|
|
 |
October 29, 2006
We kick off this week with a Neptune station and Mercury in retrograde motion, which signals a high level of unrealistic expectations and a high potential for short-term trend reversals that can whipsaw all but the most cautious traders. The prudent course of action would probably be to stay on the sidelines altogether, but this situation is just too interesting for us to ignore. So we'll be getting our feet wet in the markets during the next week or so, even though we know we are risking getting our fingers burned as well. . . . keep reading
|
October 22, 2006
Ho hum. Another week, another record high for the Dow. It's not so much that we're bored with the monotony of one new high after another; we're just not very impressed by the strength of this index as a valid market indicator, especially since the Standard and Poor's 500 is currently about 12 percent below its all-time high, and since the NASDAQ and the Russell, which are both much broader market measurements, actually retreated a little bit during last week's trading. If you factor in inflation and compare the real dollar value of previous Dow highs to the current numbers, things look even grimmer. But that's another story. . . . keep reading
|
October 15, 2006
We are confident, of course, that equities prices do not move in response to world events, as many otherwise astute analysts assume. Market fluctuations and global geopolitical dynamics are both byproducts of significant shifts in the social mood, which in turn can be tracked quite nicely through a study of the underlying astrological factors at work. But what is unusual is to see so much incongruity between what is happening on Wall Street and what is taking place in the so-called real world. . . . keep reading
|
October 8, 2006
COMMENT: What a week! The Dow Jones Industrial Average broke through to a new record high, in Dow points if not in constant dollar value. It did so against a backdrop of widening turmoil, increasing conflict and an ever more unstable outlook for the economy. . . . keep reading
|
October 1, 2006
COMMENT: It was close, but no cigar. The Dow Jones Industrial Average flirted with a new record high on an intraday basis last week, but was unable to sustain itself very long in that rarefied atmosphere. Then, huffing and puffing, it was obliged to retreat a bit by the end of the trading week. . . . keep reading
|
September 24, 2006
COMMENT: Last week's Solar Eclipse had just about the impact on the markets that we had anticipated, with an ebullient atmosphere getting some serious sobering up during the trading days closest to the celestial event. But even though we got a couple of significant down days, it remains to be seen whether or not they are the beginning of a more extended negative trend. . . . keep reading
|
September 17, 2006
The Jupiter/Neptune square is the astrological signature of irrational exuberance, and that's certainly what we're seeing again in the markets right now. There's simply no logical reason for stocks prices to stay as high as they are, but as we have noted recently there are some intense behind-the-scenes efforts underway to keep the equities market afloat. . . . keep reading
|
September 10, 2006
COMMENT: The markets started their much-anticipated sell-off last week, right on schedule with the astrological phenomena we have been tracking. At this point we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. Although we expect to see some stalwart efforts at getting a rally going in the next couple of weeks, we are also anticipating that the bearish forces will hold sway, bringing equity prices down even more significantly before this calendar year is out. We are still cautiously holding a few long positions, based on the notion that this is a market of stocks rather than a uniform stock market. On the whole, however, short positions are far more likely to be profitable right now. . . . keep reading
|
September 3, 2006
Thanks to Wall Street's persistent exuberance, it's a no-brainer to tell what trend there is to change. That's why we're looking for a fairly nasty correction to get underway within the next 10 trading days or so. And as we noted last week, we may be on the brink of a "market decline of staggering proportions, providing an enormous opportunity for traders who can position themselves properly." So now "it's time to tighten up our stops on long positions and go short, or to get out of the market altogether if you are a long position player without the stomach for a fairly bumpy ride on the way to substantial downside profits." . . . keep reading
|
August 27, 2006
Except for the Dow Utilities, all of the major US equities markets closed down for the week, and markets around the world follow suit, with some fairly substantial losses in some arenas. While stocks did not completely give back all of the big gains they had accrued in recent weeks, we want to caution our readers not to use this slightly positive bias as an excuse to get lulled into a false sense of security or into inattentive inertia. We haven't yet seen even the tip of the iceberg in the potential for a downward move in this market, and we would dearly like to remind the helmsman of the Titanic that this is not the time to fall asleep at the wheel. . . . keep reading
|
August 20, 2006
COMMENT: We noted last week that "No matter what the day-to-day astrological configurations are, the professionals on the trading floor are likely to do everything in their power this week to drive stock prices higher." That certainly proved to be the case. In fact, after being kicked into action by the high-energy Mars/Uranus opposition, U.S. stocks turned in five consecutive winning days. That's the first time since last March that a winning streak like that has happened. . . . keep reading
|
August 13, 2006
COMMENT: What a week! The Federal Reserve broke its long track record of raising interest rates by doing nothing instead, and the market went into a frenzied rally for about ten minutes before deciding that the non-move wasn't so very important after all, especially since the Fed was rapidly being overshadowed by other, much more interesting, news. . . . keep reading
|
August 06, 2006
Some of the best news is that the job situation looks bad. Unemployment jumped up to 4.8 percent in July, and new jobs were created at a snail's pace for the fourth month in a row. That, the Fed Watchers tell us, is an indication that Ben Shalom Bernanke will be inclined to moderate the Fed's interest-hike fever. There may not be a rate cut on Tuesday, but even a decision not to raise rates again and simply to leave them alone would be viewed as positive news by Wall Street. . . . keep reading
|
July 30, 2006
Venus/Uranus trines have been one of the most consistent planetary indicators of positive price action in the stock market, and the one that took place on Sunday, June 30, was no exception. The trading action picked up a lot of enthusiasm as we moved toward Friday's closing bell. . . . keep reading
|
July 23, 2006
When we commented last week that "The Sun/Mercury conjunction in the early morning hours on Tuesday could bring a bit of optimism to the market scene," we were clearing looking for some positive price action. Even so, we were surprised by the size of the move in share prices on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the Dow Industrials up more than 270 points. . . . keep reading
|
July 16, 2006
COMMENT: With a shooting war suddenly actively underway again in the Middle East and oil prices making another significant move up on their way to $80 a barrel, the stock market was not a very friendly place to be last week, especially if you were locked into long positions. We were stopped out of several of our long trades, but the gains in our shorts more than made up for it, and we have adjusted our buy stops accordingly to lock in larger profits. We expect more of the same during the week ahead, at least during the early part of the trading week, but will be maintaining tight stops and watching our positions closely in this turbulent market environment. . . . keep reading
|
July 9, 2006
: As we have noted in recent weeks, our general short-term outlook for stocks has been essentially optimistic, in spite of the likelihood of choppy market action throughout most of July. During last week's trading, we found a lot happening to justify that optimism. . . . keep reading
|
July 2, 2006
In last week's issue we noted that we were "optimistic about the prospects for advancing prices during the week ahead" in the stock market, and suggested that we would see "a fairly intense rally unfolding" on Monday, prices "moderating somewhat" on Tuesday, followed by action "back to the upside" on Wednesday, "solidly to the upside" on Thursday, and then trading on Friday "flattening out the momentum a bit," but with the trading week "ending on a strongly positive note." Our forecast was based on astrological analysis, of course, and in this case it couldn't have been any better, . . . keep reading
|
June 25, 2006
Last week we were looking for the starting moves in a short-term stock market rally, and we weren't entirely disappointed, even though most of the U.S. stock indices closed slightly down for the week. . . . keep reading
|
June 18, 2006
Last week was a rough one for stock markets around the globe, with roller coaster price action knocking many traders out of their positions and creating considerable consternation along the way. Those stalwarts who managed to survive the market mayhem hardly need to be reminded about the prudence of managing stop loss orders wisely, while keeping a close watch on the market action. . . . keep reading
|
June 11, 2006
As it turned out, of course, the Fed watchers were indeed on alert. But they didn't see any evidence that the Fed would be easing. Bernanke took the opposite perspective, and stocks careened into one of their most significant sell-offs of the year. . . . keep reading
|
June 4, 2006
Last week brought some surprises, most notably in Friday's reports from the Labor Department on job creation and hourly wages. Employers in the US added only 75,000 jobs in May, which was less than half of what most economic pundits had forecasted. It was the third consecutive month of declining job growth, in spite of the fact that the overall unemployment rate has been creeping downward toward one of its lowest points in five years. . . . keep reading
|
May 28, 2006
Last week's Neptune station kept us well entertained in the markets, bringing just enough uncertainty to the trading area to remind us that in spite of all our experience and analytical tools, we're never really in charge. The market will do what it's going to do, and as much as we would like to figure it all out in advance, the best we can do is to do our analysis, put on our trades consistently, and pay attention to what the market is telling us in the real world. . . . keep reading
|
May 21, 2006
The slide in stock prices got serious last week as the Consumer Price Index made it impossible to ignore the growing threat of inflation. While Alan Greenspan used to add considerable razzle-dazzle to putting his head into the sand during his tenure at the Fed, Ben Shalom Bernanke obviously has a long way to go in polishing up his ostrich act if he hopes to convince Congress, Wall Street, and the public at large that the economy is doing well. . . . keep reading
|
May 14, 2006
Last week in our discussion of upcoming economic news we commented that on Wall Street "the underlying concern continues to revolve around the unwritten guidelines for interpreting statements by Bernanke and company as they discuss the nuances of Fed policy." We also noted that "While the current rally certainly has some residual strength left in it, we can't shake the nagging feeling that we're skating on very thin ice right now," adding that "we are looking for a sell-off, or at least a moderation of the upward trend, as we move into Friday's Full Moon," with a strong likelihood that "this Friday, May 12, will bring some disappointments to traders on the long side of the equities market." . . . keep reading
|
April 30, 2006
As we move into the month of May, we are rapidly approaching a time in which some extra caution will be called for in our trading and speculation. While the recent market temperament hasn't exactly been one of wild abandon, we have nevertheless seen some very positive price action during the past couple of months. By the middle of May, however, the stock market should definitely be showing signs of reaching a seasonal top, creating a situation in which the props could suddenly get knocked out from under a lot of "sure thing" positions if we aren't careful . . . keep reading
|
April 23, 2006
In our last issue we forecast "a powerfully positive trading week for US equities," and that certainly proved to be the case. Stock prices responded quite precisely to the astrological dynamics in play, rallying in tandem with the Venus/Uranus conjunction and then backing off sharply during the extended void-of-course Moon, only to finish the week on a positive note . . . keep reading
|
April 16, 2006
Stocks in the U.S. slowed down a little bit last week, with the market action thinning out as traders got into holiday mode. This week, however, we should see an interesting contrast, with much more energized market action and a flurry of corporate news as a flood of companies report first-quarter earnings, including more than 25% of the companies in the S+P 500. . . . keep reading
|
April 9, 2006
For the past few days we have been participating in the 15th World Conference on Astro-Economics in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The group that has gotten together for this event has been comprised of highly focused individuals with a serious interest in mastering astro-trading techniques. During the conference Grace Morris spoke about economic cycles and strategies for stock selection; Ray Merriman discussed cycles in the Dow Jones Industrials and the astrological factors that influence them . . . keep reading
|
April 2, 2006
The Solar Eclipse last week brought its share of noteworthy events, including massive immigration demonstrations in the streets of many U.S. cities, a major earthquake in Iran, and some ominous rumblings in the U.S. economy. The week ahead of us promises to be full of tension both in and out of the markets, so we will be approaching our trades with extra care and protecting our profits with a little more caution than usual. As always, the trading process is an exercise in emotional discipline and spiritual dedication, and we expect to have ample opportunities in both departments throughout the coming week. . . . keep reading
|
March 26, 2006
This promises to be an extremely intense week for the markets and the economy. The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meets on Monday and Tuesday, its first meeting with Ben Shalom Bernanke as chairman. The outcome of that meeting is anybody's guess, but you can be sure that it will be closely watched by market pundits, by the financial media, and by active traders alike . . . keep reading
|
Under the Weather; W. D. Gann; Graco Inc.; Portugal Telecom; Astro-Trading; Ancient Wisdom; Stock Market Astrology
Over the years, we have learned to respectful of and even grateful for those rare occasions when circumstances oblige us to step aside from our usual market activity. Our aim in each week's newsletter is to document a comprehensive astro-trading plan, and these respites from our normal analysis offer us an opportunity to reevaluate our trading strategies, our planning methodologies, and our own psychological state. In such cases, we typically find that we emerge from the experience much more solid in our trading and much clearer in our analytical approach. . . . keep reading
|
W. D. Gann; Astro-Economics; The Worst Bank Hack Ever; Leo Buscaglia; Astro-Trading
Mercury has been retrograde for a full week of market action now, and it's been giving us quite a ride! The markets have been full of inconsistencies and fake-outs, with a one-step-forward, two-steps-back dance going on in that has brought a lot of opportunity for frustration and some interesting challenges in trying to take money off the table. We have faced a drawdown in our trading in recent weeks, but have seen the action stabilize considerably in recent sessions and remain optimistic about the prospect for profitable transactions in the weeks ahead. After all, as we often remind ourselves, we have to stay in the market if we expect to take profits from the market. A key part of being disciplined in our trading approach is a willingness to take small losses in order to be ready for big gains . . . keep reading
|
February 26, 2006
The events of the past week demonstrated that our old friends Jupiter and Neptune are still very much active in the markets and in global affairs. The uproar around the Bush Administration's plan to turn over administration of some U.S. ports to a company based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has once again raised the questions of what is real and what isn't, of what is being hidden and what is being concealed, and of what are the best attitudes to maintain as we follow the news and participate in market activity . . . keep reading
|
February 19, 2006
When Ben Shalom Bernanke, the new Fed Chairman, made his debut in front of congress last week, he introduced a disturbing notion: congress should get to work. It is, he insisted, the responsibility of elected representatives, and not the role of the Federal Reserve Board, to deal with things like budgets and taxes. . . . keep reading
|
February 12, 2006
As we have pointed out on several occasions in the past, one of the key motifs associated with the Jupiter/Neptune square that we are experiencing this year is the question of how we can distinguish between what's real and what isn't, between what is true and what is duplicitous, and between what is being revealed and what is being kept secret. This is a motif that obviously has huge implications for the economy and for our ability to position ourselves wisely as traders and as investors. And with events like the Enron trial, which is currently underway, we are certainly getting plenty of opportunities to grapple with these questions and their implications . . . keep reading
|
February 5, 2006
It's been a week of transitions-at the Federal Reserve, in the U.S. House of Representatives, and in the stock market as well. It was also a week of transition for President Bush, who in the midst of an otherwise fairly predictable State of the Union address, made a surprising move towards distancing himself from American dependence on petroleum. Coming from a Texas oilman (although not always an extremely successful one) the president's remarks smacked of heresy to say the least. But, with his popularity at an all-time low and with gasoline prices rising dramatically again, maybe Mr. Bush figures it's time to score a few political points when and where he can. At any rate, there's plenty of potential for even higher petroleum prices ahead, and if the president doesn't start winning popularity contests by denouncing dependence on oil, at least he and his cronies will have plenty of money to take to the bank . . . keep reading
|
January 29, 2006
In reviewing the upcoming prospects for the stock market last week, we noted in our last issue that on Friday "Venus forms aspects to both Jupiter and Neptune, the heavyweights which have been setting up the big shift in market direction that we are currently experiencing. As Venus plays with Jupiter and Neptune during the trading day, it may interject some optimism into the trading scene, but if it does it signals a cause for additional caution. The Jupiter/Neptune square is exact a few hours after Friday's closing bell, and the potential for market treachery is extremely high as we end this week and move into the next one. There's a New Moon coming up over the weekend as well, so the potential for surprises is even more amplified than we might otherwise expect." . . . keep reading
|
January 22, 2006
As is often the case with forecasts based on astrological considerations, this one proved to be right on the money. The market obliged, negative earnings reports shook things up considerably, and the Dow Industrials turned in their worst week since March 2003. As the overall market fell, we closed out several positions in the Financial Cycles Model Portfolio, reaping our first trading profits of 2006 . . . keep reading
|
January 15, 2007
The Dow Jones Industrials broke through the 11,000 mark last week for the first time in four and a half years, and then pulled back modestly to end the week on a slightly more sober, but nevertheless positive, note. The trend and the talk are still decidedly bullish, but the market faces some real challenges in the week ahead. . . . keep reading
|
January 8, 2008
Stocks went wild last week to kick off the New Year with a bang, thanks mainly to some rather bizarre interpretations of economic news. The trading week started out in the doldrums, at least until the minutes of the December meeting of the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee were released on Tuesday afternoon. By reading between the lines, traders concluded that the Fed's series of interest-rate hikes was almost over. That fact should have been obvious anyway, but the notion was somehow interpreted as surprising evidence that the future now looks much better than anyone had previously expected . . . keep reading
|
January 1, 2006
"Not with a bang, but a whimper" characterized the conclusion of trading for 2005 last week. As we anticipated, the trading volume was light, but the decidedly bearish mood more than made up for the lack of participation. The Dow Industrials lost enough ground to finish the year with a net loss of 0.61%, the first losing year for that average since 2002. All the other U.S. averages followed suit with losses for the week, but nevertheless managed to stay in the black for the year . . . keep reading
|
|
|
Maximize Membership
