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

Thougt this was interesting...

Argos, eBay to Trial UK Store Collection Service

LONDON--Retailers Argos and eBay Inc. (EBAY) Tuesday said they are offering on a trial basis a new collection service, enabling U.K. consumers to pick up products purchased on ebay from Argos stores. The trial service, which will last for six months, will enable consumers to pick up products from about 50 selected eBay merchants at around 150 Argos stores throughout the U.K. The collection trial is not expected to have a material impact on the financial performance of Argos' parent company Home Retail Group PLC (HOME.LN). Home Retail shares at 0845 GMT were up 2 pence, or 1.2%, at 167 pence, valuing the company at GBP1.34 billion.

As Drax goes exdiv tomorrow (Drax Group PLC [DRX] (8.7 p)) I have bought a long DTF for no other reason than to try and work out the dividend payment on it..

Ex-divs will take 1.7 points off FTSE tomorrow.

Well Drax goes ex-div tomorrow at 8.7p per share, I'm running a £1 long just to work out what this will pay as a spread. Could probally just call City Index and ask them or look it up but thats no fun.

It will pay £8.70p.

(100 * 8.7p = 870p = £8.70)

That was the same calculation that I read Skinny, 100p = 100 shares. I've never tested it before so thought I'd do so to confirm the payment.

Its exactly the same as if you'd bought 100 shares- its certainly the case with other SB companies (I've never used City).

Edit - posts overlapped.

We shall see, have to say I've only ever held dividend plays within my ISA never on a spreadbetting account so a new play for me.

I quite often do on a Tuesday - if only to partly mitigate a FTSE short - the best recently was CLLN - bought on 3rd September - I received the dividend and it is currently 25 points in profit.

Today's punt is CNA.

This looks good also, that was my exact thinking Skinny to hedge out the charges on a FTSE short.

Yes I saw that - I chose CNA.

It all helps but its yet something else to be monitored/checked.

Spot on with that dividend calculation Skinny for Drax.

The CNA dividend play was 'millibanded' - managed to get out @390 and just bought again @382p

DRAX didn't fair any better.

You lost me there skinny!
Oh the freezing of power charges. OK

6586 short FTSE

6564 position closed

15 minute FTSE, maybe a long play next, awaiting reversal

Tempted to go long

6552.3 gone short