Weekly Finstrology Update for May 22: Competitive Start In Pre-Holiday Trading

Planetary strength and trading activity is concentrated early in the week, then backs off into an easy start to the long holiday weekend. 

On Monday, May 22, markets will be reacting to two planetary sign changes over the weekend that pull in energy from Jupiter and Pluto, which were exactly square the previous week. Mars made its entry into Leo on Saturday, with the sun entering Gemini on Sunday. 

Mars in Leo opposes Pluto in Aquarius, thus forming a T-square with Jupiter in Taurus. That means Jupiter is the outlet for the Mars/Pluto opposition, which suggests that financial fortune is the result of high-profile energy directed toward technology. The sun in Gemini trines Pluto and is sextile Mars, so adds a softer side to the opposition that suggests leaders are in discussion about both sides of the issue.

The energy from these two formations begins to wane on Tuesday, particularly after Mars is exactly square Jupiter at 1:13 am. Look for the S&P 500 to make a low that day as Mars conjoins its first-trade Uranus while the moon and Venus trine the natal sun. 

Not that traders need a reason to wind down activity before a holiday weekend, but this year is the ideal time to do so because the moon is void-of-course from 2:38 am to 11:05 pm. That’s when it is better to chill than to do work that counts. Still, be on the lookout for financial surprises as Venus sextile Uranus at 3:37 am on Friday. 

The NYSE is closed on Monday, May 29 for Memorial Day. Stock index, interest rate, currency, energy and metals markets at CME Group open at their normal times Sunday for Tuesday’s trade date. Check with the exchange for various trading halt times on Monday.

Markets on the Move

SBUX | Starbucks Corp.

With Jupiter newly in Taurus, food and beverage companies are in the spotlight. Starbucks, the ubiquitous coffee shop across the globe, gapped lower in early May after reporting a “disappointing outlook” in its otherwise friendly fiscal Q2 2023 earnings call. The stock dropped to$103.80 after the call, after having made a high two days earlier at $115.48. 

Starbucks stock began trading on June 26, 1992, and has a nearly identical ascendant and midheaven as the corporate natal horoscope from November 4, 1985. Both charts have Leo rising (within 13 minutes of arc) and a Taurus midheaven (within about 2 degrees); the stock’s first-trade moon is just 5 minutes of arc from the incorporation midheaven. 

Thus, transiting planets move through the same houses in both charts at about the same time. It’s a year away, but keep your eye on May 18, 2024 when the sun, Jupiter, Venus and Uranus are all in the 10^th house in both charts. (Jupiter is there once every 12 years; Uranus once every 84 years.) This is extremely strong positive energy for the company, although perhaps unexpected due to Uranus. 

Shorter-term, there is potential for a low on June 5, when Venus conjoins first-trade Mercury while Pluto opposes it. Potential highs are on June 28 and July 26. In June, near the stock’s solar return, the moon and Saturn form a grand trine with first-trade Venus while Jupiter is sextile. At the end of July, near when the company could be announcing fiscal Q3 results, a similar grand trine in the stock’s natal chart forms. In the corporate horoscope, transiting Jupiter is conjunct the midheaven that day, with the transiting sun opposite natal Jupiter five days later. Both transits are positive and optimistic. 

Weekly Highlights

• Bitcoin High on Monday, May 22—Mercury forms a tight T-square with bitcoin’s sensitive Mercury/moon opposition, with Mars near the first-trade moon. First-trade Jupiter is activated by transiting Jupiter, Pluto and sun. Look for resistance at $28,690.
• Euro FX Low on Tuesday, May 23—The moon and Venus, together in Cancer, are squaring the sensitive first-trade Venus. Both Mercury and the sun are conjunct their first-trade positions. June futures could find support near 1.0730.
• Gold High on Tuesday, May 23—The moon and Venus oppose the market’s first-trade Mercury/Venus conjunction while transiting Uranus is in a trine to the pair. In June gold, $1989 per oz. could provide resistance.
• Soybeans Low on Tuesday, May 23—Transiting Mercury is exactly aligned with the market’s sensitive opposition between Venus and Uranus. July futures could find support at $13.38 per bu.
• 10-yr. T-note Low on Tuesday, May 23—The sun, Mars and Pluto all are in aspect to the market’s first-trade Mercury in early Gemini. (A price low means this could be a high in interest rates.) June futures could find support at 114-020.
• Crude Oil Low on Wednesday, May 24—The moon and Mars tightly square the market’s first-trade moon/Saturn conjunction; they also are square the market’s Mars/Pluto opposition. In July futures, $68.80 could be significant support.

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.