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

FRANKFURT (MarketWatch) -- The rescue program for Cyprus reached on Monday is a new template for addressing banking problems in the euro zone, said Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the chair of the Eurogroup of euro-zone finance ministers, according to Reuters. "If there is a risk in a bank, our first question should be 'Okay, what are you in the bank going to do about that? What can you do to recapitalize yourself?' If the bank can't do it, then we'll talk to shareholders and the bondholders, we'll ask them to contribute in recapitalizing the bank, and if necessary the uninsured deposit holders," he said, according to the report

dow melting like butter on a hotplate :-))

licking the lips i am Mistress

It's like the bottom's fallen out of a cold jar filled with hot, still-runny jam Cynic ;)

DOW not tested 14411 support yet...

Eurogroup Head: Cyprus Deal New Template For Euro zone - Report
By Geoffrey T. Smith The losses suffered by uninsured depositors in Cyprus as part of its rescue package may have to be repeated elsewhere in the euro zone, Eurogroup Chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem said in a joint interview with Reuters and the Financial Times Monday. "If there is a risk in a bank, our first question should be 'Okay, what are you in the bank going to do about that? What can you do to recapitalise yourself?'. If the bank can't do it, then we'll talk to the shareholders and the bondholders, we'll ask them to contribute in recapitalising the bank, and if necessary the uninsured deposit holders," Mr. Dijsselbloem said. He said that the decision taken in the small hours of Monday by the 'Eurogroup'--the euro zone's 17 finance ministers--should be seen as proof of a new determination to limit the collective liability for bank failures, and reduce to a minimum the need for direct recapitalization of banks by the European Stability Mechanism, the safety net established by the euro zone last year. Asked what the decision meant for other countries with problems in their banking sectors, Mr. Dijsselbloem said: "It means deal with it before you get in trouble. Strengthen your banks, fix your balance sheets and realise that if a bank gets in trouble, the response will no longer automatically be that we'll come and take away your problem. We're going to push them back. That's the first response we need. Push them back. You deal with them." Although his comments represent a sharp shift in rhetoric by euro-zone officials, who have preferred to emphasize the ostensible strengthening of the euro zone's institutional defenses over the last year, they repeat basic principles that have been used in previous bail-outs: notably, that shareholders and creditors should first bear the cost of resolving failed banks. They differ mainly in the explicit reference to the 'bailing-in' of uninsured depositors.

Can you believe it..!

Just closed another FTSE +40 - indicies look to be taking a breather.

good nudge .... i'll lock in the profit on 50% at +/-90 points :-)

Think I'll hold short, Jeroen Dijsselbloem comments could well lead to a case of foot and mouth..

dow is currently dithering in a 15/20 point range, though starting to fall again as i write

I was tempted to close earlier but have left both my shorts running

It's not just Dijsselwotsit who's moving the markets. Here's some more significant news, but expect the silent treatment after the markets close.

If anyone could translate or sum up please?

The rumors cite Italian daily Corriere della Sera and say a downgrade from Moody’s is coming after the close.

Shortie - Chrome will translate it for you.

And if you're looking for a bit of support, the snap happy jappy has got good demand sub-94.00.

Cityindex has gone phone only on trades....

Happy days, thanks Hilary

Well that's a pair of new slippers on the DOW, still holding.....

14411 support to be tested

Economists said the Cyprus episode may come back to haunt euro-zone policy makers if the crisis heats up again in another, larger member country.

Ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service, in a note, said the Cyprus crisis was credit negative for all euro-zone sovereigns and that policy makers’ willingness to “bail in” depositors was credit negative for euro-zone banks.

dow now struggling to hold +/-14,400 .... in fact i sold my balance and reversed some of it, though a bit too high (14420), but i'll sit and watch and try not to be too greedy - or stupid ..... the latter will be hard for me!