NewsScope for July 1, 2008

Markets Enter Bear Territory

Last Friday stock prices dipped into bear territory as they closed 20 percent below the peak reached eight months ago. The credit crunch and ever-increasing oil prices were blamed, as many blue chips reached multi-year lows, including the venerable General Motors, which hit a 33-year low. Many analysts concluded that the market outlook was much worse than they had thought.*

From an astrological perspective, the market top on October 9, 2007 was clearly delineated by the Jupiter-Uranus square that was exact on that date. However, it generally takes a confluence of indicators to mark a significant turning point. Simultaneous outer planet transits to the national horoscope underscore the timing. In this case, transiting Neptune in the Fourth House of the housing market was squaring the U.S. Vesta.

The asteroid Vesta is rarely used by astrologers, but in the U.S. horoscope, its position at 19 degrees of Taurus marks a highly magnetic point, with this degree often prominently featured in business horoscopes. For example, General Motors was incorporated on September 16, 1908 (12:00 pm, Camden, NJ). The GM Chiron is located at 19 Aquarius, exactly square the U.S. Vesta. GM is now going through its second Chiron Return, and it's deeply wounded, as are all American automakers.

At the moment, there are no major outer planet aspects forming that might indicate a bottoming. To the contrary, transiting Uranus opposite the U.S. Neptune shows an ongoing crisis in oil markets. Also, transiting Neptune and Chiron are traveling together through the U.S. Fourth House, and in the process, are squaring the U.S. Vesta, implying an investment crisis (Vesta) in the housing market.

Top Five Astro-Events for July

1. Hardworking Mars conjoins Saturn in conscientious, dutiful Virgo on July 10. The Mars-Saturn cycle is a major political factor driving opposing forces to come together, often creating historical turning points. This conjunction is especially powerful since it activates power points in the charts of today's most prominent politicians, including George Bush, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

2. Transiting Chiron squares the U.S. Vesta on July 18, indicating that the problem with major investment and banking houses continues through July. This is the second of Chiron's three squares to the U.S. Vesta, which began in March as Bear Stearns collapsed. Chiron's passage through the U.S. Fourth House (along with Neptune) implicates the slumping housing market.

3. The Full Moon on July 18 is accompanied by Ceres and Mercury in Cancer and Jupiter in Capricorn, which are all great celestial companions for any family vacation or shared traveling experience. Relationships between parents and children are harmonized under this influence, which includes a spirit of generosity and open-mindedness.

4. Uranus opposes the U.S. Neptune, exact on July 21, but a major influence all month. Uranus, the planet of shock and unwelcome surprises, has been aligned with the U.S. Neptune for several months now, as the corresponding escalation of oil prices has weighed heavily on the economy. This alignment might also bring a major scandal or two.

5. The U.S. Progressed Moon forms a quincunx to natal Pluto on July 23, and is a major factor in American politics through most of July. This important dynamic reflects a marshaling of American power in a variety of ways, including military, economic, and diplomatic‚Äîall in response to emerging crises.

Lara Logan's Foreign Affairs

Last week Lara Logan became the chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News, a well-deserved promotion based on years of award-winning frontline reporting. Also last week, the tabloids broke the news that Ms. Logan was having a secret affair with a CNN war reporter in Baghdad as well as with a U.S. State Department contractor, in what has been called a steamy sex scandal.

Lara Logan was born with her Aries Sun square Mars in Capricorn (March 29, 1971; Durban, South Africa; time unknown), a steamroller combination that pushes hard to be the first and the best. This dynamic square is electrified by hard aspects to Uranus, making for a highly charged, volatile personality that seeks dangerous situations, and naturally finds war zones exciting and thrilling.

Sometimes known as the "War Zone It Girl," Logan's good looks indicate a prominent Venus, probably found near her Ascendant or closely aspecting it. Her Venus in Aquarius forms a quincunx (150¬?) to Pluto in late Virgo. The Venus-Pluto woman knows how to use her charms to get her way, but is prone to intensely passionate entanglements, especially when urged onward by her highly romantic Venus-Neptune square.

The Venus in Aquarius woman can turn cold at a moment's notice, undoubtedly confounding and confusing her suitors. But with her aggressively independent Sun-Mars-Uranus T-square, Logan is not suited for long-term relationships. Now that she's stationed in Washington D.C., and transiting Pluto will be activating her natal Venus-Pluto all summer, we can expect to see much more of the CBS star journalist, especially as she shakes up the foreign affairs department and how it's reported.

*For more on the U.S. economy, and for the long-term outlook, see neptunecafe.com

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