Weekly Finstrology Update for January 30: Planets Pivot on Fed Day

The week begins with easy, supportive energy from the planets with trines in the sky between the sun and Mars as well as Mercury and Uranus. By week’s end, Mercury and Uranus are receiving harsher squares from Venus and the sun, respectively. 

In between, the news of the week will be the results of the Federal Reserve’s first meeting of the year, on Tuesday and Wednesday, where it will decide how much to raise interest rates in its battle to bring inflation under control. Note that Mercury trine Uranus on Sunday night is the third and final pass of the transit, and that the Fed raised rates by 0.50% on December 14, 2022, three days before the first pass. This portends a bookend-type hike on the resolving connection.

The FOMC meeting announcement at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, February 1 looks like it could pressure the stock market through week’s end, with the planets setting up for lows in the Nasdaq-100 on Wednesday and the S&P 500 on Friday. Thus, be on alert for a higher-than-expected hike in rates and/or language about how long a time the Fed anticipates that hikes could continue. 

The Nasdaq-100 could feel the pressure first, but find support from its annual solar return because it was launched on February 1, 1985. Helping boost the market is that Mars is trine the natal sun, while Pluto is exactly conjunct natal Jupiter. Look for support between 11,610 and 11,810. 

By Friday, the S&P 500 could find a low following the monthly jobs report with transiting Venus conjunct both the natal sun and natal Venus. Two areas to watch for support include 3943 and 3730.

These lows could be significant as they occur near the midpoint of the winter solstice and the spring equinox, one of 10 days each year that legendary trader W.D. Gann watched for a potential change of trend. 

Markets on the Move

NFLX | Netflix

Netflix, the streaming service with roots in DVD movie delivery, is winning the popularity contest with nearly 8 million net new paid subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2022, double the company’s own projections. On tap is a “paid sharing” option this quarter to crack down on password sharing. 

NFLX was listed for trading on May 23, 2002, and has a grand trine among the moon, Mars and Uranus in air signs in its first-trade horoscope chart. The stock has split twice—on February 12, 2004 and July 15, 2015—with both transiting and natal Mars and Jupiter featured prominently on each date, indicating action that expands the stock. 

The stock set its record high on November 17, 2021 at $700.99 when transiting Jupiter and sun connected with its first-trade grand trine, making it extremely easy to expand the price on big optimism. On the same day, transiting Mercury and Mars were trine first-trade Jupiter, so trading activity contributed to the expansion. 

Less than six months later, however, prices had fallen nearly 77 percent to $162.71 as Venus squared natal Jupiter and Jupiter squared natal Venus. Transiting Mars, squaring both Saturn and Pluto in the first-trade chart, provided energy to stop the decline.

Upcoming transits to and from Jupiter will be important to watch through the spring. 

• On February 7, prices could peak when Venus trines first-trade Jupiter. 
• On March 2, prices could bottom when Venus and Jupiter both square first-trade Jupiter while the moon is conjunct. 
• The following week could bring a high on March 10 with Jupiter squaring its natal position while the sun and Mercury make a trine to it.  
• Finally, on April 13, look for a low as transiting Mars conjoins first-trade Jupiter and Venus, while Venus conjoins the sun.

Weekly Highlights

• Crude Oil Low on Monday, January 30—Prices could be spurred as the Mars and moon oppose first-trade Jupiter and Uranus. In addition, natal Venus receives transits from the sun, Mercury and Uranus. Look for support in March futures near $80.30 per barrel.
• 10-yr. T-note High on Monday, January 30—The important Mercury/Uranus axis in the first-trade chart is receiving transits from the moon and Mars by conjunction and Venus by square. March futures could find resistance between 116-08 and 118-08.
• Soybeans High on Tuesday, January 31—Mars and the moon are aligning with the first-trade moon/Jupiter axis while Venus exactly opposes natal Mars. Watch for resistance at $15.58 per bu., basis March futures.
• Euro FX Low on Wednesday, February 1—Prices could bottom as transiting Venus exactly conjoins the first-trade moon while the transiting sun is exactly conjunct natal Uranus. Support from astrological factors kicks in at 1.0730, basis March futures.
• Bitcoin High on Friday, February 3—Transiting Venus returns to its first-trade position while the moon and Mercury connect with the first-trade sun from opposite positions. Bitcoin’s next major hurdle is the August 2022 high of $25,198.

All times Eastern

All information in this post is merely the personal opinion of the author and not that of Astrology.com or any other person, company or entity. This information is not to be construed as financial advice, nor relied upon as such. Please contact your broker or financial advisor for trading and investment advice, and use astrological indicators in combination with other trading-decision inputs. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future market behavior.