U.S. stocks tumbled Friday after President Trump posted on Truth Social that he may cancel a planned meeting with China’s president and is considering “a massive increase in tariffs” on Chinese products. The selloff was steep enough to wipe out weekly gains by the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite. “The unexpected resurrection of the trade war triggered a selloff,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. “What investors are most worried about is this trade war, along with softening employment trends resulting in a recession.”
—Heather Gillars, “Trump’s threat on higher China tariffs wipes out stocks’ weekly gains,” The Wall Street Journal, October 10, 2025.
It was a pretty amazing week for financial markets. Then again, this is also a pretty amazing time band for geocosmic activity. Both Mars in the critical section of Scorpio and heliocentric Mercury in the critical section of Sagittarius were outlined in our recent special reports on gold and Bitcoin as ideal times for all-time highs. The precise timing given in those reports did not disappoint as all-time highs were recorded in U.S. stock indices, gold, and Bitcoin in our highlighted geocosmic time band of October 7–15, with a special emphasis on the Moon in Gemini on Friday, October 10. Once there, the floor fell out, right on time.
U.S. stock markets registered new all-time highs (ATH) in the S&P and Nasdaq on Thursday, October 9. The DJIA gave an accompanying intermarket divergence sign by failing to make a new high last week. Its all-time high remained intact from the week before on October 3. Gold made a new ATH on Wednesday, October 8, followed by silver’s retest of its 1980 all-time high the next day, just shy of $50. Bitcoin’s ATH was slightly earlier, October 6, at 126,223, but right within the lunar cycle time band given for a primary and possibly longer-term cycle crest of September 29–October 9. On Friday, October 10, the DJIA fell 878 points, and Bitcoin fell to a low of 104,782, the largest decline in each since President Trump’s earlier tariff-induced panic of early April, almost exactly six months ago.
W.D. Gann would love the six-month interval since the April lows, as do we. In early April, the markets recovered quickly. I wouldn’t be so sure of a repeat this time, as markets are now in a different phase of their cycle. Back then, it was within the time frame of a three-year cycle low. It was due for a rally once that trough was in. Now, there is ample time left in the primary cycle of each of these markets for lower prices to occur.
On the other hand, this is a powerful geocosmic reversal period with Venus entering Libra this week and making a grand trine with Uranus and Pluto, while also in opposition to both Saturn and Neptune. We can’t rule out that this CRD coincides with a half- or full primary cycle trough. But since it has also coincided with the new all-time highs, that seems the more important cycle labeling for this geocosmic reversal period. Another interesting factoid to keep in mind is that Venus enters Libra on October 13 for the next three and a half weeks. This ingress tends to be more bullish historically for stocks but also has a high correlation to an important low in silver.
“The hostage deal, which President Trump announced from the White House on Wednesday, promises to close a major wound opened by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel and give momentum to the effort to end a two-year war that has left tens of thousands of Gazans dead and the enclave in ruins.”
—Summer Said, Jared Malsin, and Anat Peled, “Israeli government approves hostage deal setting a cease-fire in Gaza,” The Wall Street Journal, October 9, 2025.
My wife calls me “Dr. Doom” and complains that my astrological forecasts are often too negative. Yet we are in a unique period where the cosmos is more optimistic and offers great hope. Ray captured this in the Forecast 2025 book, published last December. Looking at the autumn ingress chart, Ray made the following forecast:
“The Sun forms a ninth-house stellium (conjunctions) with Mercury and the Moon also in Libra. These are favorable combinations in and of themselves. They indicate new initiatives with laws, embarking upon the task of finding common ground that all parties can support. It works especially well with the nation’s international allies. They support the U.S., and the U.S. supports them. Treaties with many nations, especially in Europe and even Asia, look to be successfully started.
There are two interesting chart patterns. One is a grand air trine between the Sun, Uranus, and Pluto, indicating great discoveries and applications in technology. The other is a peculiar Yod formation (“Hand of God”) in this and the previous ingress charts. Here, we find the Sun as the midpoint of a sextile between Venus and Mars. The Sun not only makes a grand air trine but also opposes Saturn and Neptune, whereas Venus and Mars form quincunxes to Saturn and Neptune. This “Hand of God” signature indicates that fate, or karma, may be unfolding, and the destinies of the U.S. and China (or other nations) are being carried out as a result of 1) its prior actions and 2) the reaction to the results of those prior activities. If handled maturely and with a degree of accountability and acceptance of responsibility, past offenses can be rectified. One must be willing to acknowledge their role in harmful historical events. Doing so can lead to redemption and forgiveness, and all parties can bury the past with a sense of closure and of being heard. The hurtful issues can finally be addressed, and the parties can move forward together in a spirit of greater trust. It sounds unlikely and perhaps impossible. But the cosmos moves in mysterious ways and offers opportunities like this during such rare celestial patterns.
From the markets’ perspective, this also suggests a new bull trend in gold or a resumption or acceleration of a bull trend.
Next up is Venus in opposition to Saturn and Neptune, and at the same time in a grand air trine to Uranus and Pluto, October 11–17. This just reinforces the positive dynamics discussed when the Sun made the same aspects at the start of the autumnal equinox. The difference here is that Venus is involved, which creates excitement about working and meeting other people. Charisma and attraction are strong, and people want to connect and do something together that is positive for the world or for the nation. There is an excitement about a newness of the energy afoot. This also portends new trends in fashion and style. In world governments, alliances may forge new agreements and work initiatives. It is all very futuristic.”
I am currently assisting Ray in writing the Forecast 2026 book, and I can say with confidence that there is truly no other almanac like it. The depth of research, precision, and clarity it offers are exceptional. For anyone seeking unprecedented insight into the patterns shaping the year ahead, this is an invaluable resource—a work of both diligence and genuine foresight that stands unmatched in its field.
With the Sun in the partnership sign of Libra, diplomacy appears to have reached a triumph. The ruler of Libra, Venus, the planet of love and peace, will be returning to its home on Monday. Hopefully, the world will see the remaining hostages and the war-ridden Palestinians allowed to return to what little remains of their homes and start rebuilding their lives.
Over the coming week, we have the Venus grand trine with Uranus and Pluto going exact on the October 14 critical reversal date (CRD). This is a powerful alignment on the cusp of the air signs: Venus is on 0° Libra, Uranus 0° Gemini, and Pluto 1° Aquarius. It is symbolic of harmony, effortless exchange, communication, social ideas, building alliances, conceptual breakthroughs, collective synergy, renewal of human networks, revolutionary ideas, and change. At the very start of air signs, this pattern carries inaugural power and indicates new beginnings and hope.
Yet, the main driver for peace and the critical pivot appears to have come because of one rash and miscalculated decision by Benjamin Netanyahu when he launched an airstrike on Qatar. He made this decision on the lunar eclipse, with the Sun and South Node conjunct to his natal Saturn, and transiting Mars conjunct his natal Moon. These placements are suggestive of a person reacting aggressively and out of emotional heat, losing valuable trust and integrity that was built over many years.
This brings us to the solar eclipse of September 21, positioned in orb of 0° Libra and in opposition to the Saturn–Neptune conjunction at 0° Aries. Falling across the world axis, this alignment marked a profound turning point in global affairs and new beginnings. Significantly, the eclipse occurred on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly, as many Western nations announced their historic recognition of the State of Palestine—a moment when celestial and political cycles seemed to mirror one another in their call for balance, resolution, and renewal.
Over the past week, we have seen gold, silver, Bitcoin, and numerous financial markets breaking out to new ATHs. Yet it was gold’s break of $4,000 per troy ounce that was dominating the front pages. There is an interesting correlation I would like to share this week between the price of gold, the Israel–Hamas war, and the transit of Mars through the sign of Scorpio. Mars is the traditional planet of war and the ruler of metals. Gold formed its 50-week trough at 1823.50 on October 6, 2023, a day before the Hamas attack. Mars ingressed into Scorpio on October 12, 2023, and takes two years to go around the zodiac. Therefore, Mars has made a full rotation and is currently transiting Scorpio again. We have seen gold rally by over 123% during this period. Whilst this rally is not purely driven by the Israel–Hamas conflict, I would expect the peace deal to allow the precious metals to ‘take a breath.’
We find ourselves in a rare and peaceful alignment, a moment to breathe, to reconnect, and to remember our shared humanity. It feels as though a long shadow has finally lifted, offering us the clarity to act with kindness and purpose. As Saadi reminds us in The Gulistan, Chapter 1, “On the Conduct of Kings”:
“Human beings are members of a whole,
In creation of one essence and soul.
If one member is afflicted with pain,
Other members uneasy will remain.
If you have no sympathy for human pain,
The name of human you cannot retain.”
