FinancialCyclesWeekly.com #0531 -- July 31 -- August 6, 02005 with Tim Bost


COMMENT: In our letter last week we noted that, with a void-of-course Moon all day on Friday, we were going to "start our weekend early and stay away from active trading altogether that day." Except for getting stopped out of a couple of our Model Portfolio positions, we followed through with that trading plan as the week came to a close. What we didn't count on, however, was that the void-of-course Moon's potential for confusion and unresolved situations would have such a broad impact outside the markets. But of course Mercury is still in retrograde motion, so perhaps we should have anticipated bigger events in association with the lunar void.


At any rate, Friday certainly brought more than its share of confusion. During the course of the day there was an announcement that astronomers had discovered a new planet in our solar system. Within a couple of hours, however, different reports of the event seemed to be conflicting in various details like the size of the new planet, its astronomical designation, and the names of the astronomers involved. By the end of the day it became evident that the confusion had come about because not one but two discoveries of Kuiper Belt objects had been announced that day -- the discovery of 2003-EL61 by Jose Luis Ortiz of Sierra Nevada Observatory and the discovery of 2003-UB312 by Mike Brown of the California Institute of Technology, along with colleagues Chad Trujillo of the Gemini Observatory in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, and David Rabinowitz of Yale University.


As it turned out, at least one of the announcements had been precipitated by the fact that computer hackers had infiltrated Brown's web site, and were threatening to steal his thunder by revealing his discovery prematurely. So the story was rushed out and the media began trumpeting the fact that a 10th planet had been added to the solar system. But the headlines ignored the previous discoveries of Quaoar and Sedna, as well as the fact that there were two different astronomical announcements being made virtually simultaneously. When the dust finally settled, it became apparent that the real story was not about the discovery of a new planet, but rather about arguments between scientists, who obviously can't agree on exactly what a planet actually is, at least in terms of its size, location, and composition.



THE EXPERTS GET INTO THE ACT

While there was some confusion surrounding the news from the scientific community about the new Kuiper Belt objects, we should note that the week didn't go by without some additional confusion being generated by the real experts -- the U.S. Congress. On Friday, also with the Moon void-of-course, Congress decided to get busy and pass some laws before leaving town for their summer vacations. They pushed through a $300 billion bill to fund mass transit and highway construction projects, just to make sure that the folks back home get some extra cash in their pork barrels and to guarantee that we all can add more road construction delays to the long lines at airports and the random pat-downs at subway stops in our growing litany of travel consternations. They also approved $1.5 billion worth of funding to help bail out ailing programs for veterans health care, and the Senate approved its version of a bill to renew the Patriot Act, giving federal agents the right to search library and medical records and to conduct roving wiretaps for just four more years, instead of the 10-year period specified in the version of the bill that the House of Representatives passed a week ago.


The biggest potential for confusion in Friday's void-of-course feeding frenzy, however, came when the Senate passed a new energy bill, which doesn't actually seem to do very much except spend more of the taxpayers' money. Assuming that Mr. Bush signs it into law, it's sure to generate lots of confusion and plenty of lopsided economic ramifications as its provisions go into effect. For example, the $14.5 billion bill is designed to encourage development of wind power and clean-coal technologies, but it also aims to expand the number of nuclear power plants and to provide tax breaks that encourage more drilling for oil and natural gas. It also promises to scale back on America's massive dependence on foreign oil by extending daylight-saving time by one month each year, starting in 2007.


By the way, that daylight-saving time provision quickly became controversial, at least according to Associated Press reporter Annie Bergman. She noted that parents of school-age children across the country are upset with the proposed energy-saving measure because it will mean "an extra 20 weekdays of sending pupils off in the dark and having them stay up later at night."


WHO'S MINDING THE STORE?

The two houses of Congress hurried things up during the void-of-course Moon on Friday so they could leave for vacation, and President Bush was quick to follow suit. He took off for his ranch in Texas for some vacation time, the 50th such trip he has made since he became president. While many Americans would likely agree that it's a good thing to have the president and Congress disappear between now and Labor Day, the virtual shutdown in government does have a potential downside, at least according to the economist and perpetual presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche. In a press conference this past week he warned that vice president Dick Cheney is pushing hard for a preemptive U.S. attack against Iran, with August as the most likely timeframe for the assault. With Congress gone and Mr. Bush out clearing brush, there would presumably be little active opposition to such a move.


A GRISLY SPAM SOLUTION
Vardan Kushnir, Russia's most infamous spammer, was found dead in his downtown Moscow apartment last Monday. Authorities said that someone had repeatedly smashed Kushnir's head with a heavy object and had ransacked his entire apartment.
While Kushnir's murder is likely to remain unsolved (Russia's Interior Ministry reports 1,935 unsolved murders, along with 73,000 unsolved burglaries and 11,400 robberies between January and May of this year alone), it has gotten a lot of attention in the Russian media this week, with one newspaper hailing the event as "An Ultimate Solution to the Spam Problem." In fact, there seems to be little if any public dismay over the death, since Vardan Kushnir was undoubtedly the most despised person among Russia's 17.6 million internet users. Despite strenuous efforts to put him out of business, during the past few years he had repeatedly sent hundreds of unsolicited emails to virtually every internet user in Russia and in other locations around the world as well, relentlessly promoting his language courses at the American Language Center.

ARE YOU ON THE FREE EMAIL LIST?
The August issues of Practical Spiritual Astrology and the Gann Plan Trading Letter, our two free e-zines, are scheduled for publication this week. Since we definitely don't want to emulate VArdan Kushnir, these are both non-spam, opt-in publications. That means that while subscriptions to both of them are free, you must be on the opt-in subscriber list to get your copies. To join the list, log on to www.TimBost.com and select "NEWSLETTERS," then enter your contact information and newsletter preferences. You'll get an automated reply e-mail sent to the email address you provide. Just respond to verify, and your subscription will begin!


LLOYDS ISSUES WARNING ON LOANS

Lloyds TSB, Great Britain's fifth-largest bank, was a real anomaly this past week when its share prices dropped sharply on a day that saw the FTSE 100 index of the country's top companies soaring to a three-year high. The weak showing by Lloyds stock came in spite of the fact that the bank announced a 7% increase in its profits for the first six months of the year, including substantial increases in its corporate markets and business banking profits.


The troubling news was about Lloyds' lending. Customer deposits rose by 3% during the first half of 2005, while customer lending was up by 4%. But the number of bad debts in its retail banking division was up by a whopping 21% during the same period. Lloyds insisted that it saw the overall credit quality as satisfactory, but it's nevertheless clear that the British are experiencing increasing difficulty in dealing with debt.


TAKING A BITE OUT OF CRIME

Needless to say, Britain and Russia are not the only places currently facing economic challenges or having to deal with troublesome criminal activities. According to Brazil's O Dia newspaper, even supermarkets have become crime scenes.

The paper reported that Ednor Rodrigues, 32, was caught by security cameras while he was stealing seven toothbrushes from a supermarket in Ribeirao Preto. But when he was apprehended by the police, he initially tried to deny having had anything to do with the theft. He even showed the officers his toothless mouth as evidence.

Finally, though, Rodrigues broke down and confessed to the crime and the toothbrushes were recovered. "I don't know why I did it," he told police. "I know it is a stupid thing to do. I have no teeth. What was I thinking?"

*****


THE WEEK AHEAD

Earnings news played a big role in the market action last week, and there are still more reports to come in the week ahead. Some of the ones that may be worth tracking are Humana (HUM), Lincoln National (LNC), Martin Marietta Materials (MLM), Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM), Nam Tai Electronics (NTE), Oneok Inc. (OKE), PSEG (PEG), SBA Communications (SBAC), Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA), Time Warner Telecom (TWTC), Tyson Foods (TSN), American Financial Group (AFG), Answerthink (ANSR), Coach, Inc. (COH), Comcast Corporation (CMCSA), Emerson Electric (EMR), Marsh and McLennan Companies (MMC), MBIA Inc. (MBI), Papa John's International (PZZA), Qwest Communications (Q), Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI), Tyco International (TYC), Cigna (CI), CVS Corporation (CVS), Domino's Inc. (DPZ), Dominion Resources (D), Duke Energy Corporation (DUK), Electronic Data Systems (EDS), Noble Energy, Inc. (NBL), Clorox (CLX), and Alltel Corporation (AT).


The economic calendar this week includes reports on Consumption, Construction Spending, Personal Income, Factory Orders, Consumer Credit, Nonfarm Payrolls, Unemployment, and the Institute of Supply Management Index.


One of the reasons that we commented earlier on the impact of the void-of-course Moon is because we have another extended lunar void this week. It will come into play just before noon on Tuesday, and will extend throughout the remainder of that trading day as well as through the entire trading day on Wednesday. As usual, our basic approach to the markets will be to disengage from active trading during that time. We will certainly be keeping an eye on the markets, and will of course be taking actions if we are stopped out of Model Portfolio positions. But because the lunar voids tend to correspond so strongly with choppy periods of market congestion and with mixed trading signals, we consistently find it the better part of wisdom to stay on the sidelines when the Moon is void.


By the way, if you have questions about the void-of-course Moon and its impact on the markets, you may want to visit our website at www.TimBost.com. Click on the "Publications" button, and then under "Slides and Videos" select "What's a Void-of-Course Moon?" You'll get free access to a complete slide presentation that illustrates how a void-of-course Moon works and shows some examples of the stock market's response to this phenomenon.


Almost all of the astrological events at play this week suggest that equities prices will continue to rise, at least for the short term. The week is remarkable because it features several planetary ingress: Chiron enters Capricorn late Sunday night, and then on Monday heliocentric Venus goes into Scorpio and heliocentric Mercury enters Aquarius. The heliocentric conjunction of Mercury and Chiron on Monday evening is typically a planetary aspect that brings the market up, and with a New Moon adding its power before the end of the week we feel fairly confident that equities prices will continue to rise.


Remember, though, that geocentric Mercury is still in retrograde motion through the middle of this month. This phenomenon creates a stronger-than-usual possibility of market miscalculations, so it's wise to be especially cautious in placing orders, communicating with brokers, and attending to other trading details.


Have a great week!

*****


SPIRITUAL FOCUS FOR THE WEEK

The greatest traders have all understood that emotional balance is the key to successful trading. Through Practical Spiritual Astrology we have an opportunity to restore inner harmony, enhance emotional balance, and make wiser choices in the markets.


Tension, struggle and disappointment may be evident all around us now, but if we are willing to confront the illusions in our lives this can become a time of important catharsis and renewal. We only need to let go of the outmoded paradigms and limiting beliefs that have held us captive in the past, releasing them gratefully as we gently turn our awareness toward new ways of thinking and acting. The fresh beginnings that grace our lives right now may be difficult to comprehend or accept, but they offer us the kind of potential for transformation that can completely alter our relationship with the world.


"Almost everybody walks around with a vast burden of imaginary limitations inside his head. While the burden remains, personal success is as difficult to achieve as the conquest of Everest with a sack of rocks tied to your back." -- J. H. Brennan

*****


GLOBAL EQUITIES MARKETS LAST WEEK

Markets around the world continued to add to their gains last week, but there was some noticeable slowing in momentum. London and Tokyo were noteworthy exceptions, with the FTSE increasing its positive focus and the Nikkei reversing sharply to return to the upside.

Dow Jones Industrial Average -- down 0.10%
Dow Jones Transportation Average -- up 0.53%
Dow Jones Utilities Average -- up 1.11%
S+P 500 -- up 0.04%
NASDAQ Composite Index -- up 0.23%
Russell 2000 -- up 0.29%
London FTSE-100 -- up 0.77%
Paris CAC-40 -- up 0.82%
Frankfurt DAX -- up 1.03%
Sydney All Ordinaries -- up 0.52%
Tokyo Nikkei Index -- up 1.75%
Hong Kong Hang Seng Index -- up 0.64%
Singapore Straits Times Index -- up 1.43%

*****


U.S. EQUITY TRENDS

Our indicators continue to support bullish assumptions for the U.S. equity markets in spite of some diminishing short-term momentum. The market average which has turned positive most recently is the S+P 500, which gave us a short-term buy signal on July 22.

S+P 500 -- Long-Term Bearish; Intermediate-Term Bullish; Short-Term Bullish

NASDAQ -- Long-Term Bearish; Intermediate-Term Bullish; Short-Term Bullish

RUSSELL 2000 -- Long-Term Bullish; Intermediate-Term Bullish; Short-Term Bullish

*****


FINANCIAL CYCLES MODEL PORTFOLIO


POSITIONS CLOSED DURING THE PREVIOUS WEEK: HYSL, PHM, LLTC, PLNR, WLSN.

We closed fived Model Portfolio positions during the past week, with two winners and three losers producing a net profit of $154.00.

On July 25 we bought to cover 200 shares of Hyperion Solutions (HYSL) at 45.51, taking a loss of $386.00 (a 4.43% loss in 6 trading days).

On July 25 we sold 100 shares of Pulte Homes Inc. (PHM) at 91.02, taking a profit of $750.00 (an 8.98% gain in 24 trading days).

On July 27 we sold 200 shares of Linear Technology Corporation (LLTC) at 38.88, taking a loss of $448.00 (a 5.45% loss in 6 trading days).

On July 29 we sold 1,200 shares of Planar Systems Inc. (PLNR) at 7.85, taking a profit of $468.00 (a 5.23% gain in 23 trading days).

On July 29 we sold 1,000 shares of Wilson's Leather Experts Inc. (WLSN) at 6.71, taking a loss of $230.00 (a 3.31% loss in 6 trading days).

*****


POSITIONS ADDED TO THE PORTFOLIO DURING THE PREVIOUS WEEK: LZ, GLW, ACAS.

We added three long positions to the Model Portfolio during the previous week.

We bought 300 shares of Lubrizol Inc. (LZ) at 43.86 on 07/25/05, setting our initial stop at 40.90.

We bought 600 shares of Corning Inc. (GLW) at 17.89 on 07/26/05, setting our initial stop at 16.00.

We bought 300 shares of American Capital Strategies (ACAS) at 37.88 on 07/28/05, setting our initial stop at 35.55.

****


YEAR-IN-REVIEW MODEL PORTFOLIO ACTIVITY

So far this year we have had a total of 121 completed trades, with 45 winners and 76 losers bringing us a total net profit of $6,343.00. The largest profit for a single trade has been $2,875.00, with our winners averaging $609.51; the largest single-trade loss has been $956.00, with our losers averaging $304.17. The overall average profit per trade has been $52.42, and the mean duration of our trades has been 10.3 trading days.

During 2004 we had a total of 213 completed trades, with 104 winners and 109 losers bringing us a total net profit of $48,913.50. The largest profit for a single trade was $5,645.00; the largest single-trade loss was $750.00; the average profit per trade was $229.64. The mean duration of our trades was 10.3 trading days.

During 2003 we had a total of 176 completed trades, with 99 winners and 77 losers bringing us a total net profit of $51,717.00. The largest profit for a single trade was $9,240.00; the largest single-trade loss was $1,170.00; the average profit per trade was $293.85. The mean duration of our trades was 10.1 trading days.

During 2002 we had a total of 195 completed trades, with 119 winners, 74 losers, and 2 break-even trades bringing us a total net profit of $50,956.00. The largest profit for a single trade was $5,100.00; the largest single-trade loss was $1,055.00; the average profit per trade was $261.31. The mean duration of our trades was 12.7 trading days.

*****


CURRENT POSITIONS IN THE MODEL PORTFOLIO

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (ARE) -- bought 100 shares at 79.67 on 07/21/05; currently 80.45. Raise stop to 79.95.

American Capital Strategies (ACAS) -- bought 300 shares at 37.88 on 07/28/05; currently 37.63. Raise stop to 37.25.

China Yuchai International Ltd. (CYD) -- bought 800 shares at 12.00 on 06/28/05; currently 13.74. Raise stop to 13.25.

Compuware Corporation (CPWR) -- bought 1,500 shares at 6.72 on 06/27/05; currently 8.43. Raise stop to 7.97.

Corning Inc. (GLW) -- bought 600 shares at 17.89 on 07/26/05; currently 19.05. Raise stop to 18.25.

Emerson Electric Company (EMR) -- bought 200 shares at 63.99 on 07/11/05; currently 65.80. Raise stop to 65.15.

King Pharmaceuticals Inc. (KG) -- bought 900 shares at 10.85 on 07/11/05; currently 11.15. Raise stop to 10.95.

Lubrizol Inc. (LZ) -- bought 300 shares at 43.86 on 07/25/05; currently 44.00. Raise stop to 43.25.

Parker Hannifin Corporation (PH) -- bought 200 shares at 61.17 on 07/06/05; currently 65.72. Raise stop to 65.35.

Tenaris S.A. (TS) -- bought 200 shares at 75.33 on 06/20/05; currently 93.87. Raise stop to 89.15.

Toro Company (TTC) -- bought 200 shares at 38.56 on 07/11/05; currently 40.24. Raise stop to 38.86.

*****


STRONGEST MARKET SECTORS LAST WEEK

General Contractors; Heavy Construction; Diagnostic Substances; Wholesale Industrial Equipment; Specialized Health Services.

*****


WEAKEST MARKET SECTORS LAST WEEK

Drug Related Products; Integrated Circuits; Photographic Equipment and Supplies; Footwear and Accessories; Drug Delivery.

*****


ASTRO-TRADING GANN PLAN:
ASTROLOGICAL EVENTS DURING THE COMING WEEK

July 31
Sun sextile Zeus 00:25 EDT
Moon sesquiquadrate Chiron 03:17 EDT
Mars square Chiron in right ascension 03:52 EDT
Venus opposition Uranus 04:08 EDT
Moon trine Neptune 06:00 EDT
Moon sextile True Lunar Node 06:00 EDT
Neptune sextile True Lunar Node 06:25 EDT
Moon semisquare Mars 06:52 EDT
Moon semisquare Saturn 06:59 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Kronos 07:57 EDT
Venus contraparallel Apollon 08:01 EDT
Moon sextile Mercury 08:23 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury semisquare Heliocentric Cupido 08:33 EDT
Heliocentric Earth semisextile Heliocentric Uranus 09:38 EDT
Mars square Saturn 09:58 EDT
Heliocentric Earth semisquare Heliocentric Pluto 10:18 EDT
Sun in 24th harmonic to Vulcanus 12:01 EDT
Venus biquintile True Lunar Node 12:42 EDT
Moon sesquiquadrate Poseidon 14:56 EDT
Heliocentric Jupiter quincunx Heliocentric Admetos 15:56 EDT
Mercury semisquare Kronos 16:29 EDT
Moon opposition Pluto 17:10 EDT
Void-of-Course Moon begins 17:10 EDT
Mars quintile Neptune in right ascension 17:27 EDT
Venus semisextile Jupiter in right ascension 18:47 EDT
Moon trine Apollon 19:23 EDT
Moon semisextile Vulcanus 20:02 EDT
Moon semisextile Admetos 20:25 EDT
Moon semisquare Sun 20:43 EDT
Moon biquintile Chiron 20:58 EDT
Heliocentric Earth trine Heliocentric Zeus 21:52 EDT
Moon conjunct Hades 22:58 EDT
Chiron enters Capricorn 23:45 EDT

August 1
Moon quintile True Lunar Node 05:29 EDT
Heliocentric Earth sesquiquadrate Heliocentric Hades 05:29 EDT
Venus contraparallel Uranus 05:46 EDT
Mercury in 24th harmonic to Saturn 05:49 EDT
Mars sextile Kronos 06:28 EDT
Moon quintile Venus 07:33 EDT
Sun quincunx Uranus in right ascension 08:10 EDT
Heliocentric Mars semisquare Heliocentric Chiron 08:27 EDT
Moon quincunx Chiron 08:50 EDT
Void-of-Course Moon ends 08:52 EDT
Moon enters Cancer 08:52 EDT
Moon sesquiquadrate Neptune 11:39 EDT
Moon semisquare Mercury 12:34 EDT
Moon semisextile Saturn 13:02 EDT
Moon conjunct Kronos 13:43 EDT
Heliocentric Venus enters Scorpio 13:52 EDT
Moon sextile Mars 14:04 EDT
Sun trine Cupido 15:32 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury enters Aquarius 16:22 EDT
Mercury semisquare Kronos in right ascension 17:44 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury biquintile Heliocentric Hades 18:07 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury square Heliocentric Venus 18:54 EDT
Moon trine Poseidon 20:46 EDT
Moon crossing Universal Clock 24 Line 20:51 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury conjunct Heliocentric Chiron 21:32 EDT
Sun quincunx Uranus 22:30 EDT

August 2
Heliocentric Venus square Heliocentric Chiron 00:09 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury semisquare Heliocentric Mars 00:42 EDT
Moon square Zeus 01:02 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury in 24th Harmonic to Heliocentric Neptune 01:06 EDT
Sun semisquare Hades 01:46 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Vulcanus 01:58 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury opposition Heliocentric Saturn 02:04 EDT
Moon semisquare Admetos 02:20 EDT
Heliocentric Mars semisextile Heliocentric Neptune 02:47 EDT
Moon quincunx Cupido 04:07 EDT
Moon trine Uranus 04:40 EDT
Mercury opposition Neptune 04:51 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Hades 04:56 EDT
Moon semisextile Sun 05:13 EDT
Moon biquintile Neptune 05:36 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury quincunx Heliocentric Kronos 06:41 EDT
Heliocentric Mars sesquiquadrate Heliocentric Saturn 07:54 EDT
Heliocentric Venus square Heliocentric Saturn 09:15 EDT
Mercury square 11/09/2003 Lunar Eclipse Point 10:02 EDT
Heliocentric Venus sesquiquadrate Heliocentric Mars 10:04 EDT
Moon sextile Venus 10:13 EDT
Moon square Jupiter 11:59 EDT
Void-of-Course Moon begins 11:59 EDT
Sun sextile Jupiter in right ascension 13:00 EDT
Venus quintile Kronos in right ascension 13:25 EDT
Moon quintile Mars 15:18 EDT
Mercury trine True Lunar Node 15:33 EDT
Moon biquintile Cupido 16:09 EDT
Moon semisextile Mercury 16:55 EDT
Moon square True Lunar Node 16:59 EDT
Moon quincunx Neptune 17:38 EDT
Heliocentric Venus trine Heliocentric Kronos 18:16 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Saturn 19:26 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Kronos 19:50 EDT
Heliocentric Earth sextile Heliocentric Cupido 22:29 EDT
Mars biquintile Cupido in right ascension 22:47 EDT

August 3
Mercury opposition 4/24/2005 Lunar Eclipse Antiscion 03:46 EDT
Moon quincunx Pluto 05:06 EDT
Venus semisextile Jupiter 06:10 EDT
Moon square Apollon 07:28 EDT
Sun quintile Apollon 07:31 EDT
Moon conjunct Vulcanus 08:10 EDT
Moon sextile Admetos 08:31 EDT
Mars biquintile Cupido 09:12 EDT
Moon sesquiquadrate Cupido 10:17 EDT
Moon sesquiquadrate Uranus 10:46 EDT
Moon semisextile Hades 11:11 EDT
Moon quintile Zeus 13:18 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Sun 14:03 EDT
Mercury opposition 5/04/2004 Lunar Eclipse Point 15:27 EDT
Moon biquintile Pluto 17:12 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury square Heliocentric Poseidon 17:51 EDT
Heliocentric Mars biquintile Heliocentric Jupiter 18:20 EDT
Moon semisquare Venus 19:50 EDT
Mercury semisextile Venus in right ascension 20:49 EDT
Moon opposition Chiron 20:50 EDT
Moon crossing Universal Clock 24 Line 21:09 EDT
Void-of-Course Moon ends 21:09 EDT
Moon enters Leo 21:09 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Mercury 21:23 EDT
Venus quintile Kronos 22:17 EDT

August 4
Moon quintile Jupiter 00:45 EDT
Mars sextile Kronos in right ascension 01:03 EDT
Moon conjunct Saturn 02:02 EDT
Moon semisextile Kronos 02:09 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury biquintile Heliocentric Kronos 02:53 EDT
Moon biquintile Uranus 04:54 EDT
Venus sesquiquadrate Chiron 05:21 EDT
Moon square Mars 05:25 EDT
Mercury semisextile Venus 05:49 EDT
Chiron square 04/19/2004 Solar Eclipse Point 05:57 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury semisextile Heliocentric Uranus 07:04 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury semisquare Heliocentric Pluto 07:08 EDT
Moon parallel Kronos 08:35 EDT
Moon quintile Admetos 08:47 EDT
Moon square Poseidon 09:13 EDT
Mercury square 5/04/2004 Solar Eclipse Point 10:12 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury trine Heliocentric Zeus 10:21 EDT
Moon sesquiquadrate Pluto 11:23 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury sesquiquadrate Heliocentric Hades 12:33 EDT
Saturn semisextile Kronos 12:59 EDT
Moon sextile Zeus 13:35 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Vulcanus 14:32 EDT
Moon parallel Hades 16:06 EDT
Mars opposition 04/24/2005 Lunar Eclipse Point 16:13 EDT
Moon trine Cupido 16:36 EDT
Moon quincunx Uranus 17:01 EDT
Moon semisquare Hades 17:33 EDT
Moon quintile Apollon 19:54 EDT
Venus quincunx True Lunar Node 21:10 EDT
Moon parallel Vulcanus 22:11 EDT
New Moon 23:04 EDT
Sun conjunct Mercury in right ascension 23:31 EDT

August 5
Heliocentric Mercury sextile Heliocentric Cupido 00:08 EDT
Moon contraparallel Cupido 00:48 EDT
Heliocentric Mars biquintile Heliocentric Apollon 01:12 EDT
Moon sextile Jupiter 01:21 EDT
Moon conjunct Mercury 01:53 EDT
Moon trine True Lunar Node 04:38 EDT
Moon semisextile Venus 05:36 EDT
Moon opposition Neptune 06:08 EDT
Moon parallel Saturn 07:19 EDT
Moon semisquare Kronos 08:33 EDT
Mercury sextile Jupiter 08:39 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Saturn 08:45 EDT
Venus quincunx Neptune 10:49 EDT
Moon parallel Admetos 13:45 EDT
Mercury conjunct 11/09/2003 Lunar Eclipse antiscion 14:39 EDT
Heliocentric Venus conjunct Heliocentric Poseidon 17:25 EDT
Heliocentric Jupiter square Heliocentric Vulcanus 17:35 EDT
Moon trine Pluto 17:44 EDT
Void-of-Course Moon begins 17:44 EDT
Heliocentric Earth conjunct Heliocentric Mercury 19:25 EDT
Sun conjunct Mercury 19:35 EDT
Moon semisquare Zeus 20:00 EDT
Moon sextile Apollon 20:13 EDT
Mars opposition Poseidon in right ascension 20:54 EDT
Moon semisextile Vulcanus 20:57 EDT
Moon square Admetos 21:15 EDT
Moon quintile Poseidon 21:41 EDT
Moon crossing Universal Clock 24 Line 21:45 EDT
Sun conjunct 11/09/2003 Lunar Eclipse antiscion 23:35 EDT
Moon sextile Hades 23:58 EDT

August 6
Moon parallel Sun 00:37 EDT
Mars square 05/16/2003 Lunar Eclipse Antiscion 02:35 EDT
Moon contraparallel Neptune 03:37 EDT
Venus semisquare Poseidon in right ascension 04:29 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Mercury 06:24 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Sun 08:07 EDT
Moon semisquare Jupiter 08:07 EDT
Sun sextile Jupiter 08:07 EDT
Moon contraparallel Pluto 08:31 EDT
Moon quincunx Chiron 09:17 EDT
Moon enters Virgo 09:53 EDT
Void-of-Course Moon ends 09:53 EDT
Venus parallel True Lunar Node 10:11 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury in 24th Harmonic to Heliocentric Chiron 10:20 EDT
Moon sesquiquadrate True Lunar Node 10:35 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury conjunct Heliocentric Neptune 13:12 EDT
Moon sextile Kronos 14:57 EDT
Moon in 24th harmonic to Venus 15:22 EDT
Moon semisextile Saturn 15:26 EDT
Venus semisquare Saturn 16:08 EDT
Moon contraparallel Poseidon 16:13 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury sesquiquadrate Heliocentric Kronos 18:04 EDT
Moon contraparallel Chiron 19:08 EDT
Heliocentric Venus in 24th Harmonic to Heliocentric Jupiter 20:01 EDT
Heliocentric Venus semisquare Heliocentric Pluto 21:03 EDT
Moon trine Mars 21:04 EDT
Heliocentric Venus trine Heliocentric Uranus 21:07 EDT
Venus crossing Universal Clock 24 Line 21:13 EDT
Moon biquintile Chiron 21:21 EDT
Moon parallel Mercury 21:30 EDT
Moon sextile Poseidon 21:57 EDT
Sun square 5/04/2004 Solar Eclipse Point 22:32 EDT

August 7
Moon quintile Hades 00:16 EDT
Zeus quintile Vulcanus in right ascension 01:56 EDT
Moon semisextile Zeus 02:21 EDT
Moon semisquare Apollon 02:33 EDT
Moon semisquare Vulcanus 03:18 EDT
Heliocentric Venus semisextile Heliocentric Zeus 03:34 EDT
Moon biquintile True Lunar Node 04:34 EDT
Heliocentric Venus in 24th Harmonic to Heliocentric Apollon 04:47 EDT
Moon parallel Mars 04:56 EDT
Moon square Cupido 05:15 EDT
Moon opposition Uranus 05:32 EDT
Mercury sextile Jupiter in right ascension 07:39 EDT
Heliocentric Venus sesquiquadrate Heliocentric Hades 08:10 EDT
Moon semisextile Mercury 10:53 EDT
Sun trine True Lunar Node 11:37 EDT
Heliocentric Mercury semisextile Heliocentric Mars 12:05 EDT
Moon contraparallel Apollon 12:42 EDT
Sun semisquare Kronos in right ascension 13:06 EDT
Sun opposition 5/04/2004 Lunar Eclipse Point 13:33 EDT
Moon contraparallel Uranus 14:20 EDT
Moon semisextile Jupiter 14:46 EDT
Venus semisquare Saturn in right ascension 15:02 EDT
Moon quintile Kronos 15:10 EDT
Moon sesquiquadrate Chiron 15:24 EDT
Moon quincunx True Lunar Node 16:33 EDT
Mars opposition Poseidon 16:45 EDT
Moon semisextile Sun 17:01 EDT
Moon quincunx Neptune 18:36 EDT
Heliocentric Jupiter sextile Heliocentric Pluto 19:53 EDT
Moon semisquare Saturn 21:58 EDT
Moon crossing Universal Clock 24 Line 22:10 EDT
Sun opposition 4/24/2005 Lunar Eclipse Antiscion 22:44 EDT
Heliocentric Jupiter sesquiquadrate Heliocentric Uranus 22:55 EDT

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STOCKS TO WATCH: ANSR, ESV, OKE, PENN.

Answerthink Inc. (ANSR)
NASDAQ
First Trade Date: 05/28/1998; 09:30 a.m.
Trading Strategy: Based on the potential impact of transiting Saturn crossing the ANSR First-Trade Ascendant along with transiting Mars conjoining First-Trade Venus as transiting Jupiter prepares to cross the ANSR First-Trade IC, we placed a limit order for this stock last week at 3.84. By the time the trading week was over, however, our order had not gotten filled. This week we are leaving our limit order in place at 3.84, in case ANSR goes through one more Saturnian dip on its way to higher prices--and with an earnings call coming on Tuesday evening, we might see such a dip on Wednesday. As we noted last week, if the order gets filled we will set our initial stop at 3.60. If we don't get filled at that price we will cancel the order at the end of the trading week.


Ensco International Inc. (ESV)
NYSE; optionable
First Trade Date: 12/20/1995; 09:30 a.m.
Trading Strategy: Oil and gas plays continue to be quite profitable right now, and Ensco is one of the better-run companies in that industry. It brought home a 400 percent increase in profits recently, and the stock is currently pushing hard to hit a new all-time high. Astrologically we note that Saturn has just completed its transit of the ESV First-Trade Descendent, while transiting Jupiter is closing in on the First-Trade Midheaven. This is the kind of combination we look for to enhance positive price performance, so our plan is to add a long position to the Model Portfolio early this week. Our initial stop will be set at 33.95.


Oneok Inc. (OKE)
NYSE; optionable
First Trade Date: 05/24/1954; 10:00 a.m.
Trading Strategy: We are currently trading in a market that has a high potential for unpredictable behavior, so we want to bring a utility stock into our portfolio to add some stability. OKE seems to fill the bill nicely. Transiting Saturn is currently crossing over the First-Trade Ascendant, and transiting Jupiter is closing in on the First-Trade IC. This is setting the stage for even higher prices to come for this stock, but since First-Trade Neptune is enjoying a conjunction from transiting Apollon and a square from transiting Vulcanus as well, we feel even more optimistic about the upside potential for this stock. We aren't sure that the Saturn transit coinciding with this week's earning report won't result in a short-term price correction, however, so instead of jumping in feet first we plan to initiate a limit order, with instructions to take a long position in OKE if the price drops to 33.71. If we get filled on that order this week, will set our initial stop at 31.50. If the order doesn't get filled, we will reevaluate OKE at week's end.


Penn National Gaming Inc. (PENN)
NASDAQ; optionable
First Trade Date: 08/22/1966; 10:00 a.m.
Trading Strategy: Transiting Saturn has just crossed the PENN First-Trade Ascendant, and transiting Jupiter is still snuggling nicely beside the PENN First-Trade IC. How much do you want to bet the stock's price will be going up? Fundamentally and technically, we don't see much to argue with here, so our plan is to add a long position to the Model Portfolio as soon as the trading week gets underway. We will set our initial stop at 34.00.

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FINANCIAL CYCLES WEEKLY (ISSN 1055-8527) is published by Taylor-Bost Consulting and edited by Tim Bost at 2132 Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL 34232 USA. Phone: 941-921-2588. Fax: 941-927-5798. Web: http://www.TimBost.com. Entire contents © copyright 2005 Timothy L. Bost. No portion of Financial Cycles Weekly may be reproduced without the publisher's written permission. Subscriptions to FINANCIAL CYCLES WEEKLY are $39.00 per month for weekly issues sent by email, payable by monthly billing to a major credit card. Advance payment options (by credit card, check, or money order) are $228 for 6 months, $432 for 1 year or $815 for two years. All subscriptions are payable in US funds only-- Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, and Discover/Novus accepted; please make checks or money orders payable to Taylor-Bost. PayPal is also accepted for online orders; to subscribe go to http://www.TimBost.com/newsletter/subscribe.html.

By providing a source of independent market analysis, the purpose of FINANCIAL CYCLES WEEKLY is to foster the growth of person-centered business and investment astrology; to enhance the development and dissemination of financial literacy and prosperity consciousness; and to explore the use of technical analysis and financial astrology in promoting an esoteric spiritual understanding of economic trends, geocosmic cycles, geopolitical events, and market movements. FINANCIAL CYCLES WEEKLY is a general interest publication which is prepared from astrological information, news reports, cycle projections, and market observations which are believed to be accurate and reliable, but which cannot be guaranteed. Portfolio and trading reports in this publication do not include taxes and transaction fees, which should be taken into consideration by prospective traders and investors. Even with accurate information, past performance is no guarantee of future results. Speculation in securities and commodities involves considerable financial risk, and readers who plan to invest or speculate in securities or commodities mentioned in FINANCIAL CYCLES WEEKLY have the complete responsibility for making themselves fully aware of all the risks involved before they invest. The editor may or may not have positions in the securities and commodities discussed in this newsletter, and the information in FINANCIAL CYCLES WEEKLY should in no way be understood or construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any products or securities, nor should the material published in this newsletter be considered buy/sell advice.

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posted by Tim Bost @ 7/31/2005 03:30:00 AM