From an astrological perspective I was wondering what the New Moon in square to the North Node may bring as a challenge and it seems the Swine Flu makes sense as Neptun and Chiron are in conjunction ( that latter ones make what can create epidemic diseases). The Full Mooon which follows 2 weeks after the New Moon will be in square to the Neptun/Chiron conjunction. By mid May Jupiter will reach the Neptun / Chiron conjunction and that rather is a healing pattern hence in 2-3 weeks this specific issue will come to an end.
Lets put it into perspective as only last year 30000 Americans died by some sort of Flu which is unfortunately a standard event by statistics. On the other hand we had incidents like the Spanish Flu in the early 1918-20 which killed many millions. It is basically the same virus type H1N1 and also killed the most people between 20-40 as it does now

Excerpt from Wikpedia

The 1918 flu pandemic (commonly referred to as the Spanish flu) was an influenza pandemic that spread to nearly every part of the world. It was caused by an unusually virulent and deadly Influenza A virus strain of subtype H1N1. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin of the virus.^[1] Most of its victims were healthy young adults, in contrast to most influenza outbreaks which predominantly affect juvenile, elderly, or otherwise weakened patients. The pandemic lasted from March 1918 to June 1920,^[2] spreading even to the Arctic and remote Pacific islands. It is estimated that anywhere from 20 to 100 million people were killed worldwide,^[3] or the approximate equivalent of one third of the population of Europe,^[4][5][6] more than double the number killed in World War I.^[7] This extraordinary toll resulted from the extremely high illness rate of up to 50% and the extreme severity of the symptoms, suspected to be caused by cytokine storms. The pandemic is estimated to have affected up to one billion people: half the world’s population at the time.^[8]

Some scholars have theorized that the flu probably originated in the Far East.^[9] While historian Alfred Crosby observed that the flu seems to have originated in Kansas, the political scientist Andrew Price-Smith has published data from the Austrian archives suggesting that the influenza had earlier origins, beginning in Austria during the Spring of 1917.^[10] Popular writer John Barry echoed Crosby in proposing that Haskell County, Kansas was the location of the first outbreak of flu.^[11] In the United States the disease was first observed at Fort Riley, Kansas, United States, on March 4, 1918,^[12] and Queens, New York, on March 11, 1918. In August 1918, a more virulent strain appeared simultaneously in Brest, France, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and in the U.S. at Boston, Massachusetts. The Allies of World War I came to call it the Spanish flu, primarily because the pandemic received greater press attention after it moved from France to Spain in November 1918.

As the Flus seems to have started in Kansas USA I looked into the astro chart of the USA and we have some significant indications for a desease. First of all we have a basic Chiron Pluto square (thereby Pluto is on the Venus / Jupiter conjunction of the USA which was the harbinger fo the victory of WWI) and Saturn and Neptun are in a close conjunction on the US North Node.

By the way as an astrologer you may have seen the economic trouble ahead as Pluto back then was at 3.30 degree and 11 degree’s away from making a square to the US Saturn which was part of the depression which followed 10 years later ( that’s the time it took Pluto to advance to the square and was accompanied by other planets in a so called T-square. We will get a similar constellation within a few years.

Right now the situation is different or not as severe as it was back in 1918 from an astrological point of view but also by pragmatic means as the communication and awareness nowadays does help to prevent the worst. The only potential danger are the plenty illegal Mexicans who have entered America and may not show up with their problems on a time sensitive basis. Lets hope the administration is aware of that risk and offers uncomplicated help.

Excerpt 2 from WSJ

The number of confirmed cases of a deadly new strain of the flu continued to rise Monday, as the World Health Organization moved one step closer to declaring a pandemic.

The United Nations public-health agency raised its global alert to phase 4 from phase 3. The change recognizes that the new A/H1N1 virus spreads from person to person, and signals that governments should prepare for outbreaks. Phase 6 is a pandemic.

..

Health officials said they were stumped over why the strain has been so deadly in Mexico, where the number of suspected cases has surpassed 2,000 people. Only one person in the U.S. has been hospitalized so far. CDC and WHO officials say the disease may turn out be more similar in both countries than it looks now. As the investigation intensifies, more mild cases may be uncovered in Mexico and more severe ones may be found in the U.S.

The flu outbreak comes as the Obama administration seeks a new head of its Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC. The Senate on Tuesday is expected to begin debating the nomination of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as HHS secretary. Democratic and Republican aides in the Senate said they expected Senate approval.

The U.S. government is far better prepared for an outbreak than it was when SARS awakened politicians and the public to the notion that infectious diseases continue to be deadly, even with modern vaccines.

Prodded by SARS and the avian flu scare that followed, President George W. Bush in 2005 issued a pandemic flu preparedness plan. Since 2006, $6.2 billion has been appropriated to stockpile antivirals, step up surveillance and improve vaccine-making and technology.

But state and local health departments — which are often the first to detect new infectious threats — haven’t received federal funds for pandemic flu preparedness since 2006. Many of the agencies have cut staff and services in the recession.

Starting today as Mars is about to match Uranus we will get very volatile markets (energy) for a few days, close to the Venus retrogade on Friday which was the market turner back March 6th, hence that will mark the Top of wave A up as well.

The technical pattern and numbers confirm as they did at the bottom and on top we have a Goldman secondary which qualifies for this top. Back 18 months ago the IPO of Blackrock was also a similar timing event which are not coincidences.

Excerpt http://www.stariq.com/MarketWeek.HTM

This could be quite an interesting week. Two important geocosmic conditions end this week. First, the “translation” of Mars to the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which began April 4, will end April 15. The market has risen to a new high (or secondary highs) already during this period, so the implication is that it could suddenly reverse. With Mars and Uranus involved in a conjunction, any decline now may be very sharp. However, it need not last long. It is interesting to note that this translation has coincided with a fatal earthquake in Italy, devastating fires in Oklahoma, and tornadoes in the Midwest. As stated in last week’s column, “In terms of nature, it (Mars translation) can coincide with fires, explosives, as well as tornadoes, earthquakes, or volcano eruptions.” The second important financial astrology event is that Venus ends its retrograde motion when it turns direct on April 17. According to our studies reported in “The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, Volume 3: Geocosmic Correlations to Trading Cycles,” Venus direct is one of the most powerful and consistent astrological correlates to primary or greater cycles within an orb of ten trading days. The most powerful correlates are referred to as Level 1 signatures. The Mars-Uranus conjunction of April 15 is a Level 1 signature too, and so is the Venus-Mars conjunction of April 21, the next week. That is three Level 1 signatures within only six calendar days! Furthermore, in the three following days (April 22-24), both Mars and Venus will leave Pisces and enter Aries, the end and beginning of the zodiac. All of these signatures suggest a much higher than usual probability of a very important change in investor sentiment—and hence a trend reversal—in several financial markets.

The 13th’s full moon effect in Taurus (which is a money sign) is already working full steam. It’s only a dangerous one as it has a square to Neptune, which could and will create illusions which will not hold up to the promises. Markets tend to top out around the full moon and fall towards the new moon but, as we have plenty planetary action, it’s a bit more complicated but our basic technical approach is in sync with the stars – we remain in this zigzag mode until we have dropped a bit more to start a more substantial upleg. The next days might be positive, as we have a tug-of-war between bad economic news fighting against the biggest global government intervention ever. In any case, we need to fall back to the lows and even make new ones in some cases.

Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) — Stocks rose in Europe and Asia and U.S. index futures climbed after China unveiled a $586 billion plan to stimulate the economy and world leaders urged further cuts in interest rates. Oil and copper rallied, while the yen fell.

China’s CSI 300 Index jumped 7.4 percent, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average surged 5.8 percent. BHP Billiton Ltd.ArcelorMittal and ABB Ltd. added more than 10 percent in Europe. The yen slipped 1.7 percent against the euro on speculation China’s package will give investors confidence to buy higher- yielding assets using money borrowed in Japan.

The other aspect which might cause an exaggeration is the exact trine of Jupiter and Uranus on the same day, which will cause volatility and accelerate the mode or mood. Again, at the same day Venus – the money planet – moves into sober Capricorn, which will over the next day take out enthusiasm and replace it with serious considerations. People might ask what the heck the Treasury and FED are doing with $2 tril. of taxpayers money.

Excerpt from Bloomberg:

Fed Defies Transparency Aim in Refusal to Identify Bank Loans

By Mark Pittman, Bob Ivry and Alison Fitzgerald

Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) — The Federal Reserve is refusing to identify the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers or the troubled assets the central bank is accepting as collateral.

Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in September they would comply with congressional demands for transparency in a $700 billion bailout of the banking system. Two months later, as the Fed lends far more than that in separate rescue programs that didn’t require approval by Congress, Americans have no idea where their money is going or what securities the banks are pledging in return.

Unbelievable things are happening on a daily basis these days and one can barely follow all of the things going on as America is turned into a socialistic country as the second industry car makers will get bailouts as well. Globalization will be shut down soon as the next step has to be to ban car imports or protect the domestic market with high taxes on imports. It’s a natural step to protect the home turf industries as the global growth turns into global contraction. Global interest rates on their way to ‘0′ rates are the way to create hyperinflation over time.

We have massive Astro inputs coming up this month.

These surround the Full Moon of November 13. On the day before, geocentric Venus will change signs, from Sagittarius to Capricorn. On November 13, heliocentric Venus will change signs, from Aquarius to Pisces. On November 14, heliocentric Mercury changes from Libra to Scorpio. And on Sunday, November 16, geocentric Mars moves from Scorpio to Sagittarius. So many planets changing signs in such a short period of time suggests a change in investor sentiment. The fact that a Full Moon happens November 13 means that a change trend (short-term) could happen within one day of this Thursday. If a financial or commodity market decline into a low then, an impressive rally may follow. If instead the market rallies, it may mean that another sell off follows. Traders should adopt their trading strategies accordingly.

Very powerful planet action between the 21st and 27th, which can turn markets

21st Jupiter trine Saturn (is basically a good combination as things can be sorted out, only the last time it triggered a sell off in markets – but bursting bubbles can be considered a good thing anyway)

26th Pluto moves again into Capricorn ( basically bad news as that happens every 240 years, last around 16 years and brings every bubble down and everything which is not solid rock solid might get into trouble – basically a destructive energy which can bring wars in any case power struggles) Its a cleansing effect under which also the USA were founded.

27th Uranus goes stationary ( that can bring trouble as unexpected things will happen but it can break free old structures in order to create new ones – time for earthquake and tornado’s as it is still in a close opposition to Saturn)

We are looking for a very volatile November, with big swings in both directions guaranteed. You will need a lot of discipline to make the right choices as some confusion through the full moon is due.

I agree with the ASTRO input given below that the next days will have another zigzag bias. We are nearing a serious of SEQ daily 13’s, but we need 2-2 lower days to get them. As they get triggered, another spike up will occur – we will have to see if the weekly charts qualify for a bigger rally but, as of now, I doubt that. As we also have some powerful Astro influences coming up in the last 10 days of November, we might stay in this big range oscillation mode – as I also hear too many cheerleaders drumming for the big year end rally. The problem is that even from Hedge Funds which are doing ok or even good money is withdrawn which might even increase towards the end of the year as investors might pull out more money. The EURYEN weekly chart shows that there is still some way to go on the deleveraging theme.

Excerpt:

http://www.stariq.com/marketweek.htm

In addition to all the Uranus signatures in effect late October through November 10, we will have another interesting geocosmic period coming up in the next few sessions. These surround the Full Moon of November 13. On the day before, geocentric Venus will change signs, from Sagittarius to Capricorn. On November 13, heliocentric Venus will change signs, from Aquarius to Pisces. On November 14, heliocentric Mercury changes from Libra to Scorpio. And on Sunday, November 16, geocentric Mars moves from Scorpio to Sagittarius. So many planets changing signs in such a short period of time suggests a change in investor sentiment. The fact that a Full Moon happens November 13 means that a change trend (short-term) could happen within one day of this Thursday. If a financial or commodity market decline into a low then, an impressive rally may follow. If instead the market rallies, it may mean that another sell off follows. Traders should adopt their trading strategies accordingly.

This sentiment indicator (in the chart below) as the Rydex Nova/Ursa are not good news for the bull camp. They rather are on levels which signal that selling pressure is building up. Put /Call- ratio’s are although we have high volatility not specifically bearish (the amount of puts bought in relation to calls), hence their contraindication factor does not produce a buy signal yet either.

The hourly chart completed the mission to the upside by a 13 count and, as we have closed today with a 12 count, a temp low might be in reach as the SPX has a 11 hourly count. Although hourly charts have a different priority when it comes to giving them weight. Since the SPX has reached the 900 level, I expect a little reaction tomorrow after a 10% slump within 2 days. That will rather deliver a selling opportunity for short-term traders. So, tomorrow we might open lower but trade higher later.

In any case, markets need to go lower the next week, as we will get full moon on the 13th in a bad angle to Neptune, which just went stationary. That means that plenty of lies and delusion are due, since it comes on the Scorpio/Taurus axes it might heighten fear and lead to a sell-out within 2 weeks. One day before the full moon, Venus the money planet moves into Capricorn, which will sober down all of the euphoria that some bullish Guru’s had recently. We also get some better influences around November 21st that might be a turning point, but we will have to follow closely the market events to see if the technical picture supports those assumptions.

Excerpts from: http://www.stariq.com/

11/2/08—Mystical Neptune comes to an apparent standstill, ending its retrograde phase today. Although the effects of this direct turn may be subtle, ideas that originate in our subconscious minds should continue to surface and enter awareness more easily. The Moon’s entry into traditional Capricorn helps us hold onto old needs. But friendly Venus moves toward a dynamic square with the tightening Saturn-Uranus opposition, temporarily thwarting our desires.

Saturn/Uranus Opposition, Part Six:

No one will really breathe before November 5th, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself gasping for air during the next seven days or feeling as if you are moving through molasses at the speed of light. We are in a hugely liminal state that for some is overwhelmingly intense. No matter who wins (and it’s impossible to predict the outcome despite Obama’s many point lead), the next seven days are going to be among the most passionate and purposeful days you have ever experienced. Just about everyone recognizes or has a sense of how significant the consequences of this election will be. It carries a multidimensional time signature that merges past, present, and future, for as individual choices coalesce into collective intention through the fulcrum of the voting booth, we not only choose the next President, we also set the course for Planet Earth.

Yes, I know I sound dramatic—I mean to. Because November 4th, in addition to being Election Day in the United States, is also the first of five Saturn/Uranus oppositions over the coming two years-five contacts that will change the world. Saturn represents existing cultural structures, Uranus signifies the principle of revolution, oppositions symbolize tension, and the ensuing confrontation between these forces results in the failure of the status quo. A failure because as necessary and stabilizing as Saturn may be, change is inexorable. It is the nature of things. And no matter how well-prepared for it we think we are, the one thing about this particular shift-signature, is that it will surprise and challenge even the most fluid and flexible among us. Maybe not all of us on the same day, but sometime in the coming two years, most if not all of us will be humbled by waves of unstoppable transformation. Of course, we don’t need astrology to tell us something’s got to give. But astrology is a succinct way of talking about the complex forces at work in our culture, as well as our psyche, personal and collective.

It is not just the Saturn-Uranus opposition of November 4 that is operative right now, although that is the “Gorilla in the room.” On Friday, October 31, Mars formed a waning trine to Uranus. On Monday, Venus will form a square aspect to both Saturn and Uranus (known as T-square). On Tuesday, the “Big Gorilla” finally steps to the stage as the first of the five Saturn-Uranus oppositions forms its exact aspect, right on the Election Day in the USA. And finally, on the following Monday, November 10, the Sun will for a waning trine aspect to Uranus. That is four major Uranus signatures in 11 days. Even though the technical picture looks very bullish right now, don’t expect any stability or “gradually moving patterns” in market prices. If the technicals are valid, we might see extremely strong rallies this coming week. If there are “fake-outs” and surprises in store, we could see sudden collapses too. With Uranus, you never know what to expect. You only know to not expect the normal for the next week. You can anticipate very large price swings, but whether it is up, down, or both, is impossible to know via the study of Financial Astrology alone. There is no pattern to this history, except to say that it falls much harder than any expects, when it falls. This has certainly been the case since Saturn and Uranus began entering their orb of influence last January.

We have some powerful constellations on election day – the Venus Saturn/Uranus T-Square the day before and a Mars/Neptune Square, thereby Neptune goes stationary today increasing the influence substantially. The latter one is energy of charisma and betrayal – or actually Mars energy, which is very direct – usually is put into a fog and does not know what to do. The first one is Venus in Square to both planets, as Venus stands for love and money and, in combination with Uranus, it’s very volatile and a square to Saturn describes challenge or even a hardship.

The fact that Neptune goes stationary today in a close 150 degree angle to Saturn is not good news, since they are off-setting each other. There is some very strange vibes about these elections and it will not be smooth – could turn out to messy somehow.

The SPX lost all of the profits literally in minutes, as you can see in the 2 minute chart. We had for 2 days a very positive astrological influence combined – the new moon with a sextile of Jupiter and Mars – both are vanishing now.

You can see that someone made a big volume sale since some guys might sit on a nice profit. The fact that the gains could not be carried over the day are a weak indication – in OCT we had no consecutive 2 days of profit for the SPX – since we are nearing month end and window dressing period we will likely remain in a positive bias but the upside is limited for now as the sector adding negative spin was the BKX (Bank Index), which still needs to finish the wave 5 down. Therefore, we need to drop below 50 again.

Next week is by many weeks poised for a downside test. As I wrote last week, this week might be tricky since a spike was due this week but we need to see by tomorrow if the brief rally is already over and we make the real low now (next week) or we take an extended consolidation pattern before making the final part of this downleg. In any case we start to get market divergences as Tech might start to outperform again.

We had a positive crash with good volume at the end. Aggressive short covering on a Tuesday after testing the lows on a Monday. A ‘little ‘ reversal I expected for this week – that was a bigger magnitude but within the range. So far, we only traded back to the triangles break. Since the ISEE put/call remained low, we can get some follow through to even 1000 SPX, which matches 38% of the last leg down. We can easily extend to 1000 without changing the tide. Some sectors show a low might be in place for now but other things miss still. Except for the NDX (which was the minimum requirement), we had not tested a new low. Basically, we are still in a sideways zigzag correction or consolidation pattern.

The New Moon effect worked so far and the last hour was very explosive short covering and we can see an inside day tomorrow until the FED comes out with their rate cut or we get higher and fall back after the cut. Even if we consider this an impulsive wave for a rally and would count it wave 1 (which I do not do ), it needs to come back most of the magnitude anyway. We will get a very good idea by tomorrow’s price action – so far just a bit more than expected brief rally.

In the upcoming week, we have a New Moon on the 28th in Scorpio – usually that is a time of temp market lows (New Moon mark beginnings) but in Scorpio it might rather mark new debt, since that week huge sums of Treasuries will be issued (much more than usual). On the other hand, we have a FED meeting the next day and we might see a little rally for a few days still – before the week after we drop to new lows. That depends very much on how deep we drop, if at all in the first days of the week. We still need our second capitulation move but that might rather happen in the week of the election.

Excerpt:

http://www.stariq.com/marketweek.htm As mentioned earlier, we are fast approaching the Saturn-Uranus opposition of November 4. But the day before, November 3, is also important, for that is when Venus will “translate” the Saturn-Uranus opposition in a T-square (squaring both). Every “translation” of the Sun or Venus to the Saturn-Uranus opposition of this year has coincided with a serious sell-off in stocks throughout the world. This one is no different. Venus rules assets, and has special significance to currencies and Soybeans. Both are falling hard since their all-time highs of just a few months ago. We also note that our next time band of heavily populated geocosmic signatures starts on Halloween, October 31, and lasts through November 13. There are nine important signatures unfolding then, of which five are Level One (strongest) types. We can anticipate the week starting November 3 may be one of the most important reversal weeks of the year. We already know that politically it will mark an important change as well. An era will have ended and a new one will begin. The new era will be dramatically different than we have experienced for the past 8 years in terms of economics and military activity, regardless of who wins.

Excerpt:

http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2008/10/18/how-low-can-stocks-go.aspx Just how ugly?

Have a look at the average P/E ratio of the entire S&P 500 index over these three periods of market mayhem:

Period

Average S&P 500 P/E Ratio 1977-1982 - 8.27 times

1947-1951 – 7.78 times

1940-1942 – 9.01 times

Compare that to the average P/E ratio today of around 20 times and a seven-year average of more than 24 times, and it’s pretty apparent that stocks could fall much, much further than they already have, just by returning to the lows they historically hover around during downturns. Assuming earnings stay flat, revisiting those historically low levels could easily mean a nearly 50% decline from here. For the Dow Jones Industrial Average, that’d correlate to roughly Dow 5,000 — give or take. Of course, I’m not predicting, warning, or forecasting — I’m just taking a long look at history.