Planetary cycles are predicting a major market top in the S&P 500 on Oct. 24, notes Susan Gidel.

The first-quarter moon is not typically of note in any given month, but next week, it could mark a potential top in the S&P 500 on Friday, Oct. 4 that could be a last-chance selling opportunity before a potential Oct. 24 crash. For more details, see the S&P 500 entry below.

Meanwhile, the big news of the week is that Pluto turns direct in motion on Wednesday after having been retrograde since April 24. This could bring back some oomph to the crude oil market, which it rules. Pluto also is in the picture on Tuesday, Oct. 1, when the new U.S. budget begins. Pluto also rules debt, and that day the money planet Venus makes a 90-degree square to Pluto, signifying the new budget may come under scrutiny from a rising debt scenario.  

Tuesday, Oct. 1

  • Low in 10-year Treasury note: One of the main axes in the first-trade horoscope chart for the 10-yearTreasury note futures contract is activated by transiting Mars, which is within days of being back to its original position at 00 Libra when the contract first opened.

However, the transiting Moon is opposite the first-trade Sun, with transiting Venus and Mercury conjunct first-trade Pluto. Major transits to the first-trade Sun and Pluto are often seen at market lows. Look for planetary price conversion support at 129-04, then 128-05 in the December contract.

Thursday, Oct. 3

  • High in Soybeans: Just two days away from its birthday, when the Sun is back to where it was when the contract first traded, the transiting Moon and Jupiter are exactly conjunct the market’s natal Jupiter and opposite the market’s natal Moon. This Moon/Jupiter axis is sensitive to planets that touch it, none more so than those same two planets. Also, of note is that transiting Neptune is aligned with the soybean market’s other main axis involving Saturn and Neptune. Finally, Mercury (ruler of grain markets) is in the picture as transiting Mars is conjunct the market’s natal Mercury, while transiting Mercury is at zero degrees of Scorpio. Look for resistance in the November contract at the planetary price conversion levels of $9.03 to $9.12 per bushel, then $9.38 to $9.50.

Friday, Oct. 4

  • Low in Crude Oil: Several transits to primary planets activated at times of market lows are in play this day. Most prominent is that the transiting Sun is opposing both the Sun and Mercury in the market’s first-trade horoscope. In addition, transiting Venus and Mercury are opposite the market’s first-trade Mars. Meanwhile Mercury also is conjunct the natal Moon/Saturn combination. The planets associated with crude oil — Neptune and Pluto — also take lead roles. Pluto turned direct in motion on Oct. 3; the market topped this year one day before it turned retrograde on April 24. In addition, transiting Venus is conjunct natal Pluto. The transiting Moon is conjunct the market’s first-trade Neptune. Based on planetary price conversions, strong support exists at $57.20 per barrel in nearby November, then $56.80. 
  • High in S&P 500: It’s not so much the relationship between transiting planets and the launch horoscope of the S&P 500 that marks today as a potential high as it is the relationship between stock market crashes and the lunar cycle. This is the last trading day before the first-quarter moon, which is when the stock market peaked before spectacular crashes in 1929, 1987 and 1997 that have similar astrological setups with October 2019. Still, the transits also are supportive of a high: (1) Sun opposite first-trade Moon; (2) Mars conjunct first-trade Jupiter; and (3) Moon trine first-trade Pluto. Look for resistance at these planetary price conversion points: 3003, 3010, 3028 (current all-time high) and 3058.

Last Week’s Scorecard (through Thursday’s close)

Bullseye!

  • High in Soybeans on Tuesday, Sept. 24: November beans topped on Tuesday at $8.99 per bu., a ¼ cent below Monday’s peak, and four cents short of the $9.03 planetary price resistance level. Prices fell to $8.85 ¼ by Wednesday.

Pretty Darn Good

  • High in Gold on Monday, Sept. 23—Gold topped on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 1,543.30 per oz., basis December, below the planetary price resistance level of $1,545.
  • High in 10-year Treasury notes on Monday, Sept. 23: The market capped a rally begun 10 days earlier at 128-160 on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 130-250.
  • High in S&P 500 on Monday, Sept. 23: The market peaked two trading days earlier at 3021.99, within 7 points of the all-time high and planetary price conversion level of 3028.

Off the Mark

  • High in 10-year Treasury notes on Wednesday, Sept. 18: The day of the Fed meeting announcement was in the middle of a rally from Sept. 13-24.
  • Low in Crude Oil on Friday, Sept. 20: The November contract did hold the low of previous day, but prices ultimately continued lower into the following week.

The position of planets in the sky as they relate to their positions when a market first began trading can provide clues to potential trend changes. The energy is strongest on the days noted in this post, but it is not unusual for the effect to be seen a day or two either side. See backgrounder “Market Analysis with Astrology” for further information. 
Susan Gidel is editor of the Red Letter Trading Days newsletter.