June-23July)RomanlegendsaysthatCanceristhecrabthatbitHerculesduringhisfightwiththeHydraanditwasplacedintheheavensasastarbyJuno,theenemyofHercules.Leo(120to150degrees,24July-23August)LegendsaysthatHerculesbattledwiththeNemeanlionandwon.Zeusraisedtheliontotheheavensandmadeitintoastar.
Virgo(150to180degrees,24August-23September)LegendhasitthatVirgoisaconstellationmodelledafterJustitia,daughterofAstraeusandAncora,wholivedbeforemansinned.Aftermansinned,Justitiareturnedtotheheavens.Libra(180to210degrees,24September-23October)LibrawasknowninBabylonianastronomyasscalesthatwereheldsacredtothesungodShamash,whowasalsothepatronoftruthandjustice.InRomanmythology,LibraisconsideredtodepictthescalesheldbyAstraea,thegoddessofjustice.Scorpio(210to240degrees,24October-22November)AccordingtoGreekmythology,OrionboastedtoDianaandLatonathathecouldkilleveryanimalonEarth.SotheysentforascorpionwhichstungOriontodeath.Jupiterthenraisedthescorpiontotheheavens.Sagittarius(240to270degrees,23November-22December)InBabylonianlegend,SagittariuswastheGodofWar.InGreeklegend,Sagittariusisdenotedasacentaur(halfman,halfhorse)intheactofshootinganarrow.InRomanlegend,SagittariuswasacentaurwhokilledhimselfwhenheaccidentlydroppedoneofHercules’
poisonedarrowsonhishoof.Capricorn(270to300degrees,23December-20January)InGreeklegend,duringthewarwiththegiants,theGreekGodsweredrivenintoEgypt.Inordertoescapethewrathoftheencroachinggiants,eachGreekGodchangedhisshape.TheGodPanleaptintotheriverNileandturnedtheupperpartofhisbodyintoagoatandthelowerpartintoafish,acombinationdeemedworthybyJupiterwhoraisedhimtotheheavens.Aquarius(300to330degrees,21January-19February)Accordingtolegend,DeucalionthesonofPrometheuswasraisedtotheheavensaftersurvivingthegreatdelugethatfloodedtheworld.Pisces(330to360degrees,20February-20March)InGreeklegend,AphroditeandErosweresurprisedbyTyphonwhileplayingalongtheriverNile.Theyjumpedintothewaterandwerechangedintotwofishes.Aswecansee,astrologydatesbackmanymillennia.Ancientsocietiescorrelated their events and future activities to the planets. Modernsociety, however, has put astrology on the back burner. But, slowly,tradersandinvestorsarestartingtoacceptitagain.
Now, let’s seehow lunar astrology canbeusedas a tool to tradeandinvestinthemarkets.
CHAPTERTWO
TradingUsingLunarAstrologyLookskywardonanyclearnightandyouwillseetheMooninoneofitsvariousphases.TheMoonistheclosestofalltheplanetarybodiestotheEarthandhaslongbeenheldinfascinationbymankind.
In traditional astrology, theMoon is associated with changingmood orhealth. In 6th century Constantinople (modern day Istanbul, Turkey),physiciansat thecourtofEmperorJustinianadvised thatgoutcouldbecuredby inscribingversesofHomeronacopperplatewhen theMoonwasinthesignofLibraorLeo.In17thcenturyFrance,astrologersusedtheMoontoexplainmoodchangesinwomen.In17thcenturyEngland,herbal remedy practitioners advised people to pluck the petals of thepeony flower when the Moon was waning. During the Renaissanceperiod,itwasthoughtthatdreamscouldcometrueiftheMoonwasinthesignsofTaurus,Leo,AquariusorScorpio.
In modern times, the Moon continues to be recognized as a powerfulcelestial body. And there exists a fascinating correlation between theMoonandfinancialmarketbehaviour.Myobservationshaveshownthatfor selected stocks lunar phenomena when used in combination withtechnicalchartanalysiscanaddawholenewdimension to tradingandinvesting. This chapter examines lunar phases and variations in theMoon’s distance from Earth. These phenomena are closely related toshort term changes of trend on stocks and commodity futures. Thischapter also looksat theNorthNodeof theMoonand its influenceonmarketsasitchangessignsofthezodiac.ThescientificrelationbetweenlunarphenomenaandthemarketsiselusivebutifthegravitationalpulloftheMoon can influence tides, surely it also influences our emotions offear and hope which in turn rule our investment buying and sellingdecisions.
LunarPhasesandtheSynodicMonthThephasesoftheMoonarewell-knowninscientificcirclesfortheireffectsontheocean’stidesandonthematingbehaviourincertainspecies.The
FullMoonisknowntopsychologistsforbumpinguptheratesofviolentcrimeandirrationalbehaviour.Infact,theterms‘lunacy’and‘lunatic’aredrawnfromthewidespreadobservationofthewaytheMoonaffectsmentalandemotionalstates.ManyseriousgardenersalsoknowthatthephasesoftheMoonaffectsuitabletimesforplanting,fertilizingandharvesting.MuchliketheplanetsorbittheSun,theMoonorbitstheEarth.TheMoonorbits the360degreesaroundtheEarth inaplaneofmotioncalledthelunar orbit plane. This orbit plane is inclined at about 5 degrees to theeclipticplaneoftheEarth.TheMoonorbitsEarthwithaslightlyellipticalpattern inapproximately27.3days,relativetoanobserver locatedonafixed frame of reference-the Sun. This is known as a siderealmonth.HowevertoanobserverlocatedonEarth,duringonesiderealmonth,theEarth hasalso revolvedpartwayaround theSun,making theaverageapparentorbittimelongerthanthesiderealmonthatapproximately29.5days.This29.5dayperiodoftimeisknownasasynodicmonthormorecommonlyalunarmonth.
Toanobserver locatedonplanetEarth, theMooncanbeseenmakingvarious angles or phases to theSunas theEarth journeys around theSun. In fact, there are eight such phases of theMoon that astrologerswork with. The New Moon occurs when the Moon is 0 degrees (orconjunct)totheSun.TheCrescentPhaseoccursataSun-Moonangleof45 degrees. The First Quarter Moon is at 90 degrees. The GibbousPhase is at 135 degrees. The Full Moon is at 180 degrees. TheDisseminating Phase is at 225 degrees. The LastQuarter Phase is at270degrees.TheBalsamicPhase is at 315degrees.For example, onFebruary25,2012theSun,relativetoanobserveronEarth,wasseentobeatazodiaclocationof6degreesPisces.TheMoonwasseentobeat6 degrees of Virgo. This is a separation of 180 degrees and indeedFebruary25,2012wasthedateofaFullMoon.
Whenconsidering theMoon in thecontextof the financialmarkets, thetwomostimpactfulphasesaretheNewMoon(0degreestotheSun)andtheFullMoon (180 degrees to theSun).Eclipses are also very potenteventsformarkettraderstobealertto.ThefollowingdiagramtakenfromBusiness Astrology 101, by Astrologer Georgia Stathis illustrates thevariouslunarphases.
Figure2-1LunarPhases
WithanEphemerisinhandonecaneasilytrackMoonphasesforagivenmonth.TheillustrationinFigure2-2depictsapagetakenfromtheNewAmericanEphemerisforthe21stCentury.Thearrow in the imagepointsto the section of the page that provides Moon data for the month inquestion(December2012).Inthisexample,onecanseetheNewMoon
willoccuronDecember13andtheFullMoonwilloccuronDecember28whichalsohappenstobeaneclipsedate.
Figure2-2LunarDatainanEphemeris
Tohelpyouquicklyidentifylunardates,AppendixApresentsNewMoon,FullMoonandEclipsedatafor2013and2014.
FullMoon,NewMoonandtheFirstTradeDateTheMoonhasthegreatestimpactonthosestocksthatbegantradingfortheveryfirsttime(thefirsttradedate)onafinancialexchangeduringaFullMoonoraNewMoon.AppendixF
listsfirsttradedatesforthe60largeststocksontheTorontoStockExchangeandthe30DowJonesIndustrialIndexcomponents.Foramorecompletelistingoffirsttradedates,seethewebsitewww.investingsuccess.caandlookforthetabcalledAstrology.Thistabcontainsasub-sectioncalledFirstTradeDates.Onceastock’sfirsttradedateisknown,lookupthatdateinanEphemerisandseewhetheritcoincideswitheitheraFulloraNewMoon.IfthefirsttradedatealignswithaNeworFullMoon,thenthatstockisagoodcandidateforalunartradingstrategy.Consider the example of Teck Resources which trades on the TorontoStockExchangeunderthetickerTSX:TCK/b.TeckResourcesisalargeglobalcoal,ironoreandbasemetalminerwithheadquartersinCanada.Teck Resources made its debut onto the Toronto Stock Exchange onMarch25,1952, thedateofaNewMoon.Thedailychart inFigure2-3illustrates the price action of Teck Resources for the 12 month periodcommencingSeptember2011.DarkshadedarrowsdenoteNewMoonswhileun-shadedarrowsdenoteFullMoons.
Figure2-3TeckResources(TSX:TCK/b)dailychart
NotehowNewMoonandFullMoondatesalignverycloselywithswingsinpriceaction.Theselunardatesobviouslydonotaccountfor100%ofallthepriceswingsonthechartasthereisonlyoneNewMoonandoneFullMooneventeachmonth.Butthecorrelationbetweenpriceinflectionpoints and lunar events is uncanny nonetheless. Thus, whenwatchingpriceactionofTeckResources,asaNewMoonorFullMoondatedrawsnear one should use technical chart analysis on short term charts toidentify signs of a trend reversal that offers a short term tradingopportunity.
AnotherexampleofthisdynamiccanbeseenwithAllianceGrainTraderswhichtradesontheTorontoStockExchangeunderthetickerTSX:AGT.Alliance Grain Traders is a commodity trading firm based in westernCanadaspecializing in brokering salesof cleanedandpackagedpeas,beans, lentils and chickpeas to the global marketplace. Alliance GrainTradersmade itsdebuton theTorontoStockExchangeSeptember18,2009, a New Moon. The daily chart in Figure 2-4 illustrates the priceaction of Alliance Grain Traders for the 12 month period commencingSeptember 2011. Dark shaded arrows denote New Moons while un-shadedarrowsdenoteFullMoons.
Figure2-4AllianceGrainTraders(TSX:AGT)dailychart
NotehowNewMoonandFullMoondatesalignverycloselywithswingsinpriceaction.
Asthesetwoexamplesillustrate,theMooncanhavepowerfuleffectsonprice action. The scientific explanation for this is deeper and moremysteriousthanIcanexplain.Thus,Isimplyuselunaroccurrencesasacomplimenttomymoremundanetechnicalchartindicators.
Insummary,toincorporatelunarphenomenaintoatradingstrategy,oneshouldidentifycompaniesthatfirsttradedonaNeworaFullMoondate.Then,knowingthataFullMoonorNewMoondate isapproaching,usetechnical chart analysiswith short term charts towatch for oversold oroverboughtconditionsthatmaywarrantatrade.CompilingashortlistoftradingcandidatesthathadtheirfirsttradedatesonaNeworFullMoonwill takesomeeffort.Tohelpyougetstarted,Table2-1presentssomeCanadianandUSlistedcompanies.
Company
TickerSymbol
FirstTradeDate
LunarInfluence
CentralFund TSX:CEF.a June14,1965
FullMoon
Corby TSX:CDL.a February3,1969
FullMoon
Cdn.WesternBank TSX:CWB May14,1984
FullMoon
CalianTechnology TSX:CTY September15,1993
NewMoon
Cinram TSX:CRW.un March10,1986
NewMoon
MullenGroup TSX:MTL December13,1993
NewMoon
Manulife TSX:MFC September24,1999
FullMoon
PanAmSilver TSX:PAA October9,1984
FullMoon
PowerCorp TSX:PWF October10,1984
FullMoon
Toromont TSX:TIH May21,1974
NewMoon
WestFraser TSX:WFT May7,1986
NewMoon
WestJet TSX:WJA July12,1999
NewMoon
AmericanExpress N:AXP May18,1977
NewMoon
Caterpillar N:CAT December21,1929
NewMoon
Citigroup N:C December4,1998
FullMoon
DukeEnergy N:DUK July12,1961
NewMoon
FedEx N:FDX December28,1978
NewMoon
GeneralElectric N:GE May27,1956
FullMoon
Honeywell N:HUN September19,1929
FullMoon
JPMorgan N:JPM April1,1969
FullMoon
LockheedMartin N:LMT March16,1995
FullMoon
Merck N:MRK May15,1946
FullMoon
Nabors N:NBR November3,2005
NewMoon
TysonFoods N:TSN October17,1997
FullMoon
Table2-1LunarfirsttradedatesforseveralCanadianandUSlistedcompaniesApogeeandPerigeeBecauseoftheMoon’sslightlyellipticalpatternofrotationaroundtheEarth,therewillbetimeswhenitisfarfromEarthandtherewillbetimeswhenitisclosetoEarth.ThetimewhentheMoonisfarthestfromEarthiscalledapogee.ThetimewhentheMoonisclosesttoEarthiscalledperigee.
NewZealandauthorKenRinginhisbookLunarCodedescribesapogeeand perigee in considerable detail. The following are some of hisobservations:•Many,butnotall,ofthemostsevereglobaleventsoccurwithinafewdaysofperigee.
• Fishing is good just before perigee, hopeless right on perigee andgoodagainjustafter.
•Studentsseem todobetter inexamswhen theMoon is inperigee,FullorNew.
• If a First Quarter Moon coincides with a perigee, hurricanes areprobable.
• When the summer Full Moon is in perigee or apogee, very warmtemperaturesmayresult.
•Perigeewasalwaysknownandfearedbyancientsailorsbecauseofthe stormy weather and gales that invariably arrived. By far thegreater number of cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons, volcaniceruptions, floods, heat waves and earthquakes in recorded historyhasbeenassociatedwithaperigeeorapogee.
•TheapogeeandperigeeoftheMoonhaveaneffectonthetidesonEarth.When theMoon isatapogee (the furthestdistance from theEarth),ithaslessgravitationalpullwhichcontributestolowertidesorlowervariationinthehigh/lowtidelevel.WhentheMoonisatperigee(closer to the Earth), there is much more gravitational pull whichcontributestotheoppositeeffect:highertidesorgreatervariationinthehighandlowtide.
Tofurtherillustratetheeffectsofapogeeandperigee,consideragainthechartsofTeckResourcesandAllianceGrainTraders.
Figure2-5TeckResources(TSX:TCK/b)apogeeandperigee
Thechart inFigure2-5 is thesameas thechart inFigure2-3,butwithapogeeandperigeeeventsoverlaidasdepictedbysmallcircles.Noticehow these apogee and perigee events tend to align themselves verycloselywithshorterswingchangesintrend.
Figure2-6TeckResources30minutechart
Shortertermchartsfunctionverywelltofocusonlunarevents.Figure2-6illustratesashortterm30minutechartforTeckResourcesfortheperiodDecember 12 through 14, 2012. On December 12, the Moon was atperigee and December 13marked a NewMoon. Note how at perigeepriceactionreachedashorttermtopandthenproceededtodeclineintoashort termswingbottomthenextdayat theNewMoon.Ashort termtradercouldhaveusedtechnicalindicatorssuchasRSI,DMIandCCIinconjunctionwiththeselunareventstotimeatradingentryintothestock.
Figure2-7AllianceGrainTradersapogeeandperigee
Thechart inFigure2-7 is thesameas thechart inFigure2-4,butwithapogeeandperigeeeventsoverlaidasdepictedbysmallcircles.Noticehow these apogee and perigee events tend to align themselves verycloselywithshorterswingchangesintrend.
Figure2-8AllianceGrainTraders30minutechart
Thechart inFigure2-8 illustratesthe30minutechart forAllianceGrainTradersfortheperiodDecember12,2012throughDecember14,2012.Prior to this time span, the trend on Alliance Grain Traders had beendecidedlydownhavingfallenfromabovethe$16persharelevelover3months. A trader seeking to take a position in Alliance Grain Traderscould have watched the price action start to bottom coming intoDecemberand then furtherused theabove30minutechartasperigeeandNewMooneventsdrewclosetotimeasuitableentryintothestock.ForstockshavingafirsttradedatefallingatorverynearaNewMoonorFullMoon,usetechnical
chart analysis and short term charts to watch for tradable events at NewMoons, FullMoons,
apogeeorperigeeevents.
TheNorthNodeofMoonAspreviouslynotedtheEarthorbitstheSuninaplanecalledtheecliptic.TheMoonorbitstheEarthinitsownplane.Mathematically,twoplanesthatarenot
parallelmustintersect.TheintersectionpointsbetweentheMoon’slunarplaneandEarth’seclipticaretermedtheNorthandSouthnodes.AstrologerstendtofocusontheNorthnodeandephemeristablesclearlylistthezodiacalpositionoftheNorthNodeforeachcalendarday.Study the North Node positions and you will see that it moves in abackwards,retrogradepattern.Thelengthof timefortheNorthNodetomakeafull journeythroughthe12signsofthezodiacis18.6years.Aspartofatradingorinvestingstrategy,considernotingthetimeswhentheNorthNodechangessignsofthezodiac,approximatelyevery1.55years.ThechartinFigure2-9illustratesmonthlypricebehaviouroftheS&P500Index dating back to 1998. On the chart, the circled areas depict thetimeswhentheNorthNodechangedsignsofthezodiac.Notehowthesetimes of sign change align closely with pivotal swing highs and lowsincluding the market peak in 2000 and the peak that preceded thefinancial crisis of 2008.Definitely times for traders and investors to bealert.TheNorthNodemovedintothesignofScorpioonAugust29,2012andseveralweekslatertheS&P500Indexcrestedandbegantodeclineas debates over the US ‘fiscal cliff’ intensified. The North Node willremaininthesignofScorpiountilFebruary2014.
Figure2-9S&P500Index—NorthNodechangingsigns
WatchmajormarketindicesfortrendchangesastheNorthNodeofMoonchangessignsofthe
Zodiacevery1.55years.
SolarandLunarEclipsesAsolareclipseoccurswhentheMoonpassesbetweentheSunandEarthandfullyorpartiallyblockstheSun.ThiscanhappenonlyataNewMoon,whentheSunandtheMoonareinconjunctionandonlywhentheNewMoonoccursclosetooneoftheNodes.BecausetheMoon’slunarorbitplaneintersectswiththeeclipticplaneatthetwoNodesthatare180degreesapart,NewMoonsoccurclosetothenodesattwoperiodsoftheyearapproximatelysixmonths(173.3days)apart,knownaseclipseseasons.Therewillalwaysbe
atleastonesolareclipseduringaneclipseseason.SometimestheNewMoonoccurscloseenoughtoanodeduringeachoftwoconsecutivemonthstoeclipsetheSunintwopartialeclipses.Thismeansthatinanygivenyear,therewillalwaysbeatleasttwosolareclipses,buttherecouldbeasmanyasfive.A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are alignedexactly,orverycloselyso,withtheEarthinthemiddle.TheEarthblocksthe Sun’s rays from striking theMoon. This can only happen at a FullMoon.Eclipsedatesshouldbewatchedcloselyasprice trendchangesoftenoccurat thesedates.The chart inFigure2-10 illustratesmonthlypricebehaviouroftheS&P500futuresdatingback15years.Thecirclesonthechartdepictmanyofthesolarandlunareclipsedates.Noticehowthese dates align quite well with swings in price action. Appendix Aprovides eclipse data for 2013 through 2014. Using technical chartanalysis, watch as eclipse dates approach. If you see oversold oroverboughtconditionsthatcouldlendthemselvestoatrendreversal,bepreparedtotakeactionaccordingly.
Figure2-10S&P500Index—SolarandLunareclipses
The chart illustrated in Figure 2-11 is an hourly snapshot of the DowJonesIndustrialAveragearoundthetimeframeofJune4,2012,thedateof a partial lunar eclipse and the date of amarket swing low. A traderseeking to enter a trade on Dow futures could have watched thedeveloping technicalnegativedivergenceand the risingADX feature totimeanentryposition.
Figure2-11DowJonesIndustrialAveragehourlychartJune4,2012
On a similar note, the chart in Figure 2-12 illustrates the Dow JonesIndustrialAveragearoundtheperiodofNovember13,2012thedateofasolareclipseandaswinghighpointonpriceaction.
Figure2-12DowJonesIndustrialAveragehourlychartNovember13,2012
Watchmajormarketindicestoexhibittrendchangesduringsolarandlunareclipseevents.
Next, let us turn our attention to an examination of how planetaryastrologycanbeincorporatedintoatradingstrategy.
CHAPTERTHREE
PlanetaryTradingThere are eight planets that form the framework for the application ofastrologytotradingandinvestingonthefinancialmarkets.TheseplanetsareMercury,Venus,Mars,Jupiter,Saturn,Uranus,NeptuneandPluto.Inrecent years there has been much debate as to whether or not Plutoqualifiesasatrueplanetorsimplyoneofseveraldwarfplanets.Forthepurposesofthisbook,considerPlutotobeatrueplanet.
Thischapterlooksathowplanetaryaspects,firsttradedatesandsynodicperiodsallcanbeincorporatedintoatradingstrategy.
PlanetsandAspectsThediagraminFigure3-1courtesyofwww.zoomschool.comshowsthepositionalarrangementoftheplanetsinrelationtotheSun.NotealsothesizesoftheotherplanetsincomparisontoEarth.
Figure3-1ThePlanets
From a vantage point located on Earth, as these planets orbit 360degrees around the Sun, they can be seen to make angles (calledaspects) to theSunand toeachother.Theaspectscommonlyused to
study the financialmarketsare0,30,45,60,90,120and180degrees(respectivelycalledconjunct,semi-sextile,semi-square,sextile,square,trine and opposition events). The application of astrology to markettrading allows for some ‘room’ (or orb) when considering the variousaspects.
• A conjunct event (0 degree separation) is deemed to be occurringwhen two planets are within 10 degrees of being 0 degrees apartfromeachother.
•Thesameappliestoanoppositionevent(180degreeseparation).• A square event (90 degree separation) is deemed to be occurringwhen twoplanetsarewithin5degreesofbeing90degrees tooneanother.
•A semi-sextile event (30degree separation) event is deemed to beoccurringwhentwoplanetsarewithin3degreesofbeing30degreesfromoneanother.
• A semi-square event (45 degree separation) is deemed to beoccurringwhentwoplanetsarewith3degreesofbeing45degreesapartfromoneanother.
• A sextile event (60 degree separation) is deemed to be occurringwhentwoplanetsarewith5degreesofbeing60degreesapartfromoneanother.
•Atrineevent(120degreeseparation)isdeemedtobeoccurringwhentwoplanetsarewith5degreesofbeing120degreesapartfromoneanother.
StrangeSymbolsandtheEphemerisFigure3-2presentsasummaryofthesymbolsusedinastrologytodenotethevariousplanetsandthevariousaspects.Asyourepeatedlyapplytheinformationinthisbooktoyourmarketactivity,youwillbecomequitefluentwiththesestrangelookingsymbols,calledglyphs.Figure3-3presentsanexcerpt taken fromaheliocentricEphemeris forthe month of December 1980. Notice how the symbols denoting the
variousplanetsappearalongthetopofthedatatable.Alongtheleftaxis,the days of the month appear. In each column notice the numberexpressedindegreesalongwithaglyph.Thus,foranygivendayinthemonthofDecember1980,onecanfindthepositionoftheMoonandthevariousplanets in termsofdegreesandastrologicalsign.Forexample,on December 1, 1980 we can see that: Jupiter was 26 degrees, 45minutesintothesignofVirgo.OnDecember20,Venuswas25degreesand17minutesintothesignofLibra.Withalittlepractice,youwillquitesoon findyourself comfortably interpreting thedata inanephemeris. Inmyexperience, a goodheliocentric ephemeris is not something readilyavailable in book stores. I do have one for calendar years 2000 andonwards. However, I find it just as easy to obtainmy heliocentric datafromthewebsitewww.astro.com/swisseph/swepha_e.htm.
Figure3-2AstrologySymbols
Figure3-3EphemerispageDecember1980
CaseStudy#1—Apple(Nasdaq:AAPL)Thebestwaytoseeastrologyinactionistolookatacasestudyforaparticularstock.InFigure3-3,lookatthedateofDecember12,1980.Onthatdate,thedatashowsthatMercurywasat15degreesofScorpio,Venuswasat12degreesofLibra,Marsat2degreesofAquarius,Jupiterat27degreesofVirgo,Saturnat2degreesof
Libra,Uranusat26degreesofScorpio,Neptuneat22degreesofSagittariusandPlutowasat22degreesofLibra.ThedateofDecember12,1980happenstobethedaywhenshares inApple (Nasdaq:AAPL) first started trading on a recognized stockexchange.ThisdateisApple’sfirsttradedate.
When applying astrology to an individual stock, the first step is tocomposeavisualdiagramofthepositionsofthePlanetsonthefirsttradedate.Toconstructsuchadiagram,onecouldstartwithablankversionofa diagram similar to that of Figure 1-1 shown back in Chapter 1. But,thankfully technological advances have touched upon the world ofastrology. Software programs are now available to prepare first tradecharts for you. I personally have two programs that I use. The first isproduced by AIR Software and is calledMilleniumTrax, the second isproduced by Astrolabe and is called Solar Fire Gold. Both are veryaffordable. Iamsure therearemanymoresuchprogramsavailable forpurchase and indeed one may even find apps for smart phones andtabletsthatwillhelpyouwithastrologycharts.
Whenrunningoneoftheseprograms,theentrydatarequiredconsistsofthefirsttradedate,thelocationandatime.IfthestockhappenstobeaUS traded equity, the locationwill beNewYork.Canadian equitieswillhave a location of Toronto and U.K. equities would have a location ofLondonandsoon.The timeelementwill be the time thestockstartedtradingon the first tradedate. Ialwaysassume the timeelement tobethehouratwhichthestockexchangestartsitstrading.Sometimestherecanbedelaysingettinganewstockupandtradingforthefirsttime,butthistendstobetheexception.ForUSandCanada,tradestarttimesaretakentobe9:30am.Withdate, timeand locationdataentered into theprogram,theresultwillbeachartshowingtheplacementsoftheplanetson that date. Although termed a first trade chart, such a chart istechnically called a horoscope derived from the Greek horoskopismeaning ‘a look at the hours’. The following figure shows the chartgenerated forApple (Nasdaq:AAPL) using theMilleniumTrax software.Notethatwhenenteringdataparametersforafirsttradechart,youmustspecify whether you are wanting the heliocentric calculations or the
geocentric calculations. In the case of Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL), I haveselectedheliocentric.
Figure3-4Apple(Nasdaq:AAPL)heliocentricfirsttradechartAftergeneratingafirsttradechart,thesecondstepistostudyitcarefullyandnotetheplanetarypairsthat
formaspects.
IntheApple(Nasdaq:AAPL)heliocentricchartonecanseethat:•Sunis180degreesfromNeptunewhichisanoppositionevent.
•SunandPlutoare122degreesapartwhichisatrineevent.•MarsandSaturnare121degreesapartforatrineevent.•MercuryandSaturnare45degreesapartforasemi-squareevent.•NeptuneandPlutoare60degreesapartforasextileevent.•JupiterandSunare97degreesapartwhichisjustabittoomuchforasquareevent.
•MercuryandPlutoare25degreesapartwhich is not quite a semi-sextileevent.
•JupiterandMarsare126degreespartwhichistoomuchforatrine
event.•SunandVenusare113degreesapartwhichisnotenoughforatrineevent.
Thethirdstepistodeterminewhichoftheaspectsisthemostpowerfulto incorporate into a trading or investing strategy. To make thisdetermination, focus on the aspects made between the faster movinginnerplanets(Mercury,Venus,Mars)withtheSunandaspectsbetweenthesefastermovingplanetsandtheouter,slowermovingplanets.FocusalsoonanyaspectsbetweentheslowerouterplanetsandtheSun.
Fourth,useeitheranephemeristableorasoftwareprogramtogeneratealistofsuchaspectsdatingbackseveralyears.
Fifth,generateastockchartofthestockinquestiongoingbackseveralyears.Mark theaspectdateson thepricechartandseewhichaspectsmostoftenalignwithaswinghighorswing low trendchanges inprice.Once ithasbeendeterminedwhichaspectsalignmostoftenwithpriceswings, these aspects can then be used to look forward in time andanticipatewhentheywillrepeatthemselvesanddeliveraswingchangeinpricetrend.
ContinuingwiththestudyofApple(Nasdaq:AAPL),theaspectsinvolvingSun-Neptune, Sun-Pluto, Mars-Saturn, Mercury-Saturn and Neptune-Plutoallappear tobeexcellentcandidates to focuson.However,giventhat Neptune and Pluto are both slowermoving outer planets, we candiscard them from the list. Figure 3-5 presents a daily chart of Apple(Nasdaq:AAPL) from October 2011 to October 2012. Notice how aMercury-Saturn45degreeaspectoccursinverycloseproximitytoswinghighsmadeinOctober,Aprilandatthe$705peakinSeptember.TradersengagedinAAPLstockandwatchingcharttechnicalanalysiswouldhavehad an extrameasure of fore-warning at these swing highs. The dailychart in Figure 3-6 covers the same time frame and shows additionalaspectsthattraderswouldhavebeenalertto.Andsoitgoes.Thisishowastrologicalaspectsasdeterminedfromafirsttradechartcanbeusedasaverypowerfulcomplimenttothetechnicalanalysistechniquesalreadybeingaspartofyourtrading.
Figure3-5Aspectsaffecting(Nasdaq:AAPL)shareprice
Figure3-6Moreaspectsaffecting(Nasdaq:AAPL)sharepriceCaseStudy#2—FordMotorCompany(NYSE:F)Asanothercasestudy,considertheFordMotorCompany.Figure3-7illustratesthefirsttradechartforFordgeneratedusingtheMilleniumTraxsoftware.Inthiscasestudy,Iamusinggeocentricastrologytoshowyouhowitdiffers
slightlyfromitsheliocentriccounterpart.
Figure3-7FordMotorCompany(NYSE:F)geocentricfirsttradechartTherearefouraspectsthatimmediatelystandoutonthis
chart.Venusis180degreesoppositetoNeptune,MercuryisoppositePluto,MercuryisoppositeSaturnandVenusis90degreessquaretoUranus.
Figure3-8Aspectsaffecting(NYSE:F)
Figure3-8 illustratesadaily price chart ofFordMotorCompanydatingback12months.Noteinmid-June2012,sharepriceactionexperiencedareversalat theMercury-Plutoopposition,after failing togetabovethelate-Mayhighs. InearlyOctober,priceactionregisteredaswingbottomthusgivingtraderswhomissedthelateAugustbottomanotherchancetotakelongpositions.
Figure3-9Moreaspectsaffecting(NYSE:F)Figure3-9illustratestheMercury-SaturnandVenus-Uranusaspects.TheMercury-SaturnaspectinMayalignswithwhat
appearstobeashort-coveringrally.TheswinghighinAugustwouldhavebeenagoodpointforshorttermtraderstotakeprofitsassuminglongpositionshadbeeninitiatedin
earlyAugustasaNewMoonappeared.
Theaspectsillustratedintheprecedingtwofiguresdonotcapturealltheswings in price. But when used in conjunction with technical chartanalysis,theseaspectswillprovideyouwithauniqueperspectiveonthepriceactionofFordMotorCompanyshares.
FiveStepsforApplyingAstrologytoIndividualStocks1.Compileafirsttradedateastrologychart
forthestockinquestion.
2.Notetheplanetarypairsthatformaspects.
3.Determinewhichoftheseaspectshavethemostpowerfulimpactonprice.
4.Generatealistoftheseaspectsgoingbackseveralyears.
5.Overlaytheseaspectsonastockchartgoingbackseveralyearstoverifytheireffectiveness.
Then,watchfortheseaspectstore-occurinthefuture.
Ruler-Ship,Exaltation,FallandDetrimentAstrologyalsorestsfirmlyonthenotionsof
ruler-ship,exaltation,detrimentandfall.Eachsignofthezodiacisdeemedtobe‘ruled’byaplanetorplanetarypair.Thatis,theparticularzodiacsignwillexhibitcharacteristicssimilartoitsrulingplanetorplanetarypair.Foragivenzodiacsign(orpointwithinasign),certainplanetsfunctionverywellandexhibitpowerfulinfluence.Thispowerfulinfluenceiscalledexaltation.Therearealsosignsinwhichagivenplanetmayexhibitunpredictablebehaviorthuskeepingtradersandinvestorsonedge.Thisisbehaviouriscalleddetriment.Lastly,therearesignswhereplanetsexhibitveryweakamountsofinfluence.Thisweakinfluenceiscalledfall.Table3-1showstheruler-shipofthevarioussignsalongwithpositionsofexaltation,fallanddetriment.Noticethatwhenaplanetisinexaltationinasign,itwillbeinfallwhenitreachestheopposingsignofthezodiac.Aplanetwillbeinfallwhenitappearsinasignoppositetothatsignwhichitrules.Forexample,ifJupiterfiguresprominentlyinthepricemovesofastock,itwouldbewisetopaycloseattentiontopriceactionofthatstockas Jupiter experiences exaltation in the sign of Cancer. Table 3-1suggeststhatthepointof5degreesCancershouldbefocusedon.Someolder literature studied when researching this book was adamant thatexaltationandfallonlyoccurredatcertaindegreesofasign,whileotherpublications took a slightly more relaxed stance and consideredexaltationand fall tooccurduring theentire transitof thesign. IfVenusfiguresprominentlyinthepricemovesofastock,takenotethatVenusisindetrimentasitpassesthroughthesignsofAriesandScorpio,soanyfavourable price action you may be expecting may be somewhatdampened.Thus,whenincorporatingthenotionsofexaltation,detrimentandfallintoyourtradingstrategy,besuretodoadequateback-testingtoseehowpriceactionhasrespondedinpastacrosstheentiretransitofa
signaswellasatthespecificpointslistedinTable3-1.Backtestingcanbedonewiththehelpofephemeristablesorwithasoftwareprogram.
Sign Ruler Exaltation Fall Detriment
Aries Mars/Pluto Sun19degrees Saturn21degrees Venus
Taurus Venus Moon3degrees Uranus Mars
Gemini Mercury Mercury Jupiter
Cancer Moon Jupiter5degrees Mars28degrees Saturn
Leo Sun Neptune Pluto Uranus
Virgo Mercury Mercury15degrees Venus27degrees Neptune
Libra Venus Saturn21degrees Sun19degrees Mars/Pluto
Scorpio Mars Uranus Moon3degrees Venus
Sagittarius Jupiter SouthNode3degrees Mercury Mercury
Capricorn Saturn Mars28degrees Jupiter5degrees Moon
Aquarius Uranus/Saturn Pluto Neptune Sun
Pisces Neptune/Jupiter Venus27degrees Mercury15degrees Mercury
Table3-1Exaltation,DetrimentandFallPositionsLookingonceagainatourexampleofApple(Nasdaq:AAPL),wecanclearlyseetheinfluencesofexaltation.Usingtheephemeristables,IdeterminedthecalendardatesforseveraloftheaboveexaltationdatesthatfellintothetimeframeAugust2011toAugust2012.Figure3-10plotsthese
dates.
Figure3-10Exaltationdates
Noticehow theSunat19degreesofAriespositionalignswithamajorswinghighinApril2012.SeetherallythatgotunderwayearlyinOctober2011.ThisrallystumbledforawhileasSaturnentereditsexaltedtimeat21degreesofLibra.Saturnhasareputationforspoilingthepartyandinthis case it lived up to its reputation. Lastly, Venus entered its point ofexaltation inFebruary2012.Pricewasalready rallyingat that time,butlookcloselyandyouwillseethatasVenushititspointofexaltation,priceactionsurgedquickly.Althoughnotshownon thischart,Mercuryhit15degrees Virgo and exaltation on September 9, 2012. Price action ofAAPL the very next day fell some $18 per share in true ‘mercurial’fashion!
OnSeptember21,2012whenAAPLhit itshighof$705, it iscurioustoobserve thatSaturnwasat28degreesofLibra, justpast itsmaximumpointofexaltation.Saturntypicallycanhaveadetrimentaleffectonsharepriceactionandinthiscase,itseemsthatoncetheall-timewasreached,Saturn exerted its powerful suppressing nature to drive price actiondownwards.Aswell,atthetimeofthispricehigh,MarswasinthesignofScorpio where it rules. Mars having war-like tendency, seems to havedeclaredwar on sharepriceasAAPLwent on to losenearly $200pershare invalueby theendof2012.Lastly,at the timeof the$705high,
Jupiter was at 16 degrees Gemini. Jupiter typically is associated withexpansive behaviours and by being in Gemini, it was in fall, thus itsexpansionary tendenciesweremuted, givingadded impetus to a fall inshareprice.
Although using planetary phenomena in market trading requiresconsiderablepreparationwork,onceyouhavedonethepreparationworkfor your favorite stocks or commodity futures, you stand to enjoy adistinct advantage in your trading. This advantage can then be furthersharpened by using synodic periods, sign changes, retrograde motionandMid-HeavenandAscendant techniqueswhichwenowwillexamineingreaterdetail.Watchforsignificantpricemovementsatthosetimeswhenplanetsareinexaltation,detrimentor
fall.
Mid-HeavenandAscendantStrategiesInChapterOne,theconceptsofMid-Heaven(MC)andAscendant(Asc)wereintroduced.TousethenotionofMid-Heaveninatradingstrategy,itisalsonecessarytogenerateageocentricfirsttradechart.ThechartinFigure3-11isthatofCocaCola(NYSE:KO)whichhasafirsttradedateofSeptember26,1924.Onthisoranygeocentricfirsttradechart,theMid-Heavenisatthetopofthe chart. In the case of Coca Cola, the Mid-Heaven (MC) is at 29degreesoftheSignofLeo.
Eachcalendaryear,tradersshouldmakecarefulnoteofwhenthefastermovingplanetsMercuryandVenuspassacrosstheMid-Heavenpositionfoundinastock’sfirsttradechart.SlightlyslowermovingMarscanalsobe important too.Within one or two degrees on either side of theMCposition watch stock price action for possible swing reversals in trend.Sometimesuchswingscanbeshortinduration,sometimeslarger.
Figure3-11CocaCola(NYSE:KO)firsttradechartTheAscendant(denotedAsc)onageocentricfirsttradechartsuchastheoneinFigure3-11istakenasbeingatthe9o’clockposition.Eachcalendaryear,tradersshouldmakecarefulnoteofwhenthe
fastermovingplanetsMercuryandVenuspassacrosstheAscendant.WatchtoowhatslightlyslowerMarsdoes.Withinonedayoneithersideofthesedatesobservesharepriceactioncloselyforpossibleswingreversalsintrend.Sometimesuchswingscan
beshortinduration,sometimeslarger.
In the caseofCocaCola, the planetMercury in 2011passedover theMid-Heaven position of 29 degrees Leo on July 27, turned retrograde,passed over the point 29 Leo on August 9, turned direct and againpassed over 29 Leo on September 9, 2011. The chart in Figure 3-12depicts daily price action covering these dates. Note how these MCcrossingdatesalignwithpricetopsandpriceswings.
Venus in 2011 passed over the Mid-Heaven on August 21 and Marscrossed the Mid-Heaven on November 10. The chart in Figure 3-13depicts hourly price action covering the time frame around August 21,2011.NotehowVenuscrossingtheMCofCocaColaalignswithavery
nicetradabledipinpriceactionthatatraderorinvestorcouldhavebeentracking.ThechartinFigure3-14depictshourlypriceactioncoveringthetimeframearoundNovember10,2011.NotehowMarscrossingtheMCofCocaCola alignswith another very nice tradable dip in price actionthatatraderorinvestorcouldhavebeenwatchingfor.
In 2012, Mercury passed over the Mid-Heaven on September 1 andVenusonOctober3.Althoughnotshownhere,thechartsforthesetimeframesalsoshowinterestingswingsinpriceaction.SlowermovingMarswillnotpasstheMid-Heavenin2012.
In2011,MercurypassedovertheAscendant(Asc)onOctober24,VenusonOctober22.SlowermovingMarsdidnotpass theAscendant (Asc).Figure 3-15 depicts hourly price action covering this period.Notice therise and fall of price action as Mercury and Venus crossed theAscendant.
Figure3-12CocaCola(NYSE:KO)MercuryacrossMC
Figure3-13CocaCola(NYSE:KO)VenusacrosstheMC
Figure3-14CocaCola(NYSE:KO)MarsacrosstheMC
Figure3-15CocaCola(NYSE:KO)MercuryandVenusacrosstheAscIn2012,MercurypassedtheMid-HeavenonOctober17,VenusonDecember5andMarsonSeptember17.ThechartinFigure3-16illustratespriceactioncoveringtheperiodmid-September2012tomid-October,2012.ThebottompaneonthechartistheCommodityChannelIndex(CCI),astandardtechnicalindicatorusedtodenoteoverboughtandoversoldconditions.Marscrossedthe
AscendantonSeptember17andonedaylater,intra-daypriceactionhitanoverboughtpeak.MercurycrossedtheAscendantonOctober17,acriticallineofsupportwasbreachedandCCIcrossedbelowthe‘minus100’mark.Analerttraderwatchingthis
unfoldcouldhavetakenadvantageaccordingly.
Figure3-16CocaCola(NYSE:KO)MarsandMercuryacrosstheAsc
Figure3-17ImperialOil(TSX:IMO)60minutechartAsanotherexample,considerImperialOil,alargeCanadianintegratedoilconcernwhichtradesontheTorontoStock
ExchangeunderthetickersymbolTSX:IMO.ThechartinFigure3-14showshourlypriceactionforImperialOilduringthetimeframeofAugust13,2012.Althoughthefirsttradechartisnotdisplayed,theMid-HeavenforImperialOilisat23degreesofLibra.MarscrossedoverthisMid-HeavenpositiononAugust13,2012.Analerttraderusingtechnicalchartanalysisandshorttermchartswouldhavenotedabreakoutabovea
lineofresistanceandthenarunupinpriceof$1ashare.
Watchforsignificantpricemoveswhentheplanets,Mercury,VenusandMarscrosstheAscand
MCfirsttradechartpositionsofstocks.
TradingusingSynodicCyclesEachoftheplanetsorbitstheSunwithadifferentperiodofrevolutionasTable3-2shows.MercurybeingclosetotheSuncompletesitsorbitveryquickly.PlutobeingfarawayfromtheSuntakesagoodlongwhiletocompleteanorbit.Planet SynodicOrbitalPeriodAroundSun
Mercury 88days
Venus 225days
Earth 365days
Mars 687days
Jupiter
11.85years
Saturn
29.42years
Uranus
83.75years
Neptune 163.74years
Pluto
245.33years
Table3-2Planet-Sunsynodicperiods
Asynodiccycleisthatlengthoftimeforacelestialbodytocompleteanentirepatternasreferenced fromthe fixedobservationpointof theSun(heliocentric). Such a pattern is usually taken to mean the time fromwhen a planet is conjunct (0 degrees) to Earth to when it is againconjunctEarth.Suchapatterncouldalsobethetimefromwhenaplanetisconjunct (0degrees)anotherplanet towhen it isagainconjunct thatplanet. Table 3-3 presents various planet to planet synodic cycles. Asynodic cycle between two planets is given by S = (s1 x s2)/(s2-s1),wheres1ands2arethetimestoorbit theSunastakenfromTable3-2previous.
Earth Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto
Mercury 116
days 144.5days
100.9days
89.8days
88.7days
88.2days
88.1days
88.0days
Venus 584
days 144.5days
334.5days
237.3days
229.8days
226.6days
225.8days
225.5days
Mars 780
days 100.9days
334.5days
2.23years
2.0years
1.92years
1.90years
1.90years
Jupiter 399
days 89.8days
237.3days
2.23years
19.85years
13.81years
12.77years
12.45years
Saturn 376
days 88.7days
229.8days
2.0years
19.85years
45.26years
35.68years
33.40years
Uranus 370
days 88.2days
226.6days
1.92years
13.81years
45.26years
171.42years
127.15years
Neptune 367
days 88.1days
225.8days
1.90years
12.77years
35.68years
171.42years
492.34years
Pluto 367
days 88.0days
225.5days
1.90years
12.45years
33.40years
127.15years
492.34years
Table3-3Planet-Planetsynodicperiods
AsTable3-3shows,SaturnandJupiterhavea19.85yearsynodicorbitalperiod. The 0, 90 and 180 degree aspects are important to follow formarket traders. Consider the following historical heliocentricdevelopments.Saturnwas0degreesseparatedfromJupiterforthefirst8 months of 1961. During 1961, the Dow Jones Industrials peaked atnear734beforedecliningtothe580levelforadropofabout20percent.In1970andintoearly1971,SaturnandJupitercameintoa180degreeaspectonanumberofoccasions.DuringthistimeframetheDowJonesIndustrialsregisteredasignificantlowaftermakinga285pointdrop(28
percent) from a high in 1968. From late-1975 tomid-1976 Saturn andJupitercameintoa90degreeaspectonseveraloccasionsandtheDowJonesIndustrialsralliedhardandfastfromasignificantlowmadelatein1974. In the first half of 1981, Saturn and Jupiter again enjoyed a 0degree aspect, the first such occurrence since 1961. This time framemarked a peak in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Interestinglyenough, following this peak, a sell-off of some 24% took place whichcleared thedecks for thestartofamajorbullmarket run.FromMay toSeptember2000,SaturnandJupiteragainarrivedata0degreeaspectsome19yearsafter the lastsuchaspect.Thisaspectcamejustas theDowJonesIndustrialswasreachingamajorhigh.Inthefirstpartof2006Saturn and Jupiterwere at a 90 degree aspect andmarkets had an 8percentdeclinebeforeresuminganuptrend.Fromlate2010throughMay2011,SaturnandJupiterwereata180degreeaspect.DuringthisperiodthemarketralliedsmartlyonlytopeakandfadeinMayjustasthisaspectwasconcluding.SaturnandJupiterarescheduledtomakea90degreeaspect again frommid-2015 to the end of 2015. Traders and investorsshouldbemindfulofthistimeframeforapossiblesignificantturnintrend.
In addition to the 0, 90 and 180 degree aspects, breaking the SaturnJupitersynodiccycleof19.85yearsintosmallerincrementscanalsogiveauniqueperspectiveonmarketbehaviour.Table3-4presentssomeofthesesmallersubdivisions.
SubDivisionofSaturn-Jupitercycle Expressedintermsofmonthsoftime
19.85/4
59.6months
19.85/5
47.7months
19.85/6
39.7months
19.85/7 34months
19.85/8 29.8months
19.85/9
26.5months
Table3-4Saturn-Jupitercyclesub-dividedConsiderthatin2002theS&PfuturesbottomedonOctober7.Projectingahead59.6monthstakesonetothestartof
October2007.ThemarketsregisteredanotablesecondaryhighonOctober8,2007.Fromthissame2002low,projectingahead34monthstakesonetoearlyAugust2005andinfactmarketsregisteredaswinghighatthisverytimewhichwasnotchallengeduntil3monthslater.Projectingahead29.8monthsrevealsaswingbottominApril
2005.Andlastlyprojectingforward26.5monthsplacesoneinDecember2004whenmarketspeaked.Thispeakwasnotbesteduntil8monthslater.
FromtheOctober2007high,projectingforward29.8monthstakesonetoaswinghighearlyin2010.Projectingahead34monthstakesonetothelow for 2010. Projecting ahead 47.7months takes one to the October2011lows.Projectingahead59.6monthstakesonetoSeptember2012duringwhichNorthAmericanindiceshitapeak.
StudyingsomeofthelongersynodicperiodsbetweenvariousplanetsisaninterestingexerciseandonethatIenjoyengaginginfrequentlyusingboth individual stocks and market indices. While these longer synodicperiodsmaynotbeofhelpwithshorttermtrading,theymayhelpexplainsomeofthelongertermpricecycleswehaveseenunfoldovertheyears.For further information to ponder, consider that financial marketsregisteredasignificantpeakin1929andasignificantlowin1974.Isthisa45yearSaturn-Uranussynodicperiod inaction? In2000 themarketsregistered a significant high and a significant low in early 2009. Is thisone-halfofaJupiter-Saturnsynodicperiod?Marketsregisteredalowinlate2002andasignificantlowinearly2009.Isthisone-halfofaJupiter-Uranussynodicperiod?Myresearchintotheselongercyclesisongoingandwilllikelyformthesubjectmatterofaseparatebooktobepublishedinthenearfuture.
Synodicperiodsareafascinatingphenomenon.Studyinglongertermmarketpriceactioninterms
ofsynodicperiodscanassistthetraderinseeingthemarketsfromadifferentperspective.
TradingusingRetrogradePeriodsandSignChangesWhenaplanetisretrograde,itappearstobestandingstillmomentarilyfromtheviewpointofanobserversituatedonplanetEarth.Althoughorbitingplanetsneverstandstill,whenaplanetisretrogradeitisasiftwovehiclesaremovinginthesamedirectionandonevehiclepassestheother.Asthefastervehicle(fasterorbitingplanet)passestheslowervehicle(slowerorbitingplanet),forabriefmomentintimeitappearsasthoughtheslowervehicle(slowerorbitingplanet)ismovingbackwards.Ofcourseitisnotreallymovingbackwards,theeffectispurelyillusory.Signchangesarealsoimportanttimestowatchforwhenincorporatingastrologyintoatradingstrategy.Asthevariousplanetsmovefrombeinginonesigntobeinginanother,quiteoftenonewillseeashorttermchangeintrend.Thefollowingpagespresentnumerousexamplesofhowsynodicperiods,retrogradeeventsandsignchangesallimpactthemarkets.MercuryduringRetrogradeandatSignchangesTradersshouldfocusonthoseperiodsoftime
whengeocentricMercuryisretrograde.Duringthecourseofacalendaryear,Mercurywillexhibitthreeretrogradeperiods.ThechartinFigure3-18illustratesdailypricedatafortheS&PcontinuouscontractforAugust2011throughtoSeptember2012andtheMercuryretrogradeevents.Notethatduringeachoftheseperiodsthemarketsexhibitedsomepronouncedswingswhichtraderscouldhavecapturedusingtechnicalchartanalysis.Asanaside,itisinterestingtonotethatMercuryturnedretrogradeexactlyonthedateofthe2012USPresidentialelection.Intraditional‘mercurial’fashion,theelectionyieldedsomethingofasurprise.DespitepollstakenbymanyorganizationsthatallshowedaverytightraceintheendPresidentObamacapturedacomfortablemajorityofelectoralcollegevotes.Thedayaftertheelection,MercuryhandedoutyetanothersurprisewhenmarketindicesinEuropeandNorthAmericadroppedhardandfast,leavingtradersgaspingforbreath.WithMercuryretrogradeandalsobeingindetrimentinthesignofSagittarius(seeTable3-1),thesesurpriseswereactuallynotsurprisesatalltothoseversedinastrology.For2013MercurywillberetrogradeFebruary23toMarch16,June26
toJuly19andagainfromOctober21toNovember9.MercurychangingsignsoftheZodiacalsodeserveswatchingbytraders.In particular, Mercury entering the sign of Scorpio can lead to somenotablemarketsell-offsorsomenotable rallies,eachofwhich thealerttraderwillbeabletorecognizeusingtechnicalchartanalysis.Thechartin Figure 3-19 illustrates price action on the S&P 500 Index for theSeptember-October2012period.MercuryenteredthesignofScorpioonSaturday,October6.NotethatonOctober5,S&Pfuturesmadeaswinghigh and then declined for several trading sessions.Mercury transitingthroughAquarius,PiscesandpartofAriesalsocandeliversomenotablemarketmoveswhichtradersshouldbealertto.Table3-5presentssomedatagoingback to2007 to further illustrate thepowerfulsignificanceofMercurychangingandmovingthroughsignsoftheZodiac.
Figure3-18S&P500IndexMercuryretrogradeevents
Figure3-19S&P500IndexMercurychangingsignsThefollowingTablesummarizessomerecentgeocentricMercurysigntransits.
Event Date(s) Outcome
MercuryentersScorpio Nov12,2007 53pointgainonS&Pfuturesover2sessions
MercuryinAquarius Jan9-Jan22,
2008
261pointdeclineonS&Pfutures
MercurythroughPiscesand
Aries
Mar17-April28,
2008
146pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercuryentersScorpio Nov5,2008 100pointdeclineonS&Pfuturesover2sessions
MercuryinAquarius Feb15-Mar6,
2009
75pointdeclineonS&Pfutures
MercurythroughPiscesand
Aries
Mar10-Apr28,
2009
223pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercuryentersScorpio Oct29,2009 37pointdeclineonS&Pfuturesover3sessions
MercuryinAquarius Feb11-Feb22,
2010
56pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercurythroughPiscesand
Aries
Mar2-Apr2,2010 66pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercuryentersScorpio Oct21,2010 16pointgainonS&Pfuturesover3sessions
MercuryinAquarius Feb4-Feb18,
2011
44pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercurythroughPiscesand
Aries
Feb22-May16,
2011
62pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercuryentersScorpio Oct13-Nov2,
2011
100pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercuryinAquarius Jan28-Feb15,
2012
49pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercurythroughPiscesand
Aries
Mar6-Mar27,
2012
82pointrallyonS&Pfutures
MercuryinScorpio Oct6-Oct29,2012 30pointdeclinefollowedbya37pointrallyfollowedbya51pointdeclineon
S&Pfutures
MercuryinScorpio Nov15-Dec11,
2012
89pointriseinS&Pfutures
Table3-5EffectontheS&P500IndexofMercurychangingsignsMercury(0degrees)ConjunctionEventsMercuryconjunctNeptune(geocentric)isanaspectthattradersshouldwatchcarefullyforitspropensitytodeliverswinghighsorlowstoform.ThechartinFigure3-20illustratesS&P500
Indexpriceactionforthefirst6monthsof2008.NotethefourdateswhenMercurywasconjunctNeptunealldeliveredturnsintrend.Althoughnotshownonthischart,theMarch2009lowsalignwithinacoupletradingsessionstoaMercury-Neptune
conjunction.
Figure3-20S&P500IndexMercuryconjunctNeptuneMercuryconjunctSaturn(geocentric)isanotheraspecttowatchfor.ThechartinFigure3-21illustratespriceactionforlate2009forAlcoa(NYSE:AA).NotehowthethreeinstancesofMercuryconjunctSaturnalignverywellwithswingsinprice.Althoughnotshownhere,itis
interestingtonotethatthemarketsell-offofearlyOctober2011alignsverywellwithaMercury-Saturnconjunction.
Figure3-21Alcoa(NYSE:AA)MercuryconjunctSaturnMercuryconjunctUranus(geocentric)bearswatchingalso.ThechartinFigure3-22illustratesS&P500Index
priceactionfor2012.Thethreedatesofconjunctionshownonthechartalignverywellwithchangesintrend.
Figure3-22S&P500IndexMercuryconjunctUranusLastly,MercuryconjunctMars(geocentric)isanotheraspecttowatchfor.ThechartinFigure3-23illustratespriceactionforUSSteelCorpinlate2010.TwoofthedatesofconjunctionshownonthechartalignwithminorchangesintrendwhilethedateinFebruary2011alignswitha
largerdegreetrendchange.
Figure3-23USSteel(NYSE:X)MercuryconjunctMars
Traders and investors should be alert for significant price action on stocks when the planet
Mercuryisretrograde,makessignchangesorisconjuncttootherplanets.
VenusRetrogradeEventsEarlier,InotedtheimportanceofwatchingthosetimeswhenVenuscrossestheMid-HeavenandAscendantpositionsfromthefirsttradechart.Inaddition,tradersshouldalsowatchthoseperiodsoftimewhengeocentricVenusisretrograde.Table3-6summarizessomeoftheseperiodsgoingbackseveralyears.Lookingforward,thenextVenusretrogradeeventwillbeDecember21,2013toJanuary30,2014.RetrogradeDates Notes MarketBehaviour
Oct10-Nov20,
2002
SignificantmarketlowonOctober10,2002 152pointrallyonS&Pfuturesduringthisretrogradeperiod
May17-June28,
2004 67pointrallyonS&Pfuturesduringthisretrogradeperiod
Dec24,2005-Feb
2,2006 48pointrallyonS&PfuturesbetweenDecember30,2005
andJanuary12,2006
July27-Sept7,
2007
Significantmarketpeakreached1monthafter
retrogradeevent
124pointrallyonS&PfuturesbetweenAugust16,2007and
September4,2007
Mar6-Apr16,
2009
SignificantmarketlowonMarch6,2009 202pointrallyonS&Pfuturesduringthisretrogradeperiod
Oct8-Nov16,
2010 79pointrallyonS&PfuturesbetweenOctober8and
November5,2010
May15-June26,
2012
Theill-fatedFacebookIPOoccurredinthis
timeframe
93pointrallyonS&PfuturesbetweenJune4-20,2012
Table3-6TheeffectofVenusretrogradeevents
Venusretrogradeevents(althoughnotfrequent)areoftenassociatedwithsignificantmarkethighs
andlows.
JupiterRetrogradeEventsandJupiter-SunaspectsFromourvantagepointhereonEarth,weseeJupiterexhibitretrogradebehaviouronceayearorsoandeachoftheseretrogradeperiodslastsforabout3½months.Lookingbackoverthepastdecade,itbecomesapparentthatthemarkettendstoexhibitonlynetmodestchangesduringtheseretrogradeperiods.Onlyonerallyofover100pointsmagnitudehasoccurredduringaJupiterretrogradeeventsince2001asTable3-7shows.RetrogradeDates S&PfuturesMove(closetoclosebasis)
Nov2,2001-Feb28,2002 Gainof17points
Dec3,2002-April2,2003 Lossof46points
Jan3,2004-May3,2004 Gainof7points
Feb2,2005-June4,2005 Gainof5points
Mar4,2006-July4,2006 Gainof11points
Apr6,2007-Aug6,2007 Gainof15points
May8,2008-Sept7,2008 Lossof125points
June15,2009-Oct11,2009 Gainof148points
July22,2010-Nov16,2010 Gainof87points
Aug30,2011-Dec24,2011 Gainof54points
Oct3,2012-Jan29,2013 Gainof68points
Table3-7EffectontheS&P500IndexofJupiterretrogradeeventsFromourvantagepointonEarth,JupitercanbeseentomakevariousaspectswiththeSun.ItisimportanttoexaminethevariousaspectsofJupiterwiththeSuntogainafullerappreciationfortheimportanceofthisplanettotradingstrategies.ThechartillustratedinFigure3-24showsS&PfuturespricesfromAugust2011toAugust2012.NotehowthevariousaspectsofJupiterandSunare
closelyalignedwithswinghighsandlows.
Figure3-24S&P500IndexJupiter-Sunaspects
Traders should watch the planet Jupiter closely, during times when it is retrograde, when it
aspectstheSunorwhenitmakes0degreeaspectstootherplanets.
JupiterconjunctVenusandMercuryeventsJupiterconjunctVenusandMercuryaregeocentriceventsthattradersshouldwatchfor.Suchconjunctionsonlyoccurafewtimeseachyear.ThechartinFigure3-25illustratesS&P500priceactionfromlate2008into2009.ThethreedatescircledonthechartareconjunctionsofJupiterandMercury.Notehowinthefirstthreecasestheconjunctionsalignedwithswingmovementsinthemarket.IntheFebruary2009event,themarketsimmediatelyproceededtobreakdownoutofasidewaysconsolidation
range.
Figure3-25S&P500IndexJupiterconjunctMercuryConjunctionsofJupiterandVenus(geocentric)arenottoocommon,butshouldbewatchedforregardless.ThechartinFigure3-26showsS&P500priceactionfrommid-2011tomid-2012.Duringthistimespan,onlytwoJupiter-Venusconjunctionsoccurred.Inthecaseofthe2011event,priceactionpeakedacoupletradingsessionspriortoa40pointdeclineontheS&P.Inthe2012case,priceactionsurgedhigherthesessionpriortotheconjunction.
Figure3-26S&P500IndexJupiterconjunctVenusJupiteraspectstoMars,Saturn,NeptuneandUranusThe90degreesquareaspectbetweengeocentricJupiterandMarsbearsclosewatching.AnexaminationoftheS&Pfuturespricesdatingbackto1995showsthatwhenJupiterisata90degreeaspecttoMarsonecanexpecttoseeswingtopsorswingbottomswithinafewdayseithersideoftheactualaspect.FromFebruary3toaboutFebruary16,thesetwoplanetswerewithinorbofbeing90
degreestoeachother.Whathappenedtothemarkets?TheS&PfuturespeakedonFebruary19andsoldoffforacoupletradingsessionsthereafter.
Anothergeocentricaspect towatch for is Jupiter180degrees toMars.An examination of the S&P futures dating back to 1987 shows traderscanexpecttoseeswinghighsorswinglowsonthemarketoneithersideofthisaspect.
The 0, 90 and 180 degree aspects between Jupiter and Uranus alsobears watching, even though such aspects are infrequent. A review ofS&Pfuturesdatingbackto1997showstraderscanexpectswinghighsor swing lows at these aspects, especially if Jupiter is in the signs ofAries,LeoorSagittarius.
A study of S&P futures data going back to 1990 shows a total of 27geocentric aspect occurrences (0, 60, 90, 120, 180 degrees) betweentheseJupiterandNeptune.Withonepossibleexception,itisevidentthat
aspectsbetweentheseplanetsareverycloselyalignedwithswinghighsand lows. Traders should watch for these aspects, however infrequenttheymaybe.Thechart inFigure3-27showsthreedates in2009whenJupiterwasconjunctNeptune.
Figure3-27S&P500IndexJupiterconjunctNeptuneAstudyofS&Pfuturesdatagoingbackto1990shows24aspectgeocentricoccurrences(0,60,90,120,180
degrees)betweenJupiterandPluto.Tradersshouldwatchcarefullyfortheseaspectstooccurastheyarecloselyalignedwithswinghighsandswinglows.Itisalso
interestingtonotethatsimilarswinghighsandlowscanbeseenwhenoverlayingtheseaspectsontoachartofCrudeOilfutures.
VenusconjuncteitherofMars,Saturn,NeptuneorUranusEachyearthereisaclusterofdateswhengeocentricVenusisconjuncttheseplanets.Tradersshouldbealerttothesedates.
Figure3-28S&P500IndexVenusConjuncteitherofUranus,Saturn,NeptuneorMarsSun-SaturneventsWhileSaturndoeshaveperiodsofretrogradeactivity,astudyoftheS&P500pricedatarevealsmixedbehaviour.WhatismoreimportantarethosetimeswhengeocentricSaturnmakesvariousaspectsofwiththeSun.Figure3-29illustratespriceactionoftheS&P500Indexfor12monthsstartingfromSeptember
2011.Notehowaspectangles22.5,45,60,90,135and150allcanalignverywellwithswinghighsandlows.WhenapplyingSun-Saturnaspectstootherstocks,ETF’sorcommoditycontractstradersshouldlookatallthevariousaspectstoseeifanystand
outasbeingmorepowerfulthanothers.
Figure3-29S&P500IndexSaturn-Sunaspects
TradersandinvestorsshouldwatchforSun-Saturneventstocorrelatewithpriceswingsonmajor
marketindicessuchastheDowJones,theS&P500andtheTorontoStockExchange.
SaturnconjunctMercuryeventsSaturnconjunctMercury(geocentric)eventsarenotveryfrequent,butdodeservewatching.ThechartinFigure3-30illustratesthreesucheventsin2009.Thefirsttwoalignverywellwithpivotalturnsonpriceaction,thethirdwithonlyasmallinterruptionintrend.ItisfurtherinterestingtonotethemarketlowsinOctober2011alignwithinafewtradingsessionstothebottomregisteredinthatmonth.
Figure3-30S&P500IndexSaturnconjunctMercuryMars-UranuseventsAstudyofS&Pfuturesperformancedatingbackto2000hasshownthattradersshouldcarefullystudythevariousgeocentricaspectsofMarsandUranus.Thecorrelationoftheir
aspectstoswinghighsandswinglowsisverystrongindeed.For2013,therewillbeninevariousaspectstowatchfor.
SunconjunctUranuscombinationinaspecttoJupiterThegeocentriccombinationofSunconjunctUranusinaspecttoJupiterdeservestobepencilledinonlongertermtradingcalendars.WhenSunandUranusareata0degreeseparationtoeachother,whichisayearlyevent,watchforthoseinstanceswhentheplanetJupiterthenmakesa0,30,60,90,120or180degreeaspecttothisconjunctpair.AstudyofS&Pfuturesdatagoingbackto1990showsthattheseaspectoccurrencesarecloselyassociatedwithswinghighsorlows.Anotableexampleof
suchoccurredinMarchof2009withindaysofamajorlowwhenJupiterwas180degreesoppositetotheconjunctSun-Uranuspair.TheendofMarch2013willseeaSun-Uranus0degreeaspectwithJupiterat60degreestothispair.Saturn-UranuseventsGeocentricSaturnandUranusaspectsinthecontextoftechnologystocksmakesforaninterestingstudy.AlookatNasdaqfuturesdatagoingbackto1999showsthatthe14aspecteventsbetweenthesetwoplanetsarecloselyalignedwithswinghighsorlows.Infact,theultimatetoponNasdaqoccurredwhenthesetwoplanetswerewithin5degreesofregisteringanexact90degreehardaspecttooneanother.TradersoftechnologystocksshouldwatchallaspectsbetweenthesetwobodiesforpossibleturningpointsonNasdaqandtechnologystocks.NeptunethroughtheSignsPlanetNeptuneorbitstheSunisjustover163years,spendingjustunder14yearsineachZodiacsign.AstudyofhistoricdatahasshownthatthetimeswhengeocentricNeptunechangessignsarealltoooftentimesoftrendchangeonthemarketsaswasthecaseinearly1970,early1984andearly
1998.ThemostrecentsignchangeoccurredinearlyApril2011shortlyafterwhichS&Pfuturesreachedapeakthatremainedunchallengedfor10months.UranusthroughtheSignsUranuschangingsignsofthezodiacisaninfrequentoccurrence,butonethatnonethelessdeserveswatching.AnexaminationofhistoricaldataoftheDowJonesIndustrialaveragerevealsthatgeocentricUranussignchangesinSeptember1968,September1975,November1981andMarch2011wereallcloselyassociated(withinseveralweekseithersideoftheactualdate)withswinghighsonthemarket.Otheraspectevents tobealert for includeSaturnconjunctMercury,Mars-Uranus,Sun-Uranus
withJupiter,Sun-Uranus,NeptunechangingsignsandUranuschangingsigns.
Aspectsbetweenplanets,firsttradedatesandsynodicperiodscomprisesome heavy subject matter. Incorporating these techniques into anoverall trading strategy may at first seem daunting. However, withrepeatedpractice, it soonbecomesverystraightforward.Let’snow turnourattentiontoanexplorationofhowastrologycanbeusedaspartofatradingstrategyforcommodityfutures.
CHAPTERFOUR
AstrologyandCommodityFuturesSofarinthisbookthefocushasbeenmainlyongeocentricastrologyinwhich the vantage point for determining planetary phenomena is theEarth. TheNewAmericanEphemeris for the 21stCentury referred toearlier is based on geocentric astrology. Heliocentric astrologysometimes appears in older writings related to trading the commodityfuturesmarkets.Recall that inheliocentricastrologytherearenohousedivisions, no Ascendant, Mid-Heaven or retrograde motions. PlanetaryaspectsandsignchangesaredeterminedwithavantagepointbeingtheSun.Thisseeminglysimplifiedapproachmaywellexplainthedeclineinits popularity amongst astrologers. Even though the heliocentricapproach may no longer be as popular, its effectiveness as a tool toassisttradersandinvestorshasnotdiminished.
Asmentionedinthepreviouschapter,heliocentricastrologyrequirestheuseofanephemeriscontainingheliocentricdata.Intheabsenceofsuchanephemeris,agoodvenueforobtainingheliocentricdataisthewebsitewww.astro.com/swisseph/swepha_e.htm. If you are using a softwareprogramtogeneratefirsttradecharts,selecttheheliocentricformatwhenenteringtheparameterstocreatethechart.
What follows in this chapter is a look at several commodity futurescontractswherepriceactionalignsverywellwithastrologicphenomena—someof itgeocentric,someof itheliocentric. Itmustbestressedthatwhen trading commodity futures, all the astrological techniques andphenomenadiscussed in this book up to this pointwill also apply. Theexamples that follow show certain additional aspects and phenomenathatolderliteraturesourceshavesuggestedapplytocommodityfutures.Asanoteofcaution, tradingon the futuresmarketsentailsmuchmoreriskthanontheequitymarketsduetotheuseofleverage.Beingawareof the larger degree prevailing trend is vitally important when tradingcommodityfutures.
GoldfuturesGold futures started trading on the New YorkMercantile Exchange onDecember31,1974.
Figure4-1Goldfuturesgeocentricfirsttradechart
Figure4-1showsthefirsttradedatechartforGoldfuturesingeocentricformat.NoticehowPlutoandSunare90degreesaspecttooneanother.Note also how the North Node is at a 30 degree aspect to the Sun.Lastly,Venus ison theAscendantwhichbodeswell forsomerepetitivepatterns.
The daily chart in Figure 4-2 shows Gold price action for 12 monthsstartingOctober2011.Theun-shadedarrowsdrawnon thechart showthe Sun-Pluto 0, 60, 90, 120 and 180 degree aspects. The shadedarrowsshowtheSun-NorthNode0,60,90,120and180degreeaspects.Notehowtheseaspectdatesalignverywellwithshorttermtrendturningpoints.While there remainmany other swing bottoms and tops on thechart, the Sun-Pluto and Sun-North Node aspects align with enoughoccurrences tomakea significant difference to the successof a traderwhofollowsGoldfutures.
Figure4-2AspectsaffectingGoldfuturesprices
NeptuneandPlutoalsoalignverycloselytoGoldswinghighsandswinglowsattimesofmovingfrombeingRetrogradetobeingDirectagain.TheweeklychartinFigure4-3showsGoldfuturespricesgoingbackto2008andillustratesthoseperiodswhenPlutowasretrograde.NoticethatPlutowill be retrograde once a year. Observe that immediately after eachretrograde event Gold prices register a swing high or low of varyingmagnitude.
Figure4-3PlutoretrogradeeventsandGoldfuturesprices
The chart in Figure 4-4 is similar to that in Figure 4-3, except that itillustrates the times when Neptune is retrograde. Notice that at theconclusion of each Neptune retrograde event, Gold prices register aswinghighorlowofvaryingmagnitude.
Figure4-4NeptuneretrogradeeventsandGoldfuturesprices
WhetheryouaretradingGoldfuturesorinvestinginGoldminingequities,payparticularattention
to geocentric Sun-Pluto and Sun-North Node aspects. Also watch carefully those times when
PlutoandNeptunegofrombeingretrogradetobeingdirect.
SilverfuturesThe first trade date for Silver futureswas July 5, 1933. The first tradechart using geocentric format is displayed in Figure 4-5. Note the SunandMoonarenearlyopposite toeachother thussuggesting that thesetwobodieswillfigureprominentlyinSilverpriceswings.
Figure4-5Silverfuturesfirsttradechart
The chart in Figure 4-6 illustrates daily-nearest Silver futures pricesduring 2012. Un-shaded arrows depict Full Moons and shaded arrowsareNewMoons.NoticehowtheseMoonphaseeventsaligncloselywithswinghighs,swinglowsandbreakouts.Theotherphenomenontonoteisthe position of the Sun at 13 degrees Cancer in the Silver first trade
chart. Zero degrees of Cancer each yearmarks the Summer Solstice.Hence,Silverfuturesstartedtradingameretwoweeksafterthesolsticewhichmeans that the time around annual solstice and equinox eventsmayplayaroleinSilverpricefluctuations.
Figure4-6LunareventsaffectingSilverfuturespricesWhether you are trading Silver futures or investing in pure-play Silver mining equities, pay
particularattentiontoMoonphasesandtimessurroundingtheannualequinoxesandsolstices.
CopperfuturesThefirsttradedateforCopperfutureswasJuly29,1988.Thegeocentricchart shows that at the time Copper futures started trading, Sun andMercurywere0degreesapartandtherewasalunareclipseeventgoingonaswell. The chart inFigure4-7 showsCopper futuresprices goingbacktolate2011.NotehowtheSun-Mercuryconjuncteventsalignverycloselytopriceswingsaswellaspricebreakdownsandbreakouts.Thischart also shows two lunar eclipseevents.Again note how thesealignwithsignificantturningpointsinprice.
Figure4-7AspectsaffectingCopperfuturesprices
Whether you are trading Copper futures or investing in pure-play Coppermining equities, pay
particularattentiontogeocentricSun-Mercuryconjunctaspectsaswellaseclipseevents.
CrudeOilfuturesCrudeOilfuturesstartedtradinginNewYorkonMarch3,1983.Thefirsttradechart ingeocentric formatshows thatPluto ison theDescendantlineandSun-Neptuneaspecteachotherata72degreeanglewhichisauniqueaspectas72degreesis1/5thof360degrees.Thislikelyexplainswhy older writings on financial astrology dating back over 25 yearsindicate that Sun-Pluto and Sun-Neptune aspects should be watchedclosely when trading Crude Oil futures. In Figure 4-8, the circledtimeframes are those in which a Sun-Pluto aspect occurred followedwithindaysbyaSun-Neptuneaspect.Noticethedistinctvolatilityduringtheseaspectsthatanalerttradercouldtakeadvantageof.
Figure4-8AspectsaffectingCrudeOilfuturesprices
OldwritingsbyLongandothersmentionPlutoandNeptuneretrograde.Figure4-9illustratesweeklypriceactiononCrudeOilfuturesdatingfromNovember2010topresent.NoticehowtheperiodsofPlutoandNeptunegoingretrogradeareassociatedwithsignificantpricehighsorlows.
Figure4-9CrudeOilfuturespricesandPluto-Neptuneaspects
EnergymarketfollowersshouldwatchforpricetrendswingsonCrudeOiltoalignwithgeocentric
Sun-PlutoandSun-Neptuneevents.
Wheat,CornandOatsfuturesWheat futures (as well as Corn and Oats futures) started trading inChicago on January 2, 1877. Figure 4-10 shows the heliocentric firsttradechart.ObservationsthatimmediatelycanbeseenareMercuryandJupiterina90degreesquareaspecttoeachother,MercuryandSaturnninedegreesapartforaconjunctionandalsoaVenus-Marsconjunction.Financial astrology books from the 1970s suggest thatMercury-JupiterandMercury-SaturnaspectsarekeytofollowingpriceswingsonWheat,CornandOats.
Figure4-10Wheat,Corn,Oatsheliocentricfirsttradechart
TradersofWheat,CornandOatsfuturesshouldpayparticularattentiontoheliocentricaspectsof
Mercury-JupiterandMercury-Saturn.HeliocentricMercurychangingsignscanalsoplayarolein
priceswings.GeocentricMarssquareMoonalsoholdspotentialforpriceswingsonCornfutures.
Figure4-11illustratesadailycontinuationchartforWheatfuturesdatingfromOctober2011.Overlaidonthischartarethe0,90and180degreeaspectsbetweenheliocentricMercuryandSaturnshownasshadeddots.The shaded arrows are the 0, 90 and 180 degree aspects betweenheliocentricMercuryandJupiter.Therearemanyfactorsthatdeterminegrain futures prices includingweather and government agency reports.But, nevertheless, Figure 4-11 does show that theMercury-Saturn andMercury-Jupiter aspects do align reasonably well enough with priceswings.Tradersofgrainfutureswouldbewisetowatchfortheseaspectstooccur.
Figure4-11WheatfuturespricesandheliocentricMercury-Saturnaspects
The financial astrology writings of Jeanne Long suggest that Wheattraders should also watch dates when heliocentric Mercury changessigns.Figure4-12illustratesthetimeframeofAugust22-28,2012.Usingthis hourly chart, an alert trader could have caught the move whenMercury moved into Gemini. On August 28, 2012 a downtrend endedwhenMercuryenteredCancer.
Figure4-12WheatfuturespricesandheliocentricMercurychangingsigns
AsforCornfutures,Figure4-13showsdailycontinuationpriceactionofCorn futures dating fromOctober 2011. The arrows are the dates of 0and180degreeaspectsofheliocentricMercuryandSaturn.Theshadeddotsaredatesof0,90and180degreeaspectsofMercuryandJupiter.AgaintherearemanyfactorsthancanleadtoswingsinCornprices,butthecorrelationofpriceswings to theseheliocentricaspects isauniquetool thata tradercanadd tohisorherarsenalof techniques.Asnotedabove, heliocentric Mercury changing signs aligns to swings inWheatprices. Although not shown here, there are also well-documentedtechniques that call for Corn traders to watch for heliocentric Mercurychanging signs and for geocentric Mars to be square the Moon.Heliocentric Mercury will change signs approximately once every sixdays. Such dates that fall during the Monday to Friday trading weekshouldbewatchedinparticular.GeocentricMarswillbeata90degreeaspecttoMoonapproximatelytwotimeseachmonth.
Figure4-13CornfuturespricesandheliocentricMercury-Saturnaspects
SoybeanfuturesSoybean futures started trading in Chicago on October 5, 1936. OldfinancialastrologyliteraturebyPesaventoandothersstatesthattradersshouldwatchheliocentricVenusasitchangessigns.HowthisempiricalnotionwasarrivedatmaybeinpartrelatedtotheheliocentricfirsttradechartalignmentofVenuswithMercuryandNeptune.NotethatVenusis90 degrees (square) to Neptune. Venus is further 135 degrees toMercury.Neptune isalso135degrees toMercury.This configuration iscalled Thor’s Hammer by astrologers. Old literature also states thatSoybeantradersshouldbealerttothosetimeswhengeocentricMercuryturns direct after being in retrograde. Figure 4-14 illustrates theheliocentricfirsttradechartofSoybeanfutures.
Figure4-14Soybeanfuturesheliocentricfirsttradechart
The chart in Figure 4-15 displays Soybean futures price action for thelatter part of 2012. The arrows point to those times when heliocentricVenus changed signs. Note the close correlation to changes in trend.Someof these trendchangeswereminorandbestsuited toshort termtrading. However, the Venus sign change in in mid-August led to asizeable rally to theupside.Thesignchangeat theendofAugustwasthestartofa largersell-off.Thesignchange inmid-Novemberwas thestartofamoveupand thesignchange inearlyDecemberwascloselyalignedtothestartofanastyyear-endmovetothedownside.GeocentricMercurygoingfromretrogradebacktodirectasitdidinearlyAugustandagain in late November can also be seen to correlate well to trendchanges. Again, there are many factors that affect the Soybean tradeincludingweatherandexportdata,butVenussignchangesandMercuryturningdirectseemtocorrelatealltoowellforatradertoignore.
Figure4-15AspectsaffectingSoybeanfuturespricesSoybeanfuturestradersshouldwatchforheliocentricVenustochangesigns.GeocentricMercury
goingfromretrogradebacktodirectalsoholdspotentialforpriceswings.
SoybeanOilfuturesSoybean Oil futures started trading on July 17, 1950. The heliocentricversion of the first trade chart showsMercury within a few degrees ofbeingconjunct toPluto.Figure4-16showspriceactionofSoybeanOilfutures for the12monthscommencing in late2011.On thechart,notethe occurrences of heliocentric Mercury being 0 degrees to Pluto.Althoughnotshownonthischart,tradersalsoshouldtakecarefulnoteofthose dates when heliocentric Mercury changes signs of the Zodiac.Suchsignchangesoccurthreetofivetimesamonth.
Figure4-16AspectsaffectingSoybeanOilfuturesprices
SoybeanMealfuturesSoybeanMealstartedtradingAugust9,1951.Theheliocentricversionofthe first tradechart shows thatVenushad just changedsigns,enteringAquarius, thusprovidingastronghint thatVenuschangingsignsmightfigure in price swings for the futures contract. Also evident on theheliocentric first trade chart is a conjunction between Mercury andasteroid body Chiron which is situated between Saturn and Uranus.Chiron has an orbital period of about 50 years and although not oftenmentioned in financial astrology, is important nonetheless. The chart inFigure 4-17 shows price action for Soybean Meal for the six monthsfollowingMay2012.Notehowthetimescorrespondingtosignchangesalign very well with price swings. Note also that those times whenheliocentricMercuryis0,90,or180degreestoChironseemtoalsoalignverywell.
Figure4-17AspectsaffectingSoybeanMealfuturesprices
TradersofSoybeanMeal futuresshouldwatchcarefully forheliocentricVenus tochangesigns
and for heliocentric Mercury to aspect asteroid body Chiron. Traders of Soybean Oil futures
should watch carefully for heliocentric Mercury to change signs. Trend shifts also may be
correlatedtoheliocentricMercurybeing0degreestoPluto.
CanadianDollarandBritishPoundAspectsbetweenheliocentricMercuryandSaturnplayaroleinthepriceswingsonCurrencyfutures.
ThechartinFigure4-18showsCanadianDollarfuturespriceactionfor1year starting from mid-September 2011. Canadian Dollar futures andBritish Pound futures both began trading on the Chicago MercantileExchangeonMay16,1972.
Figure4-18CanadianDollarandBritishPoundheliocentricfirsttradechart
In Figure 4-18, the timeframes associated with a 0 degree aspectbetween heliocentricMercury and Saturn are denoted by a circle. Thetimeframesassociatedwitha90degreeaspectaredenotedbyasquare.Note the close correlation between price trend changes and theseMercury-Saturn aspects. Knowing that a heliocentric Mercury-Saturnaspect is approaching, Canadian dollar and British Pound currencytraders can use shorter term charts towatch for a suitable trade entrypoints.
The 30 minute chart in Figure 4-19 illustrates price action for Britishpound futures on August 31, 2012. On this date, heliocentric Mercurywasat a 90degreeaspect to heliocentricSaturn.Note the rise of 100points on the futures, a gain of $625 for the alert trader on a singlecontract.
Figure4-19BritishPoundfutures30minutechartCurrencyfuturestradersshouldbealertforheliocentricMercury-Saturnaspectstoinfluencethe
BritishPoundandtheCanadianDollar.
JapaneseYenTheJapaneseYenalsorespondswelltoastrologicalaspects.TradersformanyyearshavebeenfollowingtheheliocentricMercury-Plutoaspects.Figure 4-20 displays Yen futures price action with the 0, 90 and 180degree heliocentric Mercury-Pluto aspects denoted by circledtimeframes.Note the strongcorrelation to swinghighsand lows.WhiletheMercury-Plutoaspectsdonotaccountforeverypivotalswinginprice,the correlation is strong enough that traders of Yen currency futureswouldbewisetowatchcloselyfortheseMercury-Plutoaspectstooccur.
Figure4-20AspectsaffectingJapaneseYenfuturespricesHeliocentricMercury-Plutoaspects can influence the JapaneseYen.Futures traders shouldbe
alertfortheseaspectstooccur.
EuroTheheliocentric first trade chart for theEurowhichbecame theofficialcurrency for the European Union on January 1, 2002 shows a clearconnection of 120 degrees (trine) between Mercury and Jupiter. Thechart in Figure 4-21 presents futures price action for the periodDecember 2011 to November 2012. Note the various occurrences ofheliocentric Mercury trine Jupiter and how they align very closely withswingsinprice.
Figure4-21AspectsaffectingEurofuturespricesHeliocentric aspects that haveMercury 120 degrees to Jupiter are often associatedwith trend
swingsontheEurocurrency.
AustralianDollarThe geocentric first trade chart for the Australian Dollar futures whichstarted trading inChicagoonJanuary13,1987clearly showsSunandMercuryconjunct(0degrees)inthesignofCapricorn.ThechartinFigure4-22 presents futures price action for the period December 2011 toNovember 2012. Note the various occurrences of geocentric Mercury
conjunctSunandhowtheyalignverycloselywithswingsinprice.
Figure4-22AspectsaffectingAussieDollarfuturesprices
Geocentric occurrences of Mercury 0 degrees to Sun often align with trend changes on the
Australiandollar.
LiveCattleLive Cattle futures first started trading on the Chicago MercantileexchangeonNovember30,1964.ThechartinFigure4-23showsweeklypriceactiondatingback to2008.NoticehowLiveCattle futuresexhibiteither swings in trend and also sharpmoves in price around the timescorrespondingto180daysand360daysfromNovember30.Notealsohow periods of Mars being retrograde are associated with significantprice levels. The Mars retrograde event in late 2009 represented thelowest price level for Live Cattle futures between 2008 and late 2012.TheMarsretrogradeeventof2012represented thehighestpricenotedduring this time frame.Clearly,Marsretrogradeeventsshouldbe takenveryseriouslybyCattlefuturestraders.
Figure4-23AspectsaffectingLiveCattlefuturesprices
TradersofLiveCattlefuturesshouldbealerttotimeswhenMarsturnsretrograde.
LeanHogsLeanHog futuresstarted tradingonFebruary28,1966on theChicagoMercantileExchange.ThechartinFigure4-24illustratespriceactiononaweeklybasisdatingbackto2008.IfusinggeocentricastrologytofollowHogfutures,notehowtheNorthNodeofMoonchangingsigniscloselyalignedwithsignificantpriceswings.TheheliocentricfirsttradechartforLean Hogs shows that Sun is 90 degrees square to Mercury. Theheliocentricsquaringofthesetwobodiesoccurssixorseventimeseachyearand thesedatesare indicatedon thechart inFigure4-24aswell.Notice how these dates all too often occur in very close proximity toswingsinprice.
Figure4-24AspectsaffectingLeanHogsfuturesprices
TradersofLeanHogfuturesshouldwatchforNorthNodesignchanges.Onashortertermbasis,
heliocentricMercurymaking90degreeaspectstoSunisalsoimportant.
LumberLumberfuturesstartedtradinginChicagoonOctober1,1969.Thechartin Figure 4-25 illustrates price action on a weekly basis for Lumberfutures going back to 2008. Note how the occurrences of heliocentricMercury being 180 degrees opposite Jupiter align very closely withswings in price. In fact, on the heliocentric first trade chart for Lumberfutures,MercuryiswithintwodegreesofbeingoppositeJupiter.
Figure4-25AspectsaffectingLumberfuturesprices
Lumber futures traders should watch for heliocentric Jupiter to make 180 degree aspects to
Mercury.
30YearBondsThe geocentric first Trade chart of 30Year Treasury Bond futures is amost interesting one indeed as Figure 4-26 shows.Mars is within twoweeks of changing sign, is about to aspect Jupiter, is 30 degrees toVenus, iswithin orb of being 60 degrees toSun andSaturn and is 90degrees to Mercury. Financial astrology writings by Pesavento
researched while preparing this book spoke very strongly in favour ofwatching those times whenMars was changing sign and when it wasmaking notable aspectswith other planets. Judging from the first tradechart,thisnowmakessense.Figure4-27illustratespriceactiononBondfuturesdatingbackfiveyears.NoticehowthetimeswhenMarschangessignalignverywellwithsignificantprice trendchanges.NotealsohowtheperiodsofMarsbeingretrogradealigncloselywithsomesignificantturningpointsinprice.
Figure4-2630YearBondfuturesgeocentricfirsttradechart
Figure4-27Aspectsaffecting30YearBondfuturesprices
BondfuturestradersshouldbealerttothosetimeswhengeocentricMarschangessignsandalso
whengeocentricMarsturnsretrograde.Thechallengingfactoratthistimehowevercontinuesto
be the persistent intervention of the Federal Reserve into the bond markets which can derail
astrologicaleffects.
EPILOGUE
FinalThoughtsThefinancialmarketsareadynamicentityfueledbymanyfactors,someofwhichwecaneasilycomprehend,someofwhichare
esoteric.Astrologicalphenomenacandrivepriceactionandcreatetrendchangesacrossbothshortandlongertermtimehorizons.Thisbookhas
introducedyoutoanextensiverangeofastrologicalphenomenaandshownyounumerousexamplestoillustratehowthesephenomenaimpactvarious
markets.Withtheinformationgleanedfromthisbook,Isincerelyhopeyouwillnowfeelcompelledtomake
astrologyacompaniontotechnicalchartanalysisasyoutradethemarkets.I
furtherhopethatasyoudoso,youwillcometoviewthefinancialmarketsina
verydifferentway.
AppendixANewMoonandFullMoonDatafor2013and2014
2013DateNewMoon FullMoon
2014DateNewMoon FullMoon
January11 X
January1 X
January27 X January16 X
February10 X
January30 X
February25 X February14 X
March11 X March1 X
March27 X March16 X
April10 X
March30 X
April25(L) X April15(L) X
May10(S) X
April29(S) X
May25(L) X May14 X
June8 X May28 X
June23 X June13 X
July8 X June27 X
July22 X July12 X
August6 X July26 X
August21 X August10 X
September5 X
August25 X
September19 X September9 X
October5 X
September24 X
October18(L) X October8(L) X
November3(S) X
October23(S) X
November17 X November6 X
December3 X
November22 X
December17 X December6 X
December22 X
(S)Solareclipse(L)Lunareclipse
2013PerigeeandApogeeDates
2013PerigeeDate 2013ApogeeDate
January10 January22
February7 February19
March5 March19
March31 April15
April27 May13
May26 June9
June23 July7
July21 August3
August19 August30
September15 September27
October10 October25
November6 November22
December4 December19
2014PerigeeandApogeeDates
2014PerigeeDate 2014ApogeeDate
January1 January16
January30 February19
February27 March19
March27 April15
April23 May13
May18 June9
June15 July7
July13 August3
August20 August30
September8 September27
October6 October25
November3 November22
November27 December19
December24
TableA-3
AppendixBRetrogradeEvents2013and20142013PlanetaryRetrogradeEventsMercury Retrograde: February 23-March 16,June26-July19,October21-November9
VenusRetrograde:December21-January30,2014JupiterRetrograde:October4,2012-January29,2013,November7,2013-March5,2014SaturnRetrograde:February18,2013-July7,2013UranusRetrograde:July17-December16,2013PlutoRetrograde:April12-September19,2013
2014PlanetaryRetrogradeEventsMercuryRetrograde: February 6-February 27,June7-July1,October4-October24
VenusRetrograde:December21,2013-January30,2014JupiterRetrograde:November7,2013-March5,2014,December8-April6,2015SaturnRetrograde:March2,2014-July19,2014UranusRetrograde:July22-December20,2014PlutoRetrograde:April14-September22,2014
AppendixCSun-PlanetAspects2013Sun-JupiterAspects2013Date
Aspect
January25 120degrees
February25 90degrees
April1 60degrees
April20 45degrees
May9 30degrees
June19 0degrees
July30 30degrees
August19 45degrees
September7 60degrees
October12 90degrees
November12 120degrees
2014Sun-JupiterAspects2013Date
Aspect
January5 180degrees
February28 120degrees
April1 90degrees
May6 60degrees
May25 45degrees
June13 30degrees
July24 0degrees
September3 30degrees
September22 45degrees
October10 60degrees
November13 90degrees
December14 120degrees
2013Sun-SaturnAspects
2013Date
Aspect
March1 120degrees
April28 180degrees
June26 120degrees
July27 90degrees
August30 60degrees
September16 45degrees
October3 30degrees
November6 0degrees
December9 30degrees
December26 45degrees
2014Sun-SaturnAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January11 60degrees
February11 90degrees
March13 120degrees
May10 180degrees
July8 120degrees
August9 90degrees
September11 60degrees
September28 45degrees
October15 30degrees
2013Sun-PlutoAspects
2013Date
Aspect
January29 30degrees
February14 45degrees
March1 60degrees
March31 90degrees
May1 120degrees
July1 180degrees
September1 120degrees
October1 90degrees
November1 60degrees
November16 45degrees
December2 30degrees
2014Sun-PlutoAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January1 0degrees
February13 0degrees
February16 45degrees
March3 90degrees
May3 120degrees
July4 180degrees
September3 120degrees
October4 90degrees
November3 60degrees
November19 45degrees
December4 30degrees
2013Sun-VenusAspects
2013Date
Aspect
March28 0degrees
July21 30degrees
October4 45degrees
November22 45degrees
December20 30degrees
2014Sun-VenusAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January11 0degrees
February2 30degrees
March4 45degrees
April15 45degrees
July1 30degrees
October25 0degrees
2013Sun-MercuryAspects
2013Date
Aspect
January18 0degrees
March4 0degrees
May11 0degrees
July9 0degrees
August24 0degrees
November1 0degrees
December29 0degrees
2014Sun-MercuryAspects
2014Date
Aspect
February15 0degrees
April25 0degrees
June19 0degrees
August8 0degrees
October16 0degrees
December8 0degrees
2013Sun-NorthNodeAspects
2013Date
Aspect
January12 60degrees
February9 90degrees
March10 120degrees
May7 180degrees
July5 120degrees
August4 90degrees
September2 60degrees
September17 45degrees
October1 30degrees
October30 0degrees
November27 30degrees
December12 45degrees
December26 60degrees
2014Sun-NorthNodeAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January23 90degrees
February20 120degrees
April18 180degrees
June16 120degrees
July16 90degrees
August15 60degrees
August29 45degrees
September13 30degrees
October12 0degrees
November10 30degrees
November24 45degrees
December8 60degrees
2013Sun-NeptuneAspects
2013Date
Aspect
January6 45degrees
January21 30degrees
February21 0degrees
March24 30degrees
April8 60degrees
May26 90degrees
June26 120degrees
August26 180degrees
October25 120degrees
November24 90degrees
December24 60degrees
2014Sun-NeptuneAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January8 45degrees
January23 30degrees
February23 0degrees
March26 30degrees
April11 45degrees
April27 60degrees
May28 90degrees
June29 120degrees
August29 180degrees
October28 120degrees
November27 90degrees
December26 60degrees
AppendixD2013Mercury-JupiterAspects
2013Date
Aspect
January22 120degrees
February9 90degrees
March9 90degrees
March29 90degrees
April23 60degrees
May2 45degrees
May10 30degrees
May27 0degrees
August14 30degrees
August22 45degrees
August30 60degrees
September19 90degrees
November28 120degrees
2014Mercury-JupiterAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January3 180degrees
March26 120degrees
April14 90degrees
April30 60degrees
May8 45degrees
May17 30degrees
June25 30degrees
July12 30degrees
August2 0degrees
August19 30degrees
August29 45degrees
September10 60degrees
October20 60degrees
November1 60degrees
November23 90degrees
December12 120degrees
2013Mercury-SaturnAspects
2013Date
Aspect
January6 60degrees
January25 90degrees
February12 120degrees
March7 120degrees
March28 120degrees
May5 180degrees
June3 120degrees
August11 90degrees
August27 60degrees
September4 45degrees
September14 30degrees
October8 0degrees
October29 0degrees
November25 0degrees
December17 30degrees
December27 45degrees
2014Mercury-SaturnAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January6 60degrees
January25 90degrees
February19 90degrees
March11 90degrees
April2 120degrees
May2 180degrees
July24 120degrees
August8 90degrees
August25 60degrees
September4 45degrees
September16 30degrees
October17 30degrees
November4 30degrees
November25 0degrees
December16 30degrees
December26 45degrees
2013Mercury-PlutoAspects
2013Date
Aspect
January6 0degrees
February2 45degrees
February12 60degrees
March7 60degrees
March29 60degrees
April21 90degrees
May7 120degrees
June7 180degrees
August28 120degrees
September14 90degrees
October6 60degrees
November1 60degrees
November20 60degrees
December1 45degrees
December11 30degrees
December31 0degrees
2014Mercury-PlutoAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January18 30degrees
January28 45degrees
February15 45degrees
March16 45degrees
March28 60degrees
April15 90degrees
April29 120degrees
July22 180degrees
August21 120degrees
September9 90degrees
November16 60degrees
November26 45degrees
December5 30degrees
December25 0degrees
2013Mercury-VenusAspects
2013Date
Aspect
March7 0degrees
May24 0degrees
July11 30degrees
July20 45degrees
August16 45degrees
September4 30degrees
October24 30degrees
October31 45degrees
November8 60degrees
November27 60degrees
December13 45degrees
December23 30degrees
2014Mercury-VenusAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January7 0degrees
January21 30degrees
January30 45degrees
February11 45degrees
February21 30degrees
April10 30degrees
April27 45degrees
May15 60degrees
May28 60degrees
June12 45degrees
June21 30degrees
August22 30degrees
October1 30degrees
October17 0degrees
2013Mercury-MarsAspects
2013Date
Aspect
January6 30degrees
February8 0degrees
February26 0degrees
March19 30degrees
April5 30degrees
May7 0degrees
May31 30degrees
July1 30degrees
August21 30degrees
September2 45degrees
September17 60degrees
November1 60degrees
December3 60degrees
December31 90degrees
2014Mercury-MarsAspects
2014Date
Aspect
January24 120degrees
February16 120degrees
March14 120degrees
April16 180degrees
May12 120degrees
August2 90degrees
August25 60degrees
September11 45degrees
October7 45degrees
October16 60degrees
November21 60degrees
December10 45degrees
December28 30degrees
AppendixE2013Venus-MarsAspects
2013DateAspect
February2
30degrees
April7
0degrees
June6
30degrees
July5
45degrees
August2
60degrees
September28
90degrees
2014Venus-MarsAspects
2014DateAspect
January16
90degrees
March2
90degrees
March29
120degrees
May11
180degrees
July13
120degrees
August27
90degrees
October20
60degrees
November18
45degrees
December19
30degrees
2013Mars90degreestoMoon
2013Date 2013Date
January6 June28
January20 July14
February4 July27
February18 August11
March5 September9
April3 September23
April18 October8
May2 October21
May17 November5
May30 November19
June15 December4
December18
2014Mars90degreestoMoon
2014Date 2014Date
January1 June28
January15 July12
January29 July26
February12 August9
February26 August24
March11 September7
March25 September21
April7 October6
April20 October20
May4 November4
May17 November19
AppendixFFirstTradeDatesTSX60StocksStock TickerSymbol FirstTradeDate
Agnico-EagleMinesLtd. AEM December27,1957
AgriumInc. AGU April20,1993
ARCResourcesLtd. ARX July10,1996
BankofMontreal BMO June9,1922
BankofNovaScotia BNS May16,1919
BarrickGoldCorporation ABX May2,1983
BCEInc. BCE July11,1905
BombardierInc. BBD/b September28,1976
BrookfieldAssetManagement BAM/a May19,1971
CamecoCorporation CCO July4,1991
CanadianImperialBankOfCommerce CM June2,1961
CanadianNaturalResourcesLimited CNQ May14,1976
CanadianNationalRailwayCompany CNR November17,1995
CanadianOilSandsLimited COS November29,1995
CanadianPacificRailwayLimited CP August21,2001
CanadianTireCorporation CTC/a January2,1945
CrescentPointEnergyCorp. CPG September30,2002
CenovusEnergyInc. CVE November2,2009
EldoradoGoldCorporation ELD October22,1993
EncanaCorporation ECA August21,2001
EnbridgeInc. ENB February15,1953
EnerplusCorporation ERF March11,1987
FirstQuantumMineralsLtd. FM January11,2000
FortisInc. FTS November19,1969
GildanActivewearInc. GIL June18,1998
GoldcorpInc. G June20,1983
HuskyEnergyInc. HSE October19,1993
IAMGOLDCorporation IMG March7,1986
ImperialOilLimited IMO November25,1921
KinrossGoldCorporation K July26,1983
LoblawCompaniesLimited L March13,1956
MagnaInternationalInc. MG December20,1962
ManulifeFinancialCorporation MFC December6,2001
MetroInc. MRU January19,1993
NationalBankofCanada NA November1,1979
NexenInc. NXY July14,1971
PennWestPetroleumLtd. PWT August1,1980
PotashCorporation POT November2,1989
PowerCorporation POW March2,1936
RogersCommunications RCI/b April1,1971
ResearchInMotion RIM October21,1997
RoyalBankofCanada RY July2,1918
SaputoInc. SAP October6,1997
ShoppersDrugMart SC November20,2001
ShawCommunications SJR/b March25,1983
SNC-LavalinGroupInc SNC October10,1986
SilverWheatonCorp. SLW October22,2004
SunLifeFinancialInc. SLF March23,2000
SuncorEnergyInc. SU September4,1979
TeckResourcesLimited TCK/b March25,1952
TalismanEnergyInc. TLM December28,1971
ThomsonReutersCorporation TRI March13,1980
TimHortonsInc. THI March24,2006
Toronto-DominionBank TD February2,1955
TransAltaCorporation TA November24,1953
TELUSCorporation T January25,1999
TransCanadaCorporation TRP January2,1958
ValeantPharmaceuticals VRX June29,1987
GeorgeWestonLimited WN April19,1929
YamanaGoldInc. YRI February9,1995
DowJonesIndustrialAverageStocksStock TickerSymbol FirstTradeDate
3MMMM January14,1946
Alcoa AA June11,1951
AmericanExpress AXP May18,1977
A&T T February15,1984
BankofAmerica BAC June28,1976
Boeing BA September4,1935
Caterpillar CAT December2,1929
Chevron CVX June24,1961
CiscoSystems CSCO February16,1990
duPont DD May25,1922
ExxonMobil XOM March25,1920
GeneralElectric GE May27,1926
HewlettPackard HPQ March17,1961
HomeDepot HD September22,1981
Intel INTC August7,1981
IBM IBM February14,1924
Johnson&Johnson JNJ September25,1944
JPMorgan JPM April1,1969
McDonald’s MCD July5,1966
Merck MRK May15,1946
Microsoft MSFT March13,1986
Pfizer PFE January17,1944
Proctor&Gamble PG September12,1929
CocaCola KO September26,1944
TravellersCompany TRV May11,1988
UnitedTechnologies UTX September5,1934
UnitedHealthGroup UNH October17,1984
VerizonCommunications VZ July3,2000
WalMartStores WMT August25,1972
WaltDisney DIS November12,1957
GlossaryofTermsApogee: Because of the Moon’s slightly elliptical pattern of rotationaroundtheEarth,therewillbetimeswhenit isfarfromEarthandtherewillbetimeswhenitisclosetoEarth.ThetimewhentheMoonisfarthestfromEarthiscalledapogee.
Asc:seeAscendant.
Ascendant:Oneof fourcardinalpointsonahoroscope, theAscendantissituatedintheEast.
Aspect: The angular relationship between two planets measured indegrees.
Conjunct:Anangularrelationshipof0degreesbetweentwoplanets.
Descendant: One of four cardinal points on a horoscope, theDescendantissituatedintheWest.
Detriment:Thatpointwithinazodiacsignwhenaplanet isdeemed toexhibitunpredictablebehaviour.
Directmotion:ThenormalforwardmotionofaplanetthroughthezodiacsignswhenviewedfromavantagepointonEarth.
Dsc:seeDescendant.
Ecliptic:Aplanar feature inclined to theEarth’sequatoratanangleofjust over 23 degrees. The various planets and other asteroid bodiesrotatearoundtheSunconfinedtoeithersideoftheeclipticplane.
Ephemeris:Adailytabularcompilationofplanetaryandlunarpositions.
Equinox:Aneventoccurringtwiceannually,anequinoxeventmarksthetimewhenthe tiltof theEarth’saxis isneither towardoraway fromtheSun.
Exaltation:Thatpointwithinazodiacsignwhenaplanet isdeemedtoexhibitpowerfulinfluence.
Fall:Thatpointwithinazodiacsignwhenaplanet isdeemedtoexhibitweakinfluence.
FirstTradechart:Azodiacchartdepictingthepositionsoftheplanetsatthetimeacompany’sstockoracommodityfuturecommencedtradingonarecognizedfinancialexchange.
FullMoon:Fromavantagepoint situatedonEarth,when theMoon isseentobe180degreestotheSun.
GeocentricAstrology: That version of astrology inwhich the vantagepointfordeterminingplanetaryaspectsistheEarth.
HeliocentricAstrology:Thatversionofastrology inwhichthevantagepointfordeterminingplanetaryaspectsistheSun.
IC:seeImmumCoeli.
ImmumCoeli:Oneof fourcardinalpointsonahoroscope, the ImmumCoeliissituatedintheNorth.
LunarEclipse:A lunareclipseoccurswhen theSun,Earth,andMoonarealignedexactly,orverycloselyso,withtheEarthinthemiddle.TheEarthblockstheSun’sraysfromstrikingtheMoon.
MC:seeMid-Heaven.
Mid-Heaven: One of four cardinal points on a horoscope, the Mid-HeavenissituatedintheSouth.
NewMoon:FromavantagepointsituatedonEarth,whentheMoon isseentobe0degreestotheSun.
NorthNodeofMoon:TheintersectionpointsbetweentheMoon’splaneandEarth’seclipticare termed theNorthandSouthnodes.Astrologerstend to focus on the North node and ephemeris tables clearly list thezodiacalpositionoftheNorthNodeforeachcalendarday.
Opposition: An angular relationship of 180 degrees between twoplanets.
Orb:Theamountofflexibilityortolerancegiventoanaspect.
Perigee: Because of the Moon’s slightly elliptical pattern of rotationaroundtheEarth,therewillbetimeswhenit isfarfromEarthandtherewillbetimeswhenitisclosetoEarthThetimewhentheMoonisclosest
toEarthiscalledperigee.
Retrogrademotion:TheapparentbackwardsmotionofaplanetthroughthezodiacsignswhenviewedfromavantagepointonEarth.
Semi-Sextile: An angular relationship of 30 degrees between twoplanets.
Semi-Square: An angular relationship of 45 degrees between twoplanets.
Sextile:Anangularrelationshipof60degreesbetweentwoplanets.
SiderealMonth:TheMoonorbitsEarthwithaslightlyellipticalpatterninapproximately27.3days,relativetoafixedframeofreference.
SiderealOrbitalPeriod:ThetimerequiredforaplanettomakeonefullorbitoftheSunasviewedfromafixedvantagepointontheSun.
SolarEclipse:A solareclipseoccurswhen theMoonpassesbetweentheSunandEarthandfullyorpartiallyblockstheSun.
Solstice:Aneventoccurring twiceannually,asolsticeeventmarks thetime when the Sun reaches its highest or lowest altitude above thehorizonatnoon.
Square:Anangularrelationshipof90degreesbetweentwoplanets.
SynodicMonth:Duringonesiderealmonth,Earthhasalsorevolvedpartway around the Sun, making the average apparent time between oneNewMoon and the next NewMoon longer than the siderealmonth atapproximately29.5days.Alsocalledalunarmonth.
SynodicOrbitalPeriod:ThetimerequiredforaplanettomakeonefullorbitoftheSunasviewedfromafixedvantagepointonEarth.
Trine:Anangularrelationshipof120degreesbetweentwoplanets.
Zodiac:animaginaryencirclingthe360degreesoftheplanetarysystemdividedintotwelveequalportionsof30degreeseach.
EndNotes
Introduction1.Stowe,Robinson,Pinto,McLeavey,AnalysisofEquity Investments:Valuation,AIMR,2002
2.FinancialTimes,“TheRealWorldMBAFTReport”,20123. Jensen, L.J.AstroCyclesandSpeculativeMarkets, Lambert-GannPublishing,USA1978
4. Libra, C. Astrology-Its Techniques and Ethics, P. Dz. Veen,Netherlands,1917
5.Orell,David,TruthorBeauty,OxfordUniversityPress,20126.Orell,David,Economyths,IkonBooksLtd(UK),2012
Chapter11.T.Barton,AncientAstrology,RoutledgePublishing,USA,1994,pp1-113
2. T.W. Griffon,The IllustratedGuide toAstrology, Bison Books Ltd,London,1990,pp9-90
3. M.Orr, The Astrological History of the World, Vega Publishing,London,2002,pp1-266
4.R.Hand,HoroscopeSymbols,WhitfordPress,USA,1981,pp47-79,pp169-179
5.M.Jensen,Everybody’sAstrology,LibraCabin,USA,1922,pp17-226. G. Stathis, Business Astrology 101, Starcycles Publishing, USA,2001,pp129-147
7.J&DParker,KISSGuidetoAstrology,DorlingKindersleyPublishing,USA,2000
8. Libra, C. Astrology-Its Techniques and Ethics, P. Dz. Veen,Netherlands,1917pp1-52
9. Figure 1-1 Credit—University of Metaphysical Sciences(www.ucmeta.org)Chapter2
1.L.MacNeice,Astrology,Doubleday&Co.,NewYork,1964,pp46-502. G. Stathis,BusinessAstrology101, Star Cycles Publishing, USA,
2001,pp171-1723.K.Ring,TheLunarCode,RandomHousePublishing,NewZealand,2006
4.TheOldFarmer’sAlmanac,YankeePublishing,USA,20125. D. Rudhyar, “How to Interpret the Lunar Nodes”, HoroscopeMagazine,June1966
Chapter31. G. Stathis, Business Astrology 101, Starcycles Publishing, USA,2001,pp129-147
2. H. Weingarten, Investing by the Stars, Traders Press Inc, USA,1996,pp.65-105
3.www.livephysics.com4. E. McCaffery, The Astrological Home Study Course, MacoyPublishing,USA,1931.
Chapter41.J.LongTheUniversalClock,P.A.S.Publications,USA19782.J.LongBasicAstrotech,P.A.S.Publications,USA19893.L.Pesavento,AstroCycles,TradersPress,1983
AboutTheAuthorMalcolm Bucholtz, B.Sc., MBA is a graduate of Queen’s UniversityFacultyofEngineeringinCanadaandHeriotWattUniversityinScotlandwherehe receivedanMBAdegree.Afterworking inCanadian industryfor far too many years, Malcolm followed his passion for the financialmarketsbybecominganInvestmentAdvisor/CommodityTradingAdvisorwith an independent brokerage firm in western Canada. Today, heresides in western Canada where he consults to small cap resourcecompanies and trades the financial markets using technical chartanalysis,esotericmathematicsandtheastrologicalprinciplesoutlinedinthisbook.Hemaintainsbothawebsite(www.investingsuccess.ca)andablog(www.astrologicaltrading.wordpress.com)whereheprovidestradersandinvestorswithastrologicalinsightsintothefinancialmarkets.