The stock markets have slumped again despite better than expected EU bank borrowings from the ECB, with the prospect of Angela Merkel's Coalition falling to bits and impacting on the EU recovery. The FTSE was always due for a depressed patch when tr Saturn squares the sensitive Neptune (conj Jupiter) in a few days time, extending through till July 22nd. In general it is in a highly volatile time with the Solar Arc Saturn due to conjunct the FTSE Uranus exactly come Oct/Nov which is usually a major jolt. There's also a discouraging tr Saturn square Mercury Uranus over that sticky Oct 10 patch when all the global financial charts seem very much under pressure. Plus Solar Arc Pluto is in a suppressive conjunction to the FTSE Venus exact late year into 2011, and a shocking surprises Solar Arc conjunct Mercury exact in early 2011 with worse from SArc Uranus conjunct Sun in mid 2011. Solar Arcs do have an umbrella of effect covering several months, usually stronger before in the run up, though the exact aspects do seem to often show up as significant markers. The Dow Jones has July to early August marked out as a frustrating, non-progressive time with tr Pluto square Mars (returning mid Oct to late Nov); plus a discouraging belt-tightening tr Pluto sextile Solar Arc Saturn at the same time. Two of the Down Jones' Jupiter midpoints are also heavily depressed now and through most of July.