Here is my astrological forecast on how some of the current political and economic events may evolve in the future.

Gloom without Doom

This is what I posted in my article, Post Election Syndrome, on December 6, 2016: “In reality, this planetary aspect (Uranus/Neptune semi-square-45°) cannot produce any great disaster.” “It can only invoke in some the false sense of forthcoming doom; this doom will never materialize, the wheel of time cannot be reversed, Trump will not start a nuclear war, and the U.S. will never become a racist or a fascist state.” Indeed, during the second year of Trump’s presidency this forecast seems to be correct. Obviously, we have not become a racist or fascist state, and there is absolutely no indication that we ever will. For more information, click here.

North Korea

After all the fiery rhetoric, exchanges of insults and threats to start a nuclear war, President Trump and Supreme Leader Kim Jon-un agreed to meet in person and resolve their differences through negotiations. The theatrics that took place was a striking example of the influence of Uranus/Neptune semi-square, which commenced shortly before Trump won the Republican nomination in the summer of 2016 and will end soon after the completion of his term in the spring of 2021. Meanwhile, the relationship between two Koreas dramatically improved. Has the war been avoided? Is there going to be a lasting peace in Korea? As always, history is the key to understanding the present and forecasting the future. Since the Korean War in 1950-53, North Korea established a certain pattern of relationship with the U.S. and South Korea. Hostilities would rise during Uranus/Pluto stressful aspects, and subside during Uranus/Neptune stressful aspects that followed. Indeed, the recent tensions between North Korea and the U.S. rose dramatically during Uranus/Pluto square in 2011-16. All the rhetoric and exchange of insults in 2017 were just the theatrics for the internal consumption caused by the influence of Uranus/Neptune semi-square. For the remaining years of this semi-square, which will end in 2021, the relationships will continue to improve. Unfortunately, the Korean problem will not disappear altogether anytime soon. The U.S. failed to solve it in 1993, at the end of the previous 172-year Uranus/Neptune cycle (1821-1993). As a result, the Korean problem spilled over into the current Uranus/Neptune cycle ending in 2165. So, expect the tensions in Korea rise from time to time through most of this cycle.

Russia

A military confrontation with Russia over the Syrian regime alleged use of chemical weapons did not happen. Neither will such a confrontation take place under any other pretext, and here is why:

Since the summer of 2016, we have been under the influence of Uranus/Neptune semi-square. As I have written previously, “…its influence is smoke and mirror… It can only create a sense of the inevitable doom, but not the doom itself.”

A similar situation between the U.S. and Russia occurred at the end of the Yom Kippur War in 1974, during which Israel supported by the U.S. fought against Egypt and Syria supported by Russia. The Arabs were losing badly, and Russia threatened to send its troops to the Middle East to save its allies. The Americans and Israelis blinked first, and the Israeli troops halted their advance into Egyptian and Syrian territories.

Decades later, we learned that the Russian leaders had no intention of sending their troops to the Middle East, and all their threats were just empty rhetoric, very much what can be expected during Uranus/Neptune semi-square.

Now, 44 years later, Uranus and Neptune are once again separated by a 45° angle. Once again, this planetary influence brought the U.S. and Russia into a conflict—so far only verbal—over a war in the Middle East.

I do not know who will blink first next time, but I am certain that Russia and America will NOT go to war over Syria, and all the threats are just theatrics and posturing, as are most of the political games played during Uranus/Neptune semi-square.

I still stand by my previous forecast that tensions between the U.S. and Russia will deescalate dramatically within next three years. Most likely, this will occur through a personal contact of their leaders. Perhaps President Trump will go to Moscow this year or next, as did President Nixon in 1972. For more information, click here.

Terrorism

“The number of terrorist attacks by Muslim extremists will significantly increase. Paradoxically however, the number of victims of such attacks will significantly decrease. Instead of well-organized terrorist attacks like the recent ones in Paris, we will observe senseless murders of innocent civilians committed by loners prone to mass psychosis common during stressful aspects of Uranus and Neptune. Most of these attacks will happen in the Middle East. They will also occur in Europe, USA, Argentina, and Russia.” The preceding was published on my website on March 22, 2016 in the March 2016 Update. Unfortunately, most of this forecast has come true.

Besides affecting the terrorists, the influence of Uranus/Neptune semi-square also affects mentally unstable individuals. As a result, the acts of senseless violence, including mass murders and school shootings, will not subside until the end of this semi-square in 2021. The frequency of such attacks is likely to increase in October-November 2018 when the Lunar Nodes will form a T-square to Uranus, and in December 2018 under Jupiter/Neptune square.

Economy

I still stand by my previous forecast that a worldwide economic recession will begin next year and last for at least a year. This will occur due to the influence of Uranus/Neptune semi-square, which points to an economic contraction and Bear Market. In addition, Saturn and Pluto are transiting through the U.S. Second House of Money, and such transits frequently coincide with the economy contracting and the stock market declining, especially when these two planets form conjunctions to Pluto in the U.S. chart from 2020 through 2023. Fortunately, Uranus/Chiron semi-sextile has been in effect since 2008 and will continue exerting its bullish sentiments upon our economy and the stock market until 2024. In a short term of 2 years, the bearish influences will win. Due to Chiron’s influence however, the forthcoming recession will not be severe, and there will be a decline, but not a meltdown in the stock market.

Besides, there are plenty of tools of creative accounting that may allow our financial elite not to acknowledge this recession at all.

Stock Market

The Stock Market has entered its bear mode, even though this is only visible to a few analysts. From the all time high in January 2018 to the most recent bottom in March, the Dow has already lost 11.5% of its value. It will decline most of the time through April 2020. By that time, the losses are likely to amount to another 30%. Meanwhile, the price of precious metals will dramatically increase by 2021.

Market Management

From a psychological perspective, those who manage our markets—and the markets are very well managed indeed—make more money with the market volatility. Under the influence of Uranus/Neptune semi-square, these managers are prone to delusions of grandeur. Believing themselves all-powerful, they will overestimate their ability to control the market, which will be one of the reasons for its decline.

On a Positive Note

I would like to end this update by paraphrasing a quote from my previous forecast: “Your successes and failures in 2017-21 will depend on your Karma reflected in your astrological chart and on your own free will, and Donald Trump, or anyone else for that matter, will not be able to do anything about it.” For more information, go to www.AstroEconomicCycles.com and log on Astrological Consulting.

For my articles on related subjects log on to www.AstroEconomicCycles.com. Your comments and questions are welcome.

Until my next update, “Live long and prosper.” and “May the Force Be with You.”