Comment

Stocks closed lower last week as concerns about shrinking liquidity and central bank tightening in Asia prompted profit-taking.

The Nifty lost 4% on the week, closing at 5036, while the Sensex finished at 16859. This bearish outcome was more or less in keeping with our expectations. While the early week did not feature any significant gains, the stronger Jupiter influence did manage to keep stocks trading very close to their recent highs. This inability to push prices higher may have been the result of weaker minor aspects involving the Sun, Venus and Jupiter.

I had wondered if the late week period would see more selling and indeed that is what transpired as Thursday’s noteworthy decline coincided nicely with the pessimistic Moon-Saturn opposition.

Friday also saw the bears take control as Mercury entered Purvashada while Venus formed a partial aspect with Saturn. So far, the recent market movements have offered confirmation to the hypothesis that the previous week’s simultaneous solar eclipse and double reversal of Mercury and Saturn may have formed some kind of top to the market. Howlong this peak will remain in place is the key question for investors to ponder over the coming weeks.
This week looks difficult again as Mars will become a dominant planet in the sky.

Mars forms a minor aspect with Mercury on Monday, which can sometimes produce frustration and ill-tempered decisions. The Moon will be exalted in Taurus, however, so that may provide some relief, especially in the afternoon as it comes under the influence of Jupiter.

After Tuesday’s holiday closing, Wednesday also seems less than positive as Venus will be exactly opposite Mars. There is a sense of conflict contained in this combination as the veneration of wealth and profit found in Venus will be abruptly confronted by the harsh and belligerent reality of Mars.

Thursday may be somewhat more bullish as the Gemini Moon aspects Mercury and Venus and this mayindicate a willingness to trade for mutual advantage. The afternoon looks like the most positive part of the day here.

Friday will see the Sun bearing down to oppose Mars and that
does not seem conducive to gains.

With debilitated Mars in Cancer in the middle of all the planetary
action this week, it looks as though the correction still has a ways to go. With another iteration of the Saturn-Pluto square due in early February, it may be difficult for the market to gain much traction in
the coming weeks.

The picture is furthered clouded by the Mars-Saturn aspect on February 15.

Crude oil slipped further last week and closed above $74.The price pattern largely followed expectations as the early week remained fairly strong followed by steeper declines as the week progressed. This week again looks problematic for crude, although some early week strength is again quite possible.
Gold abandoned its recent comeback rally and ended substantially lower on the week, closing at $1093.

As expected, it held firm in the early week, going on the influence of Jupiter and then support quickly fell away once the Sun was out of range.

This week, some strength may return to gold in the early going, but with both the Sun and Venus under siege by Mars this week, it is hard to imagine how gold will maintain current levels.

The writer is a neo-Vedic astrologer specialising in predictive astrology. He runs the website www.modernvedicastrology.com