S&P 500 vs Lunar Node's Speed

There is a remarkable correlation between the Speed of the Lunar Node (a.k.a. North Node a.k.a. Rahu; speed = motion in degrees longitude per unit of time, e.g. per day) and short term changes in the trend (ST CITs) of financial markets when 

1. the speed of the [true] lunar node is 0, and  
2. the lunar node changes direction [ = Min and Max of the swings].

The result is a fast cycle of 2 - 7 CD (Calendar Days). Of course every now and when these ST CITs also meet with major CITs. This motion is known to astrologers and astronomers alike as the retrograde / stationary / direct motion of the lunar node. During lunar and solar eclipses the lunar node starts wobbling, that is it moves back and forth, retrograde, stationary, direct, etc. very quickly (see Moon Wobbles in a NASA animation HERE). And as the Sun approaches 180° towards the node - e.g. in late May 2012 - the lunar node's motion is almost blocked. Some call it the lunar standstill. This is a potential crash period in equity markets.

In astrology the Lunar Node represents the mass, the public at large, also foreign elements or strangers (HERE). So in a market it would mean overseas investors if the North Node were in the 7th house or in the 9th house, in the 3rd house = foreign news, in the 2nd = foreign money, in 10th foreign foreign government, in the 12th, the 6th, and the 8th = foreign losses.

The lunar nodes precess rather quickly around the ecliptic, completing a revolution (called a draconitic or nodical period, the period of nutation) in 18.6 years (note that this is not the same length as a saros). The lunar orbit is inclined by about 5 degrees on the ecliptic: hence the Moon can be up to about 5 degrees north or south of the ecliptic. The ecliptic is inclined by about 23.4° on the celestial equator, the plane that is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the Earth. As a consequence, once during the 18.6-year nodal period, when the ascending node of the Moon's orbit coincides with the vernal equinox, then the Moon reaches extreme northern and southern declinations (Lunar Node's Declination Cycle). Then it also has its extreme northern and southern azimuth points of rising and setting on the horizon; its extreme lowest and highest altitude when crossing the meridian; and potentially extreme late first sightings of the New Moon (more HERE). 

The cycle of the true Lunar Node is always exactly 18.613 Solar Years = 6798.364 CD. The 4th harmonic of 18.618 Solar Years is 1,699.591 CD = 4.6 Solar Years. Hence the North Node moves 30° and enters a new sign in the zodiac every 1.55 Solar Years (= 18.613 months):

18.613 Solar Years / 12 

= 18.613 months
= 1.55 years
= 80.9 weeks 

= 566.53 CD
= 566.53 CD / 8
= 10.12 weeks
= 55 TD (Trading Days)

It was astrologer Carl Payne Tobey (1902-1980) who coined the term Moon Wobble. After a painstaking examination of a large number of major disasters, involving fires, bad weather and loss of life, he found that many of the most serious and traumatic catastrophes occur in association with eclipses, especially when other dire planetary aspects coincided. He also found however that such evils are not exclusively linked to eclipses and may also occur when the Sun forms a T- square to the nodal axis. He called this a Moon Wobble, for it is when the Moon is wobbling in its path by declination. So, when the Sun is conjoined with either node or in this T-square to the nodal axis, this raises the likelihood of major environmental damage, loss of life or property, or other dire effects (more HERE).
 

S&P 500 Index vs True Lunar Node Speed | August 2019

Lunar True Node Speed @ maxDirect = Aug 25 (Sun)
Lunar True Node Speed @ Mean = Aug 29 (Thu)
Lunar True Node Speed @ maxRetrograde = Sep 02 (Sun)
Lunar True Node Speed @ Mean = Sep 05 (Thu)
Lunar True Node Speed @ maxDirect = Sep 08 (Sun)

Before and after Lunar and Solar Eclipses the True Lunar Node starts wobbling (e.g. on Jul 16-17, 2019), quickly moving back and forth, retrograde, stationary, direct. Financial markets correlate with this 4 to 14 Day Cycle of the retrograde-stationary-direct motion of the Lunar True Node. About every 86.655 days a so called Moon Wobble (lunar libration) occurs when the Sun is conjunct (e.g. on Aug 16, 2017), opposite and square (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) the Lunar Node (4 * 86.655 days = 1 Nodical Year or Eclipse Year = 346.62 days). The Node starts wobbling about two weeks before the exact event and remains unstable until about one week after. If coupled with Solar and Lunar Eclipses, the wobble-effect can be extended. And as the Sun approaches conjunction and opposition towards the Lunar Node, it's motion is almost blocked (speed at or near zero). Notably these periods go along with exuberant mood and frenzy, most of the times correlating with rallies or crashes in financial markets. Previous charts HERE

S&P 500 Index vs 18.61 Year Lunar Node Cycle │ January 2024

 

 

» The lunar node, quite abstractly speaking, is the point of intersection of the solar and the lunar orbits. There are, therefore, two nodes in opposite positions in the heavens: an ascending node or lunar north node, and a descending node - the lunar south node. The solar and the lunar orbits are not, in effect, in the same but in different planes, enclosing a certain angle. Thus there arise the two opposite points of intersection. The peculiarity of these two points of intersection is that they do not stand still but slowly move. The plane of the lunar path rotates in relation to the plane of the solar path; so the two nodes move a round. They move around the Zodiac in a contrary direction to the rotation of the planets, i.e., from Aries backward through Pisces, Aquarius, etc. A complete revolution of a lunar node takes place in 18 years and 7 months; after this time, therefore, the node — the ascending node, for example — is once again in the same position in the Zodiac as it was before. The ascending node is, thereby, the mathematical point that (at any given time and again after 18 years and 7 months [= 6,798.383 CD] the lunar orbit rises above the solar orbit, while at the opposite point the descending node sinks below it. «

Willi O. Sucher, 1937.

 

See also:

TPR (Dec 21, 2023) - S&P 500 Index vs 18.61 Year Lunar Node Cycle: Projection into April 2024.

 

SPX vs True Lunar Node Speed │ August 2017

Upcoming Turn-Days: Aug 04 (Fri), Aug 12 (Sat), Aug 16 (Wed), Aug 19 (Sat), Aug 28 (Mon), Sep 02 (Sat).

Lunar Eclipses (e.g. Aug 07, 2017) occur at Full Moon and Solar Eclipses (e.g. Aug 21, 2017) at New Moon only when their alignments occur in three dimensions. Relative to Earth's orbit, the plane of lunar orbit is inclined. Mean Inclination of Lunar Orbit equals 5.1454 degrees. Eclipses only occur near the Nodes of Lunar Orbit intersection with the Solar Orbital Plane. Earth's Mean Orbital Plane is termed the Ecliptic (synonymous with eclipse). There are two nodal crossings of the ecliptic per nodal period, the ascending node and the descending node. Half the nodal period is the shortest possible interval between two eclipses. Solar and Lunar Eclipses are very distinct: The Moon's shadow during a total Solar Eclipse is only a narrow band on the earth. The Earth's conic shadow at the Moon's mean distance is over 9,000 km wide, nearly three lunar diameters. Only a small percentage of people experience each Solar Eclipse while half the world can view each Lunar Eclipse.
 
Before and after Lunar and Solar Eclipses the True Lunar Node starts wobbling (e.g. on Jul 30, 2017), quickly moving back and forth, retrograde, stationary, direct. Financial markets correlate with this 4 to 14 Day Cycle of the Retrograde-Stationary-Direct motion of the Lunar True Node. About every 86.655 days a so called Moon Wobble (lunar libration) occurs when the Sun is conjunct (e.g. on Aug 16, 2017), opposite and square (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) the Lunar Node (4 * 86.655 days = 1 Nodical Year or Eclipse Year = 346.62 days). The Node starts wobbling about two weeks before the exact event and remains unstable until about one week after. If coupled with Solar and Lunar Eclipses, the wobble-effect can be extended. And as the Sun approaches conjunction and opposition towards the Lunar Node, it's motion is almost blocked (speed at or near zero). Notably these periods go along with exuberant mood and frenzy, most of the times correlating with rallies or crashes in financial markets. More charts on the correlation of the markets with the Rhythm of the Node HERE + HERE

SPX vs the Rhythm of the Node

Financial markets correlate with the 4-14 day cycle of the retrograde-stationary-direct motion of the Lunar True Node (North Node). This cycle can be depicted by charting the geocentric longitude and speed of the Node against e.g. the S&P 500 (speed in this context is geocentric motion of degrees longitude per day). About every 86.5 days a so called Moon Wobble occurs when the Sun is conjunct, opposite and square (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) the Lunar Node. The Node starts wobbling about two weeks before the exact event and remains instable until about one week after. If coupled with solar and lunar eclipses, the wobble-effect can be extended. And as the Sun approaches conjunction and opposition towards the lunar node, it's motion is almost blocked (bluish shaded areas). This is a potential crash period in financial markets.

The blue dotted diagonal is the longitude of Lunar Mean Node.
The blueish verticals indicate the changes in the motion of the Lunar True Node.

The plane in which the Moon orbits the Earth is inclined at 5°09’ to the plane of the ecliptic and this plane rotates slowly over a period of
18.61 years. Over this 18.61-year nodal period the amplitude of the lunar declination increases slowly. The maximum lunar monthly declination
north and south of the equator varies between 18°18’ and 28°36’. There are maximum values of the lunar declination in 1969, 1987, 2006, 2025
and 2043, and minimum values in 1978, 1997, (September) 2015, 2034 and 2053.

The plane of the lunar orbit precesses in space completing a revolution in 6798.3835 days or 18.612958 years. The Lunar Node
enters a new sign of the zodiac (30°) every 1.551 years or every 18.613 months = 1.55 years = 80.9 weeks = 566.53 CD / 8 =
10.12 week cycle = 55 Trading Days

S&P 500 vs True Lunar Node Speed | Exuberant Mood and Frenzy

The Lunar Node Wobble:
Node @ 0 = Nov 29 (Fri), max Direct @ High = Dec 02 (Mon), @ 0 = Dec 04 (Wed), Mean @ -0.053 = Dec 07 (Sat),
max Retrograde @ Low = Dec 09 (Mon), @ -0.053 = Dec 10 (Tue), @ 0 = Dec 14 (Sat), @ High = Dec 17 (Tue),
@ 0 = Dec 19 (Thu), @ Low Dec 23 (Mon), Annular Solar Eclipse = Dec 26 (Thu), @ 0 = Dec 27 (Thu),
@ High = Dec 27 (Sun), @ 0 = Dec 31 (Tue), @ Low = Jan 01 (Wed), @ 0 = Jan 03 (Fri), @ High = Jan 07 (Tue),
@ 0 and Penumbral Lunar Eclipse = Jan 10-11 (Fri-Sat), @ Low = Jan 13 (Mon), @ 0 = Jan 18 (Sat), etc.

Before and after Lunar and Solar Eclipses the True Lunar Node starts wobbling (e.g. Dec 26, 2019 (Thu) = Annular Solar Eclipse and Jan 10–11, 2020 (Sat-Sun) = Penumbral Lunar Eclipse), quickly moving back and forth, retrograde, stationary, direct (see Moon Wobbles in a NASA animation HERE). Financial markets correlate with this 4 to 14 Day Cycle of the retrograde-stationary-direct motion of the Lunar True Node. About every 86.655 days a so called Moon Wobble (lunar libration) occurs when the Sun is conjunct, opposite and square (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) the Lunar Node (4 * 86.655 days = 1 Nodical Year or Eclipse Year = 346.62 days). The Node starts wobbling about two weeks before the exact event and remains unstable until about one week after. If coupled with Solar and Lunar Eclipses, the wobble-effect can be extended. And as the Sun approaches conjunction and opposition towards the Lunar Node, it's motion is almost blocked (speed at or near zero). Notably these periods go along with exuberant mood and frenzy, most of the times correlating with rallies or crashes in financial markets. Previous events and correlations HERE

DJIA vs Lunar North Node in Zodiac Signs | Louise McWhirter

The mathematically calculated Lunar Nodes are sensitive points in space where the Moon’s orbit around the Earth intersects the ecliptic - the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The Ascending Node is where the Moon crosses from south of the ecliptic to north of the ecliptic. The Descending Node is where it crosses from north of the ecliptic to south of the ecliptic. In Western astrology the Ascending and Descending Nodes are known as the "North Node" and the "South Node". 

 

Only the North Node is usually marked in horoscopes, as the South Node is by definition at the opposite point in the chart. In Vedic astrology, the North and South Nodes are called Rahu and Ketu respectively, and both are marked in the chart. Nodes always move retrograde and are considered natural malefics. 

 

Astrologically the Nodes are thought to powerfully influencing both the affairs of nations and of people. Eclipses occur only near the Lunar Nodes: Solar eclipses occur when the passage of the Moon through a Node coincides with the New Moon. Lunar Eclipses occur when passage coincides with the Full Moon. The plane of the lunar orbit precesses in space and hence the Lunar Nodes precess around the ecliptic, completing a revolution (called a Draconic or Nodal Period, the period of nutation) in 6798.383 days or 18.612 years. The Nodes need 1.55 years to pass through one zodiac sign.

 

In her book 'Astrology and Stock Market Forecasting' published almost 80 years ago, financial astrologer Louise McWhirter described a theory of the business cycle. She claimed the low point of the depression was reached in summer of 1933 (Lunar North Node in Aquarius) and predicted the next peak in economic activity would occur in November 1942 (NN in Leo). Her prediction for recovery in 1942 coincided with the massive economic stimulus spending set in motion by the build-up for World War II. Looking at 100 years of stock market prices she consistently found the North Node in the sign of Aquarius during periods of low economic activity. At the halfway point in the 18.6-year cycle, the North Node is moving into the sign of Leo, where economic high points have historically been recorded. After this, the long-term trend moves lower as the North Node slowly and systematically makes its way back to the sign of Aquarius, where the cycle begins anew (see also HERE).

Enlarge

 

Using McWhirter’s method, one would have expected the lowest economic period between January 2008 and August 2009 (NN in Aquarius), and then gradually improving from below normal levels to normal levels between August 2009 and August 2012 (NN in Capricorn, Sagittarius and Scorpio). The period between September 2012 and February 2014 was projected to be an above normal period for economic performance (unfortunately the red line of the averaged composite in the above chart doesn't clearly reflect this pattern). 

Though a considerable market correction between now and Q1 2016 is likely (HERE & HERE), a larger ensuing double-dip recession wouldn’t fit into the McWhirter-pattern (HERE). Instead the general upward trend should continue into the major peak-out between May 2017 and November 2018 (NN in Leo - HERE), followed by collapsing and declining markets into the 2020s (HERE).

SPX vs True Node Speed | Upcoming Eclipses + Moon Wobbles

During lunar and solar eclipses the lunar node starts wobbling, that is it moves back and forth, retrograde, stationary, direct, etc. very
quickly (see Moon Wobbles in a NASA animation HERE). On Aug 30 (Tue) Mercury turns retrograde. The annular solar eclipse on Sep 1 (Thu)
produces a T-square to a Saturn-Neptune square. The cycle of the true Lunar Node is always exactly 18.613 Solar Years = 6,798.364 CD.
The 4th harmonic of 18.618 Solar Years is 1,699.591 CD = 4.6 Solar Years. Hence the Lunar Node moves 30° in the zodiac every 1.55 Solar
Years (= 18.613 months). 18.613 Solar Years / 12 = 18.613 months = 1.55 years = 80.9 weeks = 566.53 CD / 8 = 10.12 weeks = 55 TD (Trading
Days). More about the Rhythm of the Node HERE

SPX vs Mars - North Node Cycle

Hard aspects between Mars and the Vedic Dragon (= Rahu = Lunar North Node) oftentimes go along with CITs in financial markets (HERE). A conjunction is due on October 2nd - the next projected 10 Day Hurst-Cycle Low.

 

















02.06.2011 00:27 (Sun) = MAR 45° North Node
03.29.2011 12:09 (Tue) = MAR 90° North Node
05.22.2011 15:00 (Sun) = MAR 135° North Node
07.23.2011 13:21 (Sat) = MAR 180° North Node
09.23.2011 12:30 (Fri) = MAR 135° North Node
12.13.2011 01:07 (Tue) = MAR 90° North Node
03.19.2012 15:27 (Mon) = MAR 90° North Node
04.30.2012 18:52 (Mon) = MAR 90° North Node
08.03.2012 07:42 (Fri) = MAR 45° North Node
10.02.2012 10:51 (Tue) = MAR 0° North Node
12.01.2012 09:01 (Sat) = MAR 45° North Node
01.24.2013 14:20 (Thu) = MAR 90° North Node
03.15.2013 22:58 (Fri) = MAR 135° North Node
05.13.2013 01:15 (Mon) = MAR 180° North Node
07.12.2013 07:56 (Fri) = MAR 135° North Node
09.10.2013 20:37 (Tue) = MAR 90° North Node
11.23.2013 10:38 (Sat) = MAR 45° North Node
07.13.2014 20:19 (Sun) = MAR 0° North Node
09.20.2014 07:18 (Sat) = MAR 45° North Node
11.20.2014 06:00 (Thu) = MAR 90° North Node
01.10.2015 14:15 (Sat) = MAR 135° North Node 

Calculated and charted with Sergey Tarassov's Timing Solution. Also credits to Raj Times and Cycles

SPX vs Lunar Node's Speed

Market CITs are likely when the Lunar Node's Speed (degrees longitude/day) is at MIN/MAX and at 0.
The Eclipse Crash Window opens and closes around 21 days before and 21 days after the Solar- and Lunar Eclipses.
The table at left shows the nodal speed at MIN/MAX and at 0 during the next 30 days.
The Sun will conjunct the Lunar Node (North Node) on Sep 24 (Thu).
See also HERE + HERE

S&P 500 Index vs Lunar Node Speed | The Moon's Rhythm in November 2018

S&P 500 Index vs True Lunar Node Speed @ 0 and Extremes | 30 Day CIT Forecast.
On Nov 07 (Wed) the lunar node's speed will reach a short term minimum.
Stock indices are likely to move sideways-to-down from Nov 08 (Thu) into Nov 12 (Mon).

SPX vs North Node | Louise McWhirter's Theory of Stock Market Forecasting

Louise McWhirter presented her theory in 1938 in "Astrology and Stock Market Forecasting" (p. 7-8) as follows:

Whenever the North Node passes through Scorpio and Libra [2012-2015], there is a transition period as the curve passes from normal, going from normal to high.

[…] The high point of business volume is reached when the North Node transits Leo [2017-2018]. As the North Node goes through Cancer and Gemini, business volume is above normal, but slowly going to normal.

[…] Taurus [2003-2004] is the transition point or normal point as the curve goes from normal to below normal in business volume.

[…] When the North Node enters Aquarius [2007-2008], the low point of business activity has been reached. As the Node transits Capricorn [2009] and Sagittarius [2011], the normal position of the business curve is below normal going to normal.

[…] This is the natural position of the curve without the presence of secondary factors which can distort the curve favorably or unfavorably from one to twenty percent.

[…] The following secondary factors tend to lift the Business Curve:

(1) Jupiter conjunction the North Node. [2009, 2016, 2023]
(2] Saturn trine, sextile, or semi-sextile Uranus. [2002-2003, 2016-2017, 2025-2026]
(3) Jupiter in Gemini or Cancer. [2000-2005, 2030-2035]
(4) Jupiter conjunction, sextile or trine Saturn and Uranus, when in aspect to each other.
(5) The North Node in Gemini. [2013, 2016]
(6) Favorable aspects to Pluto. [2013, 2016]

[…] The following secondary factors have been found to depress the Business Curve:

(1) Saturn conjunction, square or opposition the North Node. [2013, 2016]
(2) Saturn conjunction, square, opposition, or semi-square Uranus. [2012-2013, 2021]
(3) Saturn in Gemini. [2000-2003, 2030-2032]
(4) Uranus in Gemini. [2025-2033]
(5) Uranus square, conjunction, or opposition the North Node. [Jan 2015, Jun 2018]
(6) Unfavorable aspects to Pluto.” [Jan 2015, Apr 2019]

As the Node moved through Capricorn (2010) and Sagittarius (2011) the general economy approached a very high level of activity in Scorpio (2012), and should peak as the Node passes through the sign of Leo (2017). 

However, W.D. Gann associated the period of the Node in Libra (2015) also with stock market panics (HERE). Moving through the signs of Cancer (2018) and Gemini (2020), the economic activity is still positive but beginning to slow to more normal levels. 

The above chart of the SPX and the North Node in the zodiac signs clearly shows that in the past this basic theory was not always properly reflected in the stock market's movements. This has to do with other important astronomical cycles, e.g. the 19.86 Year Jupiter-Saturn Cycle, 19 Year Metonic Cycle, the different natured 18.61 Year Lunar Declination Cycle, the 18 Year Saros Cycle or the varying lengths of the Solar Cycle. Additional important "secondary factors" could be the amazing activities of central banks, especially during the past 40 years. Nevertheless, empirical research discovered a multitude of other interesting economic sub-cycles of 17 to 20 years length, never out-ruled by any human intervention. The Wave Length Index of the Foundation for the Study of Cycles lists the following:

 

Foundation for the Study of Cycles (1964): Catalogue of Cycles - Part I.

W.D. Gann's "Financial Time Table" 1784 - 2121 | Extended and Adjusted

Reportedly, W.D. Gann constructed his legendary Financial Time Table on August 8th, 1908, without the use of an ephemeris. Gann himself was quoted as saying that this was his greatest market discovery. The table is entirely based on the moon’s north node, which completes a full cycle every 18.6 years. This is the same cycle that Louise McWhirter used to predict the stock market. 

To mimic the Lunar Declination Cycle, Gann simply alternated a sequence of +19, +18, +19, +18, etc., years across the top to achieve an average length of 18.6 years. However, he ultimately noted that an adjustment would be due by December 25th, 1989. The below table adjusted the pattern according to the ephemeris and extended the pattern into the year 2121:

According to Gann, his Financial Time Table predicts years of recessions, depressions, high stock prices, panics, low stock prices, speculative periods, stock market crashes, labor strikes, and more. The legend at the right of the table reads as follows:

A - Extreme low stock prices, strikes, repression, despair, and beginning of new business generation for 18-3/5 years. 4 years of rising stock prices and improving business, markets bare of goods. Young men becoming prominent.
B - High stock prices.
C - Panic
D - Low stock prices.
E - High stock prices.
F - Panic
G - Low stock prices.
H - Very high stock prices most prosperous year, waste over extravagance, most money in circulation, much speculation.
J - Major Panic-CRASH! 4-years of falling prices, business stagnated, breadlines, soup kitchens, despair, and unemployment.
K - Same as A plus strikes, unemployment, many prominent deaths. 

 

"Maybe Gann’s table should be shifted for a few months in view of 18.5M approximation vs 18.6M desired value."

Branimir Vojcic, 2025.

 

Louise McWhirter’s Nodal Cycle theory closely parallels Gann’s Financial Timetable, both featuring alternating 18- and 19-year cycles that align closely with the lunar nodes. Similar to McWhirter’s observations, Gann also identified an 18–19 year rhythm in the stock market. Below is a modernized version of McWhirter's timetable:

 

 

M. G. Bucholtz speculates that “Louise McWhirter” may have been a pseudonym rather than a real name. His reasoning stems from the absence of any other known works by McWhirter and the lack of references to her in historical records. Bucholtz theorizes that the true author might have been the renowned market forecaster W. D. Gann, noting strong similarities between McWhirter’s methods and Gann’s own market prediction techniques. Intriguingly, using Pythagorean numerology, both names—“W. D. Gann” and “Louise McWhirter”—reduce to the same core number, “9,” which Bucholtz suggests may not be mere coincidence, especially given Gann’s reputed interest in numerology.

 

However, Gann’s Financial Time Table remains a highly debated topic in the trading community, with strong opinions on both sides. Supporters of the table praise its apparent predictive accuracy, citing its alignment with major market events such as the 1929 stock market crash, the 1987 panic, and the 2020 COVID-19 crash—particularly when adjustments are made to account for time shifts. They also point to its foundation in cycle-based forecasting, especially the 18.6-year lunar node cycle, which has parallels in established economic research, including real estate cycles. This cyclical approach lends some credibility to Gann’s methods. Moreover, Gann’s own trading history adds to his mystique: in 1909, he reportedly executed 286 trades, of which 264 were profitable, suggesting a potentially effective system, possibly tied to his financial time table.

The 18.6-Year Cycle in the General Economy,
by Louis M. Thompson, 1989.

 

"No matter what index be used, this 18-year cycle rhythm seems one of the clearest,
most regular patterns revealed in our economic life."

Edward R. Dewey & Edwin F. Dakin, 1947. 

 

However, skeptics raise several concerns. One of the main criticisms is the lack of transparency in Gann’s work. His writing style is often described as cryptic and esoteric, which some interpret as a deliberate effort to obscure his true methods. This suspicion is further fueled by the fact that Gann profited significantly from selling trading courses—some costing up to $5,000, the equivalent of about $50,000 today—leading critics to suggest his primary income may have come from teaching rather than trading. Alexander Elder and others have pointed to the relatively modest size of Gann’s estate at his death (around $100,000 in 1955) as evidence against the long-term success of his financial strategies. Critics also argue that basing a predictive system solely on the 18.6-year lunar node cycle oversimplifies Gann’s broader approach, which included tools like Gann angles and planetary transits. 
 

W.D. Gann also observed what he referred to as the “decade cycle.” In his various commodity and stock market courses, he described the decade cycle as follows: By studying the yearly high and low charts and reviewing a long period of time, you will identify the years in which bull markets culminate and the years in which bear markets begin and end. Each decade, or 10-year cycle, which is one-tenth of a 100-year period, marks an important campaign. When referring to these numbers and years, Gann meant the calendar years.

To understand this, study the periods from 1891 to 1900, 1901 to 1910, 1911 to 1920, 1921 to 1930, and 1931 to 1939. The ten-year cycle continues to repeat, but the greatest advances and declines occur at the end of the 20-year and 30-year cycles, and again at the end of the 50-year and 60-year cycles, which are stronger than the others.

Year
1. A year in which a bear market ends and a bull market begins. 1901, 1911, 1921.
2. The second year is a year of a minor bull market, or a rally in a bear market will start at some time.  1902, 1912, 1922, 1932.
3. Starts a bear year, but the rally from the second year may run to March or April before culmination, or a decline from the 2nd year may run down and make bottom in February or March, like 1933.  1903, 1913, 1923.
4. The fourth year is a bear year, but ends the bear cycle and lays the foundation for a bull market.  Compare 1904, 1914.
5. The fifth year is the year of Ascension, and a very strong year for a bull market.  See 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935.
6. The sixth year is a bull year, in which a bull campaign which started in the fourth year ends in the Fall of the year and a fast decline starts.  See 1896, 1906, 1916, 1926.
7. Seven is a bear number and the seventh year is a bear year because 84 months or 840 degrees is 7/8ths of 90.  See 1897, 1907, 1917, but note 1927 was the end of a 60 year cycle, so not much of a decline.
8. The eighth year is a bull year.  Prices start advancing in the 7th year and reach the 90th month in the 8th year.  This is very strong and a big advance usually takes place.  Review 1898, 1908, 1918, 1928.  (2008 did not follow this pattern, which is where a little real estate cycle knowledge was helpful in this instance.)
9. Nine is the highest digit and the ninth year is the strongest of all for the bull markets.  Final bull campaigns culminate in this year after extreme advances and prices start to decline.  Bear markets usually start in September to November at the end of the 9th year and a sharp decline takes place.  See 1869, 1879, 1889, 1899, 1909, 1919 and 1929, the year of the greatest advances, culminating in the fall of that year, followed by a sharp decline.
10. Ten is a bear year.  A rally often runs until March and April; then a severe decline runs to November and December, when a new cycle begins and another rally starts.  See 1910, 1920, 1930.