Weekly Finstrology Update for May 16: Market Havoc During Mercury Retrograde

Welcome to the new weekly Finstrology outlook, where I’ll use financial-astrology techniques to provide insight into how the planets might affect the markets during the upcoming trading week. 

The week of May 16–20 could be volatile under a Mercury retrograde and with an out-of-bounds moon. However, Thursday’s planetary lineup could provide big, supportive energy to the markets and new ventures.

Moon Out-of-Bounds

Market havoc could reign on Tuesday through Friday when the moon is out-of-bounds. The moon represents our emotions as well as the public, both of which are important inputs for market movement. 

When the moon is out of bounds, it is beyond the path the sun travels on the ecliptic and feels free to behave erratically and not pay attention to the rules—kind of like a kid or dog who escapes the confines of the backyard fence. Thus, traders of any stripe could feel like it’s OK to disregard (or at least bend) the normal rules they follow to evaluate the markets and make trading decisions. 

Mercury Retrograde

Now, throw into the mix that Mercury is retrograde, and will be through the June 2 trading day. Mercury rules trading and stock index markets but is currently “on vacation” and not paying as strict attention as it might while moving direct. And, of course, Mercury retrograde can affect our individual communications as well as technology. 

As a result, it is prime time for Mercury-type market disruptions. On a personal level, for sure double-check any orders you place for the correct trading symbol, quantity and buy/sell position. Pay close attention to your daily statements to quickly catch any errors. 

On a bigger scale, be on alert for disruptions to online trading platforms. Remember when the Robinhood app crashed in 2020 during some of the stock market’s busiest, most volatile trading days? Mercury was retrograde on all three days: March 2, March 3 and March 9. 

Mercury retrograde also is the time when markets, themselves, can make a short-term change in direction, thus reviewing previous price levels, only to end the retrograde period back where it started. 

How the S&P 500 behaved during this year’s first Mercury retrograde in January is a good example. Mercury turned retrograde on January 14, two days after it had peaked at 4748, in a range of 4614 to 4665. In 10 days, the S&P 500 had fallen to 4222, an 11% decline from the January 12 high. By Feb. 2, the day before Mercury turned direct, the market had rebounded to 4595, just 19 points shy of where it began when Mercury turned retrograde. 

New Start Power

Thursday, May 19 is the most interesting trading day this week because the sun in Taurus and Pluto in Capricorn are exactly trine and working together easily in earth signs to make solid, forward progress. 

What’s more? They are each sextile Jupiter in Aries. This is a powerful trio in amiable aspects to one another, so great for starting new ventures. According to Marketwatch.com, no IPOs are on the calendar to begin trading this week. (That’s too bad.)

Mars and Neptune also sit about halfway in between the sun and Pluto on this day, which creates the opportunity for moving forward with big dreams. Mercury has the assist, as it is exactly 60 degrees away from Jupiter and still in its ruling sign of Gemini. With Mercury retrograde, it just might be time to revive a previous plan or dream and give it an energy boost. 

Weekly Highlights

Bitcoin

The major crypto could rally at week’s end when the transiting the moon, Mercury and the sun are all tightly connected to the position of its first-trade Jupiter. 

Euro

If you’re into the currency markets, pay attention to the euro this week as transiting Venus makes an exact conjunction with the market’s first-trade Venus on Wednesday. 

This is a strong connection because Venus rules money (aka currency) and occurs only every two years. At the 2020 Venus return, prices were near a low; in 2018, they were near a high.

Gold

This market could get a boost on Tuesday when the moon and Venus connect to its first-trade Moon and Mars.

Nasdaq-100

On Monday, five planets make connections with the index’s first-trade Saturn, which could mean a peak in price.

Soybeans

Watch how the bean market behaves at the full moon/lunar eclipse during the wee hours of Monday, May 16. This market is sensitive to the new and full moons and often makes price turns near them.

S&P 500

The Sun and Pluto, at 28 degrees of Taurus and Capricorn, respectively, form a grand trine in earth with the S&P 500’s first-trade Jupiter, at 28 Virgo. This connection could mark a high in the S&P 500, as two previous trine connections to its first-trade Jupiter did on Feb. 2 and March 3. 

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.