Venus turned retrograde on July 23, a planetary signature often associated with reversals in values and financial direction (since Venus is a ruler of Taurus, ruler of personal wealth). The US Federal Reserve made a surprise announcement on Friday that it was dropping the rate ir charges financial institutions a full half point, to 5.75%, just a week after the committee announced there was no need to do so.

The next week should be interesting as Venus retrogrades back towards an opposition with Neptune and Mars faces off with Jupiter on the 23rd. There are threats to consumer confidence (Mars/Jupiter) and an eroding sense of safety (Venus/Neptune).

Much of what has driven the stock market to great heights is the cash coming out of home equity to invest in stocks that was driven by low interest rates for homequity loans. The same loan that cost as little as 5% is now nearing the 10% mark, and at the same time equity in many housing markets is falling along with home prices.

Those who are astrologically savvy will extract themselves from irrationally optimistic investments before the rush, which is likely to begin in early September with Saturn’s entry into Virgo and will continue into the fall as Jupiter and Pluto travel the last few degrees of Sagittarius.