rather than pick out individual stocks to trade, it can often be worthwhile to trade the indices themselves, especially in times of high volatility.

for those so inclined, i attach below charts for FTSE and FTSE 250, though one might equally be tempted to trade Dow or S&P, which is significantly broader in its coverage, or even NASDAQ

for ease of reading, i have attached 1 year and 3 month charts in each instance

Nice one h! lol.

Who needs the "Red Army" when all you need to take over the EU is a printing press!

This is gonna end in tears!

Wonder what they're taking by way of payment in all the bars in Ayia Napa atm?

Next Tuesday! Probably plastic beads or is that Corfu. :-)

The place hasn't been the same since my 18 yo daughter and 15 of her mates did their 'Nuns on Tour' there last summer. :o)

Damn - wish I was there :-)

.

German Manufacturing Activity Falls Surprisingly in March

By Alex Brittain Growth in German business activity slowed in March as the manufacturing sector--the heart of its dominant export industry--surprisingly contracted. The figures may raise doubts about the German economy's ability to continue shrugging off weakness in neighboring euro-zone countries that have been more badly hit by the bloc's fiscal crisis. Activity across the German manufacturing and services sectors grew in March, but at a slower rate than in February, data provider Markit said Thursday. The composite purchasing managers' index fell to 51.0 from 53.3, the company's preliminary figures showed. A reading above the 50 threshold indicates month-to-month growth. But activity in the manufacturing sector fell below that threshold, with a reading of 48.9. Economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires last week had expected an improvement to 50.5 from the February figure of 50.3. Growth in services activity slowed sharply, to a reading of 51.6 from 54.7. "Germany looks set for a return to growth over the first quarter of 2013, but there are risks that the recovery will have subsided appreciably" in subsequent months, Markit economist Tim Moore said.

Euro-Zone Mar Composite PMI Flash Est Forecast At 48.3

EUR Flash Manufacturing PMI 46.6 consensus 48.2 previous 47.9

EUR Flash Services PMI 46.5 consensus 48.2 previous 47.3

GBP Retail Sales m/m 2.1% consensus 0.5% previous -0.6%

GBP Public Sector Net Borrowing 4.4B consensus 8.4B previous -9.9B

BOJ Governor Kuroda is speaking now.


Europe sets Cyprus bailout deadline, banks face cutoff

NICOSIA/MOSCOW | Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:30am GMT
(Reuters) - The European Central Bank gave Cyprus until Monday to raise billions of euros to clinch an international bailout or face losing emergency funds for its crippled banks and inevitable collapse.

The warning came with the island's leaders locked in talks on a "Plan B" to raise 5.8 billion euros demanded by the EU under a 10 billion euro ($13 billion) rescue, after angry lawmakers threw out a tax on deposits as "bank robbery".

Recession stalks France as business slump hits crisis levels - PMI

PARIS | Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:37am GMT
(Reuters) - French business activity shrank in March at the fastest pace in four years, defying expectations for an improvement and probably plunging the euro zone's second-biggest economy into a recession, a survey showed on Thursday.

Data compiler Markit said its preliminary composite purchasing managers' index, covering activity in the manufacturing and services sector combined, came out at 42.1, falling from 43.1 in February.

The drop brought the index to its lowest level since March 2009, when France and much of the developed world was mired deep in a recession triggered by the financial crisis.

Spanish 10-y Bond Auction 4.90|1.9 previous 4.92|2.3

According to the proprietors of my local kebab shop, who are greek cypriots, Cyprus is sitting on quite alot of oil (as yet untapped) and this is what the russians may use as a bargaining tool when loaning them money, which they have, apparently, already done in the recent past. Of course the problem remains with the ongoing dispute with the turks, which presumably presents the russians with a dilemma.

Harry - a date for your diary - Cyprio​t-Greek Oil & Gas 2013 Summit

In just the same way as a mine is a hole in the ground with a liar stood over, the Cypriot gas reserves are.....

The reserves are as yet unproven and may never materialise. And if they do exist, nobody is going to see any return for many moons to come. The Ruskies may be a lot of things, but they're certainly not thick.

Here's what the Grauniad had to say on the subject earlier this week

Duly noted hilary, but what did they use as collateral when they last borrowed money from the russians? I don't know how much it was nor the exact date, but I am assured that they have already done so recently?

I think I saw something similar on here.

Harry,

It was a 5 year deal set-up back in 2011 for €2.5bn, and came with "no strings attached". Personally, I think the interest rate being charged of 4.5% pa represents quite a thick bit of string, but wdik?

Cheers. ....and looks like they are trying to extend it...."Cyprus turned to Russia for a lifeline, seeking a five-year extension on a €2.5bn loan granted in December 2011 that is due to mature in 2016. It has also asked Russia to refinance the loan and lend an additional €5bn."