Weekly column: Jupiter in Leo drives stock market highs amid deteriorating job data

Review

The Labor Department’s July jobs report showed that the economy lost 23,000 jobs last month, a big shortfall versus the gain of 83,000 that economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected. Revisions to May and June payroll numbers showed that the economy added 103,000 fewer jobs in those two months.

—Matt Grossman, “U.S. Lost 23,000 Jobs in July, While Unemployment Ticked Lower,” The Wall Street Journal, August 7, 2026.

It was a good week for most global stock indices following primary cycle lows of July 29, corresponding with MMA’s last three-star geocosmic Critical Reversal Date (CRD) of July 24–27, +/- 3 trading days. Several indices made new all-time highs (ATH) as we head into next week’s solar eclipse zone and Venus trine Uranus, signatures that can correspond to a corrective reversal (but are unlikely to follow with a new low yet).

In Asia and the Pacific Rim, the Australian ASX rallied to a new all-time high on Thursday, August 6. But that was the only market to do so in that region. Stock markets in China and Hong Kong soared to multi-week highs. India’s NIFTY rallied to its highest mark in 22 weeks on August 3. Japan started another rally following its recent primary cycle low on July 29 and is positioned to make a new all-time high shortly as well.

In Europe, the Netherlands AEX, German DAX, and London FTSE each recorded new all-time highs. However, the Swiss Stock Market Index (SMI) fell slightly short of its all-time high made the prior week, on July 29.

In the U.S., the S&P and DJIA made new all-time highs on Wednesday, August 5, but here too, the NASDAQ fell well short of its ATH. Brazil’s Bovespa made a new 12-week high.

Thus, every region showed some markets making new all-time highs, but not all, which could be setting up cases of intermarket bearish divergences. So far, these stock indices “like” Jupiter’s recent ingress into Leo, which historically has a bias for a sharp sell-off before the ingress ends next summer.

Precious metals also liked the new cosmic environment of Jupiter in Leo, the traditional ruler of Gold. The yellow metal reached a weekly high of 4432 in the December contract on Friday, its highest mark in seven weeks and well off its nearby contract low of 3955 made on June 30, a prior three-star CRD. Silver likewise had a nice week, rallying to 65.48 on Friday, a solid push up from its primary low of 55.00 made on July 17.

In other markets, Bitcoin continued to hover in its multi-week zone of highs between 65,000–67,000. T-Notes also rallied sharply to just above 109 on Friday’s Gemini Moon, after falling to its yearly low just below 108 the prior week, on July 31. The reason for its rally had much to do with a renewed decline in Crude Oil prices into the mid-70s last week, following a major cycle crest up to 93.50 on July 23. As stated time and time again, President Trump does not want this war with Iran to escalate now that Saturn is separating from Neptune in Aries, and is no longer at the midpoint of the Uranus/Pluto air trine. Neptune holds that position now all by itself, and Neptune in Aries fights for peace, not war.

Short-term geocosmics

“When you hate, somebody else profits.”

—Bret Baier, The Case for America: An Argument on Behalf of Our Nation, HarperCollins, 2026.

I am sorry to say they (Democratic Socialists) never strike me with their warmth. Today’s socialists strike me as colder, less human, fiercer, and occasionally sociopathic. Most strike me not as people who love America and wish to make it better, but people ready to exploit its freedoms to build a movement that if successful would transform America’s fundamental nature… Our current socialists have never created or “liberated” anything. They are dreaming it up as they go along—ban prisons, ban prisoners, ban crime. And yes, they live in an attitude of eternal intention. So far they’ve never proved a thing—except that they can win elections.

—Peggy Noonan, “Socialism Is Here—and It’s Serious,” The Wall Street Journal, August 6, 2026.

This week is active with geocosmic signatures. The week starts with Venus trine Pluto and in opposition to Neptune on Monday, August 10, and the Venus trine Uranus on Tuesday. These are signatures that relate to Copper, Sugar, Soybeans, and currency markets. With Venus recently entering its ruling sign of Libra, this can also suggest new highs in stocks, +/- 4 days followed by a reversal. The solar eclipse in Leo follows on August 12, which can also have relevance to highs in stocks and reversals in metals +/- one day. The reversals may only be a correction of the trend already underway since late July.

Mars will also begin its transit through Cancer, August 11 through September 29. My experience is that this can be a “whiney” period where people express an abundance of complaints and personal offenses (see below… it’s already starting). However, it can also serve as a motivational factor to initiate new activities, adventures, and new projects around the family and home if one can avoid petty disputes that could otherwise take the joy out of bringing the family together. Try for fun and closeness, and avoid unnecessary criticisms that don’t advance relationships. Markets will struggle between the bullishness implied by Venus in Libra versus the dissatisfaction with the current economy.

Longer-term thoughts and opinion

Former Olympian David Hearn: “I don’t think anyone likes being targeted or accused of things they didn’t do. It’s painful to be talked about, like, I’m some kind of scum or, you know, not a very nice person…Leaders don’t do that.”

— David Hearn, quoted in a video posted by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on X, August 6, 2026.

“You don’t lose if you are knocked down. You only lose if you stay down.”

—Muhammad Ali, former heavyweight boxing champion of the world.

This week’s Longer-Term Thoughts are not about financial markets. They are about the state of the division in our societies, and especially reflected this week in the worldwide astrological community of which I was a leader for several years (1971–2009) when it valued research, education, and international networking with the goal of transforming this noble study from a hobby to a profession.

Something happened last week that upended this community. Legendary astrologer and author Steven Forrest was formally disinvited as a speaker at the forthcoming United Astrology Conference in Chicago for having said the ‘N’ word, even though it was spoken within the context of his theory on how taboos of language have changed since the 1980s. This was related to his topic of the Lunar South Node and one’s “shadow.” He was giving an example that actually supported his disdain for racism. I promised Steven I would quote his withdrawal letter to the community if UAC didn’t oblige his request of them to do so. They didn’t quote it in his words as of this moment, so here it is, in Steven’s own words.

“I am appalled and saddened by the upset my words have created. I apologize for my lack of judgment. Please consider the context.

The Accusation: Steven Forrest “used a racial slur.”

The Reality: In a podcast with a Black friend (Ricky Williams, College Hall of Fame football player and former Heisman Trophy recipient) deploring the history of racism, I referenced a term that lies at the demonic heart of racial history.

My Mistake: Given present sensitivities and norms, I should have said “the n-word.” Instead, I said the poison word explicitly.

What I’ve learned: Hearing the word itself is far more hurtful to people than I had realized.

As a result, because my presence at UAC would be disruptive, I voluntarily withdraw from the conference.” – Steven Forrest.

Steven Forrest is not a racist, unless you accept the premise that all white people are born racists. He did not use his freedom of speech to voice the ‘N’ word out of malice or hatred, and certainly not with any intent to cause emotional pain to anyone.

Yet, due to his lack (and that of many white people) of understanding the pain this word might cause, an incredibly divisive drama erupted in the astrological community when someone immediately started a social media campaign to have him removed from the United Astrology Conference faculty. That someone got his wish. The UAC board of directors indeed disinvited Steven. The question many astrologers are struggling with now is whether this “punishment” (being banned from presenting at the world’s largest astrological conference and having his character maligned in a manner that potentially harms his reputation and livelihood) is proportionate to the offense committed in the context of how it was presented.

This is a sad day for the community of professional astrologers when issues cannot be worked out by direct and respectful communication before taking the matter to the court of public opinion and social media. Anger and repressed (or real) hate conflated with virtue-signaling is a mixture that creates hypocrisy. Unfortunately, this problem is not limited to astrologers. It is a major problem in today’s society itself, as seen by last week’s political drama in Washington, D.C. over the dismissal of charges against former Olympian canoeist David Hearn. He was accused of vandalizing the Capitol Reflecting Pool, angering those in the White House who wanted him punished severely even though there appears to be no evidence that he committed the crime after an investigation into the matter. Steven Forrest, a giant in the field of professional astrology, was not so fortunate.

The study of astrology holds much value for society and individuals. It is a marvelous and enlightening subject for understanding the world at large, oneself, and even the timing of financial markets. Its value lies in its objectivity and educational power, not in being used as a weapon of politicization to advance one’s personal ideology.

As the inside joke goes: “The problem isn’t astrology. It’s those damn astrologers.”