Customer Reviews

Investing by the Stars: Using Astrology in the Financial Markets

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

After reading his book, following his web site and e-mail service and taking his advice for over a month, I lost thousands of dollars INVESTING BY THE STARS. The methods credited in this book are failures. One serious disappointment is this book contains absolutely no information that the reader can apply to market timing. Another major disappointment is Weingarten uses this book as a platform to brag about all of his supposed accomplishments at past market timing. This book is a feeble attempt to justify the use of astrology as a market timing tool and an obvious attempt to enrich Weingarten's pocket and ego without providing any useful data to the reader. Weingarten is slick and makes his market timing skills sound bigger than life. Reality proves just the opposite; here are just a few of his Mar through Jun 1997 failures based on astrology and this list constitutes a clear majority of his biggest predictions for 97 (i.e. he is wrong far more often than right.) (1) Weingarten claimed 3/11 would be the high for 1997 at 7085. Fact is: the DJIA has made several new highs. (2) For many weeks, he predicted the DJIA would drop to 5200 by June 97 but here we are at the 7800 level mid June. That's 2600 point off. (3) On 4/21, Weingarten e-mailed subscribers predicting the Dow would fall 1000 points in the next 15 days to 5703. Fact is: a 10% correction ended on Apr 14 then the Dow rose almost straight up to new highs at 7200 by May 5. (4) Again on 5/16, he predicted the Dow would drop from 7320 to 6240 in the next 15 days. Fact is: the Dow pulled back a couple hundred points and recovered those losses to finish the month slightly off recent new highs at 7331. (5) Weingarten then predicted the market could slide 250 or more points or even crash on May 14, 21 and 22. The DJIA gained 12 points on the 14th; it fell a mere 12 points on the 21st; and lost a whole 32 points on the 22nd. (6) Again on 5/21, he proclaims 7350 the top. Fact is: the DJIA continued to make new highs and on May 27 closed at 7383. (7) Still insisting the market is heading down, again on 6/12, Weingarten proclaims 7640 the top. The DJIA closed that day at 7711 and moved up to another record of 7782 on June 13. The market will fall sometime, but how much money will be lost in the meantime by following his wrong predictions? (8) Since Dec 96 and based on astrology, Weingarten claimed Disney was destined to have poor earnings and would be a $40 stock by June. Fact is: Disney has traded from the upper $60's in Dec to a recent high of $85 and has twice reported solid earnings. And sadly enough, he incorretly claims as of 6/13 this recommendation is profitable. Fact is: he has preached shorting Disney while the stock has moved over $20 against his recommendation making this trade a very big loser. (9) Weingarten boasts that astrology shows most major technology stocks have made their 1997 highs in the 1st quarter, specifically Intel and Microsoft, and that he sees big declines in technology earnings for the year. (9a) At the beginning of Mar just prior to a 10% correction in the DJIA, Compaq was $80 in late May $110; Dell was $72 in late May $113; Gateway was $59 in late May $74; IBM was $145 in late May $179; Intel was $145 in late May $169; and Microsoft was $99 in late May $126. All of these major technology bell weathers have reported great earnings and have all achieved significant new all time highs. On 5/30 Intel warned of a 2nd quarter earnings situation but Compaq, Dell and Gateway have said their 2nd quarters look good. (9b) On 4/18 even after announcing great earnings, Weingarten recommended shorting Microsoft at $100. Microsoft shot up to new all time highs at $126 without falling below $100. (9c) On 4/22, Weingarten recommended shorting IBM at $140. On 4/30 IBM was $160 and had not closed below $140; but he recommended shorting it again. In the next 4 weeks, IBM went on to make a new all time high at $179 and did not once close below his $160 short. Even an incompetent fool continually making ignorant proclamations will at some time be right. Someday Weingarten will be right and can write another book musing about his great vision and wisdom and maybe the proceeds will replace the money he has lost in the markets. Sadly, INVESTING BY THE STARS is a book that fails to provide the reader with any useful material. It reads like a book written by Henry's mother extolling his questionable virtues and skills. Following his web site recommendations for a few months has proven his book a waste of money. My recommendation, save your time and money by finding other reading material. A COMIC BOOK WOULD BE MORE ENLIGHTENING, WORTHWHILE AND USEFUL

This book is written by an Internationally recognized financial astrologer who over time has predicted correctly some of the most major events that have occurred such as the Asian crisis of 1997 which had dramatic affects on world sharemarkets.I personaly also subscribe to his email service and have found it invaluable.Mr Weingarten has always said that astrology along with fundamentals and technicals drive markets and he suggests people make their own decisions. By incorporating his system I have become a more successful trader and welcome a second book.

I would like to extend my appreciation of Henry Weingarten's book, "Investing by the Stars."

The book combines factual financial information with astrology, which adds a fascinating philosophical perspective to an otherwise mundane profession. In these days of computerized research and financial programs, his unique approach situates the often perilous trade of Investing within the high reaches of the cosmos. Thankfully, from the perspective of this lay reader, the book was quite an interesting read.

I recommend this book to both serious investors and friends of Astrology!

I found the book interesting, you have to understand astrology to make it work. A friend of mine who is an astrologer astrologyguidance com site, has done astrology stock predictions with good results, so the concept works.

Henry Weingarten is quite the character, and he was a fairly big influence on my later career as a trader. When I met him in the late 80's he was the head of the New York Astrology Center, but he ran a computer consulting service on the side. I was an independent computer consultant/programmer working as a subcontractor. Now here comes the good part.....when I went to my initial interview for a consultant position, instead of looking at my resume for even a second, Henry asked for my birth date and time! He then put the date and time into his computerized astrological program and ran his chart on me. I was amazed and a little amused as Henry and his partner read my chart, and offered me a position. Apparently something they saw in my chart impressed them enough to give me a job....but they wouldn't tell me what those characteristics were!

Soon after I began working with Henry, I would come into his office each morning, and find him with his portable Quotron attached to his hand, punching in figures and symbols into his computerized astrological-financial program, and barking orders to his broker on the phone! As I worked I made mental notes of Henry's trades. When I got home at night I would check the WSJ to see how he did. In most of his trading, Henry was doing well. By and large, the stocks he purchased went up and his short calls would usually fall! I started copying some of his long calls on my own, but never in such large quantities. Maybe a hundred or two of Electronic Arts, etc. I don't know how he did it, but according to my calculations, Henry consistently made money, and therefore I made money as well!

Granted, during the incredible bull run of the 90's, and before the tech meltdown of 2000, just about EVERY trader was making money! I have not read Henry's book, and therefore am unable to offer any recommendation, but it seems there is some method to his trading. My advice is watch the technical indicators, keep an eye on overall market sentiment, and develop a strong gut instinct for talented companies. Good luck......

Of all the astrology books I've read dealing with finance and the markets (around 15 of them), this is the MOST obtuse of them all. The author gives examples of his own successful "predictions," while ignoring all the failures. It's as if I went to the racetrack and came back telling you about the horses I picked and money I won, describing my amazing deductions for selecting winners, but neglected to tell you about the losers and the fact that I came away with an empty wallet. Through it all the author's inflated opinion of himself is made glaringly obvious, which makes the whole reading experience even more annoying, if possible.

This book provided no useful information/stratigies what so ever and I have lost over $20,000 from INVESTING BY THE STARS! Please spend your money on a Dr. Seuss book and learn how to make words rhyme!

I admit that this book's intriguing title grabbed my interest. Although I do not really subscribe to astrological belief, I read this book out of curiousity. Mr. Weingarten sadly disappoints when one tracks his predictions against the realities of the market. The notion that the astronomical alignment of the planets can affect the performance of financial markets is idiotic. Astroharmonics? Please, you might as well promote Dianetics or the Psychic Hotline as alternative investment methodologies. Adding to the disastrous possibilities of adopting this pseudo-system is the author's gigantic ego. If Mr. Weingarten is as smart as he claims, why isn't he running one of the major investment houses? And if his alleged system works, why haven't we experienced the major disasters his sytem predicted? Don't buy this nonsense