2023  FINANCIAL FORECAST

Stock prices are a neat reflection of public sentiment.  The rise of business brings exuberance, in the fall despair.  Public confidence, spending, and investment are up as the market rises.  Pessimism, hoarding, and conservatism prevail as the market turns down.

The stock market suffered in 2022.  The DJIA lost 8.8%.  The worst month of the year was October.  There were three plunges down followed by brief upward moves ending in the October low.  The year’s end left the DOW 3,000+ points lower than the 2021 close.

LAST YEAR’S PREDICTION

Inflation fears will cause the FED to raise interest rates and, hence, put downward pressure on the stock market.  The continued presence of the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain issues and employee shortages are also detrimental to market gain.  The big picture from a cosmic standpoint is also somewhat grim.  Before elaborating on this point a word about inflation is in order.   The rapid rise in prices that started during the last half of 2021 is not temporary as the government claims.  Inflation is indicated by the Jupiter and Neptune conjunction in April.  On top of this is the long-term inflationary Saturn/Neptune conjunction in 2026 that sets off a much higher inflationary spiral through 2034.  The 9.28-year cycle in inflation also peaked in 2021.  The next peak is in 2030 marking the severest year of rising prices.  These converging planetary influences, coupled with rampant and irresponsible government spending, spell economic trouble ahead.

On a positive note the phase relationships of Jupiter/Saturn and Jupiter/Uranus point to better prospects in 2022.  This room for optimism is dampened however by an economic crisis indicated by the April Jupiter/Neptune conjunction.  The Saturn/Uranus relationship is down and the Jupiter/Pluto phase reaches a low around May.  On top of this is the orbital position of Uranus on its north node – another down indication.

Sunspots are on the rise but not yet ‘above 50’ per yearly average.  The next sunspot high, and thus the next super-high market, is expected near 2025.

A recession is not clearly indicated but steep sell-offs and rapid gains are in the stars for 2022.

COMMENTARY

The prediction was rather spot-on especially April’s Jupiter/Neptune conjunction that resulted in a panic leading to the mentioned Mars/Jupiter conjunction in May, resulting in a major low in June.  What came as a surprise was the second drop in price and the final low of the year the last week in September when sunspots first rose above 50 per month on average.

THIS YEAR’S PREDICTION

Cosmic indicators point both up and down in 2023.  Economic growth is therefore likely to be rocky.  Rosy pictures do present as sunspots continue to rise toward a projected peak in 2024 as Jupiter crosses the solar equator.  The year before a presidential election year is usually good for stock prices.  And more planet phases are looking up rather than down.  But an ominous sign of a deep economic downturn – and recession – is the sighting of Jupiter and Saturn together with a Mars/Jupiter aspect.

A CLOSER LOOK

The stock market and economy should do very well in December 2022 and early in the New Year due to the Sun/Mercury conjunction in Capricorn (1/7/23).  The market tends to rise 25 days prior to the conjunction.  A collapse of the holiday euphoria is likely shortly thereafter as three cycles converge in a low: the 36-month (1/23); the 1-year (1/24) and the 8-month (1/16).  Whatever sell-off Jan-Feb might bring the 2nd and 3rd quarter look brighter.  Trouble comes again in October, perhaps as early as September, as the 4-year telltale marker of a Jupiter/Saturn aspect is joined by Mars/Jupiter!  Expect a significant market bottom near this time.  Jupiter is square Pluto in the heavens (5/17/23) and a market bottom tends to take place between the sextile (5/3/22) and the square.  If I’m right, the final low in this historic Pandemic-War-Inflation period may be delayed a bit and take place closer to October 2023.  At the end of the year another Capricorn Rally is expected as Sun and Mercury join in conjunction 12/22/2023.  This configuration supports the 2/14/2024 Mars/Pluto conjunction known for peaks in the market followed by spectacular drops.  Higher earnings could extend into January 2024, possibly February, but a significant low is expected close to this time so don’t count on it.   A three wave Fibonacci spiral from 5/5/2017 forms 12/30/2023 and if it continues signals a low – probably in January or February 2024.

A three wave Fibonacci spiral from previous weekly stock lows (beginning 3/23/2018) forms again 6/15/2023; another one (starting 12/21/2018) with two previous successful waves forms again 3/26/2023.  This latter wave could point to the anticipated early 2023 downturn.  Spirals typically end after 1, 3 or 5 successful waves so some uncertainty surrounds the June date.

The turn of the year into 2023 signals a dramatic transition.  Transiting Pluto forms its last conjunction with its natal position in the U.S. chart on 12/28/2022 alongside transiting Jupiter going over the nadir of national resources, productivity and wealth.  This configuration promises extreme highs and lows, much pain then rebirth as the nation builds itself anew.  A glorious time of prosperity awaits us in the not so distant future.