Financial markets react to shifts in collective mood—moving between optimism and pessimism, hope and fear, or confidence and panic. Australian financial astrologer Olga Morales explores how these emotional states manifest in market movements through astrological decans, Tarot symbolism, and planetary rhythms. Building on the foundational work of W.D. Gann and Muriel Hasbrouck, her framework treats price patterns as direct expressions of collective human sentiment.
S&P 500 (daily candles). Mars decans: sharp reversals and volatility; Saturn decans: major market lows.
A decan is a 10-degree subdivision of a zodiac sign—creating 36 segments across the 360-degree zodiac starting at 0° Aries (defined by the spring equinox in the tropical zodiac)—each traditionally assigned a specific planetary ruler. Morales suggests that market turning points and periods of heightened
volatility often correspond with the Sun or other planets moving through
particular decans: Mars-ruled decans are frequently associated with sharp
reversals and increased volatility, while Saturn-ruled decans often
coincide with significant market lows.
Decans and the Tarot's Minor Arcana
In her 1941 book, Tarot and Astrology, Muriel Hasbrouck demonstrated that major market trend changes consistently align with planetary shifts into new 10-degree decans. Her six-year study revealed
that approximately 75% of market trend changes occurred within 24 hours
of a decan boundary transition. Beyond financial markets, Hasbrouck
applied this predictive framework to seismic activity, forecasting major
earthquakes to a degree that occasionally drew government censorship.
Following the Hasbrouck's system, Morales assigns each decan a corresponding card from the Tarot's Minor Arcana. The cards are organized according to the four elements: Wands correspond to the fire signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius; Pentacles to the earth signs Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn; Swords to the air signs Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius; and Cups to the water signs Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.
Psychological Interpretation of Market Behavior
By analyzing market indices like the S&P 500, individual Tarot cards provide a psychological interpretation of specific transits:
► Mars-Ruled Decans: Associated with heightened volatility, sharp reversals, and conflict. Specific transits reflect distinct behavioral states—for instance, the Sun moving through Mars-ruled Gemini (9 of Swords) corresponds to market panic and despair, while its transit through Scorpio (5 of Cups) reflects downturns driven by a loss of pleasure and sentiment.► Sun-Ruled Decans: Produce strong bullish momentum, particularly when the Sun transits its sign of exaltation in Aries.
► Saturn-Ruled Decans: Coincide with market bottoming phases, consolidation, and major cyclical lows.
re-entries (ET). Sun-, Mars-, and Saturn-ruled decans are shaded yellow.
Fast planets trigger short-term volatility; slow outer planets dictate macro trends.
Mars decans tend to trigger volatility reversals, whereas Saturn decans mark lows.
Applications for Traders
While initial observations often focus on the Sun's transit through the 36 decans, Morales's framework applies to all planetary bodies (see table above). Fast-moving inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) trigger short-term volatility bursts, whereas slow-moving outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) dictate multi-month macro trends as they pass through 10-degree sectors. Morales encourages traders to experiment with these planetary rhythms rather than accept them passively. It might be worth comparing tropical decan results against those of the Sidereal zodiac—used in Vedic astrology and astronomical observation—where 0° Aries is anchored to fixed star constellations rather than the equinox.
Reference:
Olga Morales (August 29, 2026) - Can the Astrological Decans Reveal Market Turning Points? (video)
Olga Morales (August 29, 2026) - Can the Astrological Decans Reveal Market Turning Points? (video)
» I found strong formal support for Olga Morales’s decan-based model and considered adding the mathematical component to complete it. The chart above shows an S&P 500 volatility model based on the Sun's position within the decans. The solid red projection line represents volatility—not trend—derived from the Sun's position in the decans. «