Louise McWhirter’s Forecasting Theory: The US Stock Market Through 2028

Louise McWhirter first presented her theory in her 1937 book "Astrology and Stock Market Forecasting." The model in the chart below demonstrates her claim that primary trends in business volume, finance, and stock prices are systematically delineated by the retrograde motion of the lunar North Node (NN) through the twelve signs of the zodiac. 

The draconic period of the true (osculating) lunar North Node is 18.612958 years (6,798.383 days). On average, 
each 30° zodiac sign is traversed in 566 days, or one year, six months, and nineteen days (1.55108 years).

 

The zodiac wheel is divided into four quadrants: "above normal," "normal," "below normal," and directional zones marked "prices up" (Leo through Libra) and "prices down" (Aquarius through Aries). Prominent arrows labeled "NODE TREND" and "TRANSITION PERIOD" indicate the clockwise retrograde flow, with gradual shifts occurring across defined transition zones near Scorpio–Sagittarius and Taurus–Gemini. Four pivotal turning points occur when the North Node enters the fixed signs, corresponding symbolically to the four heads of the cherubim in the Book of Ezekiel:

 

■ Aquarius represents the extreme low of business activity and the bottom of the cycle.

■ Leo signifies the extreme high of business activity and the top of the cycle.

■ Taurus marks the point at which business activity reaches a normal level while the overarching trend remains downward.

■ Scorpio indicates business activity reaching a normal level while the trend is upward.

 

The intervening signs provide precise transitional and amplifying effects:

 

► Aquarius: Extreme low of business activity, the bottom of the cycle.
► Pisces: Business activity approaches the bottom of the cycle.
► Aries: Business activity starts to fall below the normal level.
► Taurus: Business activity reaches a normal level, but the trend is going down.
► Gemini: Business continues to fall lower towards the normal level.
► Cancer: Business activity fades from the top.
► Leo: Extreme high of business activity, the top of the cycle.
► Virgo: Business activity goes even higher.
► Libra: Business activity starts to go above the normal level.
► Scorpio: Business activity reaches a normal level, and the trend is going up.

► Sagittarius: Business continues to go higher towards the normal level.
► Capricorn: Business activity turns up from the bottom.

 

These phases are not instantaneous but unfold within the broader nodal transit and transition periods shown on the wheel. The following ingress dates, drawn directly from the established nodal cycle, demonstrate the theory’s practical application across recent and forthcoming years:

 

► November 11, 2015: NN enters Libra. 

► May 9, 2017: NN enters Virgo. 

► November 6, 2018: NN enters Leo. 

► May 5, 2020: NN enters Cancer. 

► January 18, 2022: NN enters Gemini. 

► July 17, 2023: NN enters Taurus. 

► January 11, 2025: NN enters Aries.  

► July 26, 2026: NN enters Pisces.

► January 27, 2028: NN enters Aquarius. 

► August 2, 2029: NN enters Capricorn. 

► January 26, 2031: NN enters Sagittarius. 

► October 2, 2032: NN enters Scorpio. 

► April 2, 2034: NN enters Libra. 

► October 25, 2035: NN enters Virgo. 

[The intervals reflect the variable motion of the true North Node, ranging from 542 to 623 days while averaging to the theoretical 566.532-day mean.] 

As of March 2026, the North Node resides in Aries, a phase in which business activity begins to fall below the normal level within the “prices down” quadrant. This downward pressure persists until July 26, 2026, when the Node enters Pisces. Throughout the remainder of 2026 and the entire year of 2027, the Pisces transit prevails, during which business activity steadily approaches the bottom of the cycle. The subsequent ingress into Aquarius on January 27, 2028 will mark the extreme low, completing the descent that commenced in Aries.

 

Louise McWhirter’s Nodal Cycle theory
parallels Gann’s Financial Timetable.

 

McWhirter’s model suggests subdued business volumes, contracting financial activity, and a prevailing downward bias in prices through 2027. While this part of her theory does not specify intra-sign turning points and acknowledges that secondary factors (such as other planetary cycles or policy interventions) may modify outcomes by up to 20%, it supplies a disciplined structural overlay that contextualises shorter-term technical, fundamental, and sentiment indicators. 

 

See also:

TPR (2018) - Louise McWhirter's Theory of Stock Market Forecasting. 

Louise McWhirter (2018) - S&P 500 Short-Term Forecasting Method.

TPR (2015) - S&P 500 vs North Node: Louise McWhirter's Theory of Stock Market Forecasting.

TPR (2025) - 2026 in W.D. Gann’s "Financial Time Table." 

 TPR (2012) - W.D. Gann's "Financial Time Table" Extended and Adjusted ( 1784 - 2121).

    Graham Bates (1994) - US GNP vs North Node: A Projection into 2025.

Heliocentric Uranus Cycle and American War (2026-2033) | Bradley F. Cowan

Beyond its well-documented influence on financial markets, the heliocentric cycle of Uranus correlates with the periodicity of American wars. To demonstrate this, Bradley F. Cowan’s analysis utilizes the planet’s 84-year orbit—divided into 21-year quarters—anchoring it specifically to the heliocentric United States Natal Chart of July 4, 1776.

Heliocentric Uranus Squares and American War (1776–1962). 

While every 21-year quarter-cycle (90°) exerts pressure, it is the full 84-year return that manifests with particular violence. This periodicity suggests a generational rhythm: it appears to require four generations for the collective memory of war’s horrors to fade, thereby clearing the stage for a recurrence of major conflict.
 

The Gemini Conjunction: The US Natal Return

Gemini is the ruling sign of the United States, as defined by the planetary locations at the nation's birth. Historical analysis reveals that the most existential threats to the nation—those redefining its government and claiming the most lives—occur when Uranus returns to its natal position in Gemini. The sensitive sector for these events lies between 10° and 12° Gemini (70° to 72° from the heliocentric starting point of Aries)
 

■ Revolutionary War (The Natal Anchor): The cycle is anchored by the Declaration of Independence in 1776. At this founding moment, Uranus was positioned at 10° Gemini.
■ Civil War (First Return): One complete 84-year heliocentric cycle later, the firing on Fort Sumter in April 1861 marked the start of the Civil War. Uranus had returned to 13° Gemini. The conflict concluded in 1865 as Uranus exited the sign.
■ World War II (Second Return): The second return (168 years after 1776) coincided with World War II. The war in Europe ended in 1945 precisely as Uranus reached 14° Gemini.
■ Pre-National History: Projecting the cycle backward, we see the pattern in the colonial era. The arrival of settlers in Jamestown in 1607 occurred with Uranus at 6° Gemini; the colony faced near-extinction in 1610 as Uranus hit 18°. One cycle later, King William's War (1689–1697) concluded as Uranus left Gemini.

The Quarters: Squares and Oppositions

While the conjunctions in Gemini mark existential crises, the quarter-cycles (squares and oppositions relative to the US chart) correlate with other forms of warfare.

■ The Sagittarius Opposition (180°): The sign of Sagittarius lies directly opposite the US natal Uranus. Transits here have coincided with "minor" wars. The War of 1812 ended when Uranus was at 6° Sagittarius, and the Spanish-American War concluded in 1898 with the planet at 5° Sagittarius.
■ The Squares (90°): Conflicts such as World War I and the Vietnam War occurred when Uranus formed a 90° square to the Gemini/Sagittarius axis. Notably, the 2003 invasion of Iraq occurred when Uranus returned to a similar heliocentric location (within approximately 1.33°) it occupied at the end of World War I—a point also approximately 166° opposite the Vietnam War era.

  

Uranus in Gemini: 2026–2033

The United States has just entered the sixth arrival of Uranus in Gemini since the Jamestown settlement, marking the third return since the nation's birth. Uranus commenced its transit through the sign of Gemini on February 10, 2026 (14:54 EST), and will conclude on March 2, 2033 (19:14 EST), attaining the critical 12° sensitive point on December 20, 2028 (20:47 EST).

 

Heliocentric Uranus Cycle and American War (1607–2033):

A Chronology of Gemini Transits.

 

As the US enters this window, it faces extreme internal polarization reminiscent of the 1860s, with citizens and elites increasingly divided and unwilling to entertain opposing views. Whether this 2026-to-2033 period manifests as permanent international war, renewed civil war, or both remains to be seen. 

 

Reference:
Bradley F. Cowan (1993) - Four Dimensional Stock Market Structures and Cycles. Volumes I & II (p. 209-210).

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Horizons System (2026) - Astronomical Ephemeris for Uranus 1600-2100. 

 

 

Cycles of War, Bradley F. Cowan, 2022.

See also:
L. David Linsky (2023) - War and or Revolution in 2026. The 84 Year War Cycle.

Serge Bernard (2015) - The Fate of the USA: The 250 Year Empire Life Cycle. 

LCdr. David Williams (1982) - Financial Astrology.  

W.D. Gann (1950s) - Stock Market Course. 

Bradley Frank Cowan is a reclusive American financial theorist and professional trader who redefined market forecasting through multidimensional geometry. A former electrical engineer, Cowan achieved recognition in the 1990s for synthesizing Newtonian physics and heliocentric planetary mechanics into his proprietary Price-Time Vector (PTV™) framework. His seminal 1993 work, Four-Dimensional Stock Market Structures and Cycles, advanced the esoteric theories of W.D. Gann by mapping price action across non-linear spatial dimensions. Based in San Diego, California, Cowan operates Cycle-Trader, where he provides specialized curricula—including the Market Science series—to institutional and professional practitioners. By anchoring economic "Natural Law" to planetary periodicity, such as the 84-year Uranus return, he remains a foundational figure in high-level technical analysis, known for projecting global historical and financial turning points with mathematical precision.

The Venus-Stats | Jack Gillen

The planet Venus has an eight-year cycle when the Earth and Venus align at the Sun Zodiac degree. [...] The eight-year cycle of Venus has an effect on the Dow Jones Industrial Averages falling in the 70-100 percent accuracy that I call the Venus-line. The Venus-line means having four or more consecutive weekly patterns, and if the pattern is RED we know the trend is up, and if the pattern is GREEN we know the trend is down.

 

 » Each trading week is marked by R for (RED) and G for (GREEN). The GREEN indicates that

the week should end on the down side, and RED indicates that it should end on the up side. «

Tables 4.5–4.7: The Venus Degree Line (2015–2026); Tables 4.9–4.11: The Venus Degree Line (2027–2038).

 

[...] In the above tables you have the Venus-line until the year 2050, and each trading week is marked by the R for (RED) and G for (GREEN). The GREEN indicates that the week should end on the down side, and RED indicates that it should end on the up side. This is taken from the five-days in the week and based on the degree of Venus. Meaning, how many of those days will be up and how many of those days will be down.

 

Quoted from:
Jack Gillen (2002) - Astro-Stats for the New York Stock Exchange. (No online copy found.) 

 

The 8-year Venus-Earth cycle is a celestial resonance where 13 orbits of Venus

(13×224.701 days=2,921.1 days) nearly equal 8 Earth years (8×365.256 days=2,922.0 days).

 

For 2026, Gillen’s tables (4.5 through 4.7) present a mixed pattern, with approximately 60% of weeks marked RED (bullish) and 40% GREEN (bearish). This suggests a volatile but ultimately positive outlook for the DJIA, with the potential for net gains by year-end.

 

However, given that an 8-year cyclical Venus influence exists, trends in 2026 should be expected to at least roughly mirror those from eight-year offsets, such as 2010, or 2018. But does such a premise even hold water? Is it yet another single-cause approach lacking a convincing roadmap? Consult the chart below to find out.

 

DJIA daily closes 1994, 2002, 2010, 2018, and 2026 (normalized prices: Jan 1 = 100).

The gold line tracks 2018; the dashed purple line is the composite average; the thick black one is 2026.

  

See also:

TPR (February 4, 2026) - 2026 US Stock Market Forecast Based on Jack Gillen's Principles.

 

S&P 500: The 2018-21 Analog.

2026 US Stock Market Forecast Based on Jack Gillen's Principles

Since the 1960s, Jack Gillen (1930–2017), an American pioneering astro-financial analyst and trader, developed a market-forecasting framework based on astrological statistics derived from over a century of DJIA data. The Gillen methodology is anchored in the NYSE natal chart (May 17, 1792, 8:52 AM, New York), where a Taurus Sun and Cancer Ascendant dictate the market's fundamental sensitivity to lunar, Saturnian, and other planetary cycles. 

 

Table 1: 2026 Key Events, Periods, and Implications.

Saturn's ingress into Pisces allegedly responsible for January 2026 metals crash.

  

His 1979 seminal work, 'The Key to Speculation on the New York Stock Exchange,' established the technical framework for planetary aspects, cycles, sensitive degrees, and sector-specific zodiac influences. This was further quantified in 'Astro Stats for the New York Stock Exchange' (2002), where Gillen introduced accuracy-rated "stats" for astrological and astronomical events, and market trends, specifically identifying mutable sign transits as bearish indicators and cardinal transits as signals of structural restriction.

 

Gillen's forecasts relied on planetary cycles: Saturn (29.5 years, restrictions), Jupiter (12 years, expansions), Uranus (explosive volatility), and Mercury retrogrades (confusion, 85% post-direct recovery. Moon transits through mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) signal downturns, with Virgo most critical. The January effect is a 80% reliable annual indicator, while the year-end rally (December 24–31) also has 80% accuracy for gains. Sensitive degrees for the Sun and Moon trigger daily reversals, and sign transits influence sectors. Panics tie to Saturn in mutable or cardinal signs, with 59–60-year cycles. 
 

Panic cycles identify Saturn’s transits through cardinal or mutable signs as primary volatility windows, particularly when amplified by the 58- to 60-year Jupiter-Saturn alignment cycle. Early 2026’s Saturn in Pisces directly mirrors historical mutable-sign panics, such as the 1907 Pisces-Saturn crash. This setup is triggered by the February 20 Saturn-Neptune conjunction, marking a period of structural disillusionment, and is followed by the July 20 Jupiter-Pluto opposition, a classic signature for systemic inflation or geopolitical conflict.

 

Key Astrological Influences for 2026

■    2026 begins with Saturn in Pisces until February 13, a mutable placement associated with panics and gold price drops, echoing cycles in 1907 and 1966. Saturn's ingress into Aries shifts to cardinal initiative, but its retrograde (July 26–December 10) may delay recoveries. 

■    Jupiter in Cancer until June 30 supports domestic sectors, transitioning to Leo for entertainment and gold expansions. 

■    Uranus ingresses Gemini on April 25, introducing tech volatility. 

■    Neptune's Aries ingress (January 26) and conjunction with Saturn (February 20) foster structural dissolution. 

■    Pluto in Aquarius facilitates reforms via sextile to Saturn (March 28), but opposes Jupiter (July 20), risking overexpansion.

■    Mercury retrogrades introduce confusion: February 26–March 20 (Pisces), June 29–July 23 (Cancer–Leo), October 24–November 13 (Scorpio). 

■    Lunar eclipses in mutable signs (March 3 in Virgo, August 28 in Pisces) amplify downside risks.

■   The January effect, based on early performance, indicates an 80% chance of a positive annual close. From December 31, 2025 (48,063.29) to February 4, 2026 (49,501.30), the DJIA gained 3.0%, supported by Capricorn Sun stats (60.27% higher closes).

Table 2: Sensitive Degrees of the Sun and approximate 2026 Dates.

 

Table 3: Sensitive Degrees of the Moon. 

Table 4: Zodiac Signs and Affected Products/Industries.

2026 Forecast

Based on Gillen's astrological assumptions, principles, and statistics, the 2026 US stock market is projected to experience a corrective bear phase with a potential 25% drawdown in the DJIA during the first three quarters, targeting levels between 37,000 and 40,000 from the early-year high near 50,000, followed by a recovery in the fourth quarter aiming for 46,000 to 47,000 by year-end. 

 

This sequence aligns with historical patterns of mutable sign transits and eclipses signaling downturns, transitioning to expansive influences later in the year. The forecast, as of February 4, 2026, incorporates the positive January effect (80% accuracy for an upward annual close) but anticipates volatility due to ongoing mutable warnings and retrogrades. The sequence of events unfolds chronologically as follows (see also Table 1):

■    From January 1 to February 13, Saturn's transit in Pisces heightens the risk of market panics and gold price declines, consistent with mutable sign downturns. This period may see initial stability eroded by deceptive trends following Neptune's ingress into Aries on January 26, potentially affecting sectors like energy and military industries. Sensitive Sun degrees in Capricorn (e.g., positive at 6° on December 28, 2025, extending into early January) could provide minor uptrends, but negative Moon degrees in Pisces (9°, 28°) during lunar transits may trigger short-term pullbacks.

■    On February 13, Saturn enters Aries, marking a shift toward structural initiatives, though this is tempered by the annular Solar Eclipse in Aquarius on February 17, which could introduce innovative disruptions in aerospace and electronics. The Saturn-Neptune conjunction on February 20 at 0° Aries is expected to exacerbate economic uncertainty, fostering illusions or dissolutions in market structures. Mercury's retrograde from February 26 to March 20 in Pisces amplifies confusion, with an 85% likelihood of higher closes post-direct on March 20. During this retrograde, sensitive Moon degrees in Pisces (negative at 9°, 28°) may coincide with downside moves.

■    The total Lunar Eclipse on March 3 at 12° Virgo signals critical adjustments in service and health sectors, aligning with Virgo's mutable warning as the most severe for declines. Saturn's sextile to Pluto on March 28 supports controlled financial restructuring, potentially stabilizing after the eclipse. Sensitive Sun degrees in Aries (positive at 4° around March 25 and 11° around April 1) may offer brief uptrends, while negative degrees (18° around April 8, 24° around April 14) could mark reversal points downward. This initiates the broader drawdown phase through March to August, driven by mutable influences.

■    In April, Uranus' ingress into Gemini on April 25 introduces explosive volatility in communications and technology sectors, exacerbating the corrective trend. Sensitive Sun degrees in Taurus (negative at 6° around April 27) may signal early-month weakness.

■    June to July sees Mercury retrograde from June 29 to July 23 across Cancer and Leo, prompting reviews of secure investments amid potential emotional market swings. Jupiter's entry into Leo on June 30 initiates bullish expansions in entertainment and gold, but the opposition to Pluto on July 20 risks speculative overexpansion and power struggles. Saturn's retrograde beginning July 26 through December 10 in Aries delays initiatives, testing resilience. Sensitive Sun degrees in Cancer (negative at 13° around July 4 and 28° around July 23) align with this period's potential highs turning downward.

■    August features the total Solar Eclipse on August 12 at 20° Leo, a major turning point potentially amplifying expansions or crashes, followed by the partial Lunar Eclipse on August 28 at 4° Pisces, heightening deceptive risks in mutable signs. Sensitive Sun degrees in Leo (positive at 6° around July 30, extending influence) and Virgo (negative at 10° around August 24) may indicate volatility peaks.

■    The recovery phase begins in the fourth quarter, with Mercury retrograde from October 24 to November 13 in Scorpio focusing on financial scrutiny, but post-direct recovery often explodes upward. Sensitive Sun degrees in Scorpio (positive at 11° around November 3) support this shift. The year-end rally from December 24 to 31, with 80% accuracy for gains, is bolstered by positive Sun degrees in Capricorn (6° around December 28), leading to the projected close near 46,000–47,000.

Throughout, sensitive degrees of the Sun and Moon, as well as Moon transits from Virgo to Pisces provide short-term strategies (see also HERE), while sector impacts follow sign transits, such as Aries favoring military stocks post-February 13 (see Table 4).

Reference:
Jack Gillen (1979) - The Key to Speculation on the New York Stock Exchange.

Jack Gillen (2002) - Astro-Stats for the New York Stock Exchange. Real-Time Market Forecast. (No online copy found.)

 

See also:

TPR (February 4, 2026) - 2026 Sensitive Degrees of the Sun for the NYSE | Jack Gillen. 

TPR (February 4, 2026) - 2026 Moon-Stats | Jack Gillen.

TPR (December 1, 2025) - The Year-End Rally and January Effect in US Stocks | Jack Gillen.
 TPR (December 14, 2022) - Year-End Rally, January Effect, and Trend for the Year Ahead | Jack Gillen.  

TPR (December 14, 2022) - The Mercury-Stats | Jack Gillen. 

TPR (December 13, 2022) - The Sun-Stats | Jack Gillen. 

TPR (September 22, 2022) - The Sun and the Moon | Jack Gillen. 

TPR (June 22, 2015) - S&P 500 vs. Jack Gillen's Sensitive Degrees of the Moon.
 TPR (June 4, 2015)- S&P 500 vs. Moon and Planets Transiting 14 Degrees of Cancer.

2026 Moon-Stats | Jack Gillen

The Moon by itself in any particular sign or eclipse doesn’t fit into the 70-100 percent accuracy but there are some patterns that do. They are the Mutable signs of Gemini, Pisces, Sagittarius, and Virgo. These are your four warning signs for the market to move to the down side, and the sign of Virgo is the most critical.

 

 Virgo to Pisces Moon Cycle 2019 - 2026.

 

Virgo to Pisces = Go Long | Pisces to Virgo = Go Short

 

[...] There is a Moon statistic that falls into the 70 - 100 percent group but is closer to the 70 percent group, and that’s the Moon’s transit from Virgo to Pisces. Therefore, if you are looking to go long with a stock it’s best to start during this period [...] If you have a stock you want to short, your best chance would be from the sign of Pisces to Virgo. How you determine this would be from the tables of your exit date going long, and this would be the starting date for going short, and the starting date for going long would be the exit date on the short.

Quoted from:

Jack Gillen (2002) - Astro-Stats for the New York Stock Exchange. 

 

See also: 

Lunar Ephemeris.

 Jack Gillen (1979) - Sensitive Degrees of the Moon.

Jack Gillen (1979) - Sensitive Degrees of the Sun.

2026 Sensitive Degrees of the Sun for the NYSE | Jack Gillen

 Jack Gillen derived these solar zodiac positions as aspects to the NYSE natal chart, cast

for May 17, 1792 (8:52 am LMT) in New York, NY, using Geocentric Tropical coordinates.

  

» The Sun's position by itself in relation to the stock market can show you trends that are more or less

active for each year, as the Sun degrees are generally fixed. They fall on about the same date

every year. So this is why some periods of the year would be more of a pattern. «

 

Quoted from:

Jack Gillen (1979) - The Key to Speculation on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

 Dates and times calculated for New York (EST/EDT).

 

positive = NYSE should reach a low and turn up.

negative = NYSE should reach a high and turn down.

neutral = expect small range or inside day. 

 

[ In general, however, these dates should be viewed simply as potential short-term market turn-days. ]  

 

S&P 500 (2016 and 2017) versus Gillen’s sensitive degrees of the Sun.

 

S&P 500 Average Daily Performance and %-Probability (1928-2024). 

See also: 

Solar Ephemeris for 2026.

  Jack Gillen (1979) - Sensitive Degrees of the Moon.

Jeffrey A. Hirsch (January 27, 2026) - February Stock Market Performance in Midterm Election Years.

Cosmic Cluster Days | February 2026

Heliocentric Cosmic Cluster Days (CCDs) and financial markets do not display a consistent polarity or directional bias. The 'noise channel' serves as a signal filter, with the upper and lower limits of the channel being empirically defined. That said, swing directions, along with swing highs and lows also within the 'noise channel,' may correlate with or coincide with short-term market trends and reversals.

 

Cosmic Cluster Days  |   Composite Line  |  Noise Channel

   

For previous CCDs, click [HERE]. For background on the author, concept, and calculation, click [HERE].

SoLunar Rhythm in February 2026.