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

nothing falls in a straight line either! .... as always, if trading indices, always dangerous if you are unable to monitor constantly

Think I'll leave the short running, 12185 I think we'll see it finishing at with a small gain maybe being made in Tuesdays trading... Fridays candle was engulfing so going by this will look to close the position upon a short candle with a small wick... Each to their own, you pay your money and take your chance... Good luck

Interesting article on commodities boom. Just wonder if today or tomorrow could herald a major correction in oil with OPEC meeting today. Buy on the rumour sell on the fact re. whether production will be cut stay the same or increased.
thttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/03/04/cccomms104.xml

ive been short on oil from 96 dollars on brent and 101 on crude. If its anything like last week it will probably go up until around 7pm uk then reverse in the last hour of trading. Im then expecting it to continue its decline tomorrow. Trading very flat in an 80 point range today

Quite amazing that drop last night! I have been shorting brent a lot recently for short term gains as it has been a counter trend strategy. If DOW really tanks through 12000 that may send oil down as a recession would be deflationry. We shall see

str* ..... the two will move independently .... onre very good reason for the high $ price of oil is purely down to $ weakness.

as i write, Dow indications are looking very unhappyat -115 or thereabouts ..... i dare say this may be a partial reflection of Intel's downbeat forecast after market close yesterday, but also a fear factor of what today's economic figures may bring
...... at this stage, have done nothing either to take more money off the table or to take any position in indices

Anyone playing the GBP/CHF pair at the moment? I have just opened a June future going long at 20456. With the double bottom formation I am looking for a return in the long term back to 23000. Just wondering if anyone else is playing, thinking of doing so or has the opionion that the bottom is lower?

Dow looking horrid ...... 11960 could well be next stop, though that is only about 120 points away .... for myself, had expected a rally from +/-12150 - Silly Billy!

i know i sound sick enoying the decline but im short stocks end of march and long stocks september so hopefully chickens coming home to roost. Even making money on oil ( with hedging) so i am either very drunk (which I am as its 1 am singapore) or mkt is doing what its siupposed too. Thank goodness for chartists

did not realise you were based there ..... way past your bedtime! ..... we do loads of biz from our office also based in Sing

Cynic I work at least 19 over 3 mkts.I used to work for merrills in london but couldn't get a job at current salary so went independent. You know I aspire to be you. Even when I was right I was wrong, (i.e WPP), although two days have been good. Happy Tradiing

Cynic I work at least 19 over 3 mkts.I used to work for merrills in london but couldn't get a job at current salary so went independent. You know I aspire to be you. Even when I was right I was wrong, (i.e WPP), although two days have been good. Happy Tradiing

Sorry that should have been 19 hours but I have had three bottles of wine so please excuse me as 2am

That's a lot of wine. Glad to hear your positions have at last come good. I've still got a FTSE short from 5610 since when Kerviel played his trump cards!

Falcothou..Agreed but in mkts like this 3 bottles of wind is good. especially if your a newcastle fan Wine its good. (Cynic to suceed keegan)...Before you giggle its no less likley than the European bank dropping interset rates in the next month

I think Newcastle probably would not be able to match Cynic's trading pay cheque!

there's a big diff between what one would like to earn and reality! ..... don't know why you guys sometimes think i have some kind of magic wand ..... trust me, i am at least as good at losing money as the best or worst of you - e.g. see post 1363 - though i have now reversed that long position.

Cant believe there's another NUFC fan on here, and drinks copious amounts of wine too, superb...

well done cynic ..... screwed that up well last night .... ah well; never mind; can't always get it right ..... do better next time!

apart from Dow last night (hang my head in shame - lol!), trading for the last couple of days has proved quite fruitful

took profits in PFC (down 6 this morning), AZM (down 3 this morning), CRA (no change)
this morning bought FTSE, WG., OXB (back in) and WSM, all of which are already in the money except FTSE which is pretty much b/e