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

Tomi Kilgore NEW YORK--U.S. stock futures tilted slightly higher, as growing optimism about the economy and gains in overseas markets helped extend recent gains to record highs. European markets were broadly higher, with the region's benchmark index heading toward a 5 1/2-year high, as investors returned from a two-day holiday in an upbeat mood. About 90 minutes ahead of the open, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advanced 15 points, or 0.1%, to 16437. The Dow Thursday rallied 122 points, or 0.7%, to hit the 50th record high of the year. The Dow also posted its sixth-straight gain, the longest winning streak since the 10-session stretch ending March 14. S&P 500 index futures edged up one point, or 0.1%, to 1837 and Nasdaq 100 futures gained two points, or 0.1%, to 3584. Changes in stock futures don't always accurately predict stock moves after the opening bell. Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Banyan Partners, which advises on $4 billion in assets, said investors should just sit tight, and not read too much into the market's moves in the near term, as volumes should remain very light. "The stock market is being driven mainly on yearend squaring up of positions," Mr. Pavlik said. "You can't take anything from what the market does the next couple days." There are no major economic data scheduled for release. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note ticked up to 3.013%, after settling at a 2 1/2-year high of 2.990% late Thursday. Rather than being spooked by the recent run up in Treasury yields, which raises borrowing costs for home buyers, investors are taking it as a sign of an improving U.S. economy that can sustain its growth even though the Federal Reserve has started reducing its monetary-stimulus efforts, analysts say. "There is a lot of optimism being built up about an improving economy," Mr. Pavlik said. But while "the market's preference is to try to rise for the remaining days of the year," investors shouldn't scramble to get more involved in the market than they already are, he said. The dollar rose against the yen to reach Y105 for the first time since October 2008, but fell sharply against the euro to levels not seen since November 2011. Front month February crude oil futures inched up less than 0.1% to $99.64 a barrel, while December gold futures eased 0.1% to $1,212.90 an ounce. In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.7%, and on track for a sixth-straight gain to the highest level since May 2008. Germany's DAX 30 index rose 0.8%, France's CAC 40 gained 1.1% and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 advanced 0.7%. Investors shrugged off the turmoil in Turkish markets, in which stocks extended their recent slide after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to replace nearly half of his cabinet in the aftermath of a corruption scandal. In Asia, China's Shanghai Composite ran up 1.4% as interbank lending rates eased. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average erased early losses to end up less than 0.1% at a six-year high. In corporate news, WPCS International soared 54% in heavy premarket trading after the company announced late Thursday that its BTX Trader unit released a beta version of a bitcoin trading platform. Twitter fell 0.9%, pulling back from a rally that has produced a 76% gain so far this month. The microblogging site's market capitalization through Thursday reached $39.9 billion, topping that of Target and Time Warner. General Motors slipped 0.1% after the auto maker and its Chinese partner, said it will recall more than 1.46 million Buick and Chevrolet cars because of defective fuel-pump brackets.

DOW looking to open above 16,500.

5715 shorting Facebook..

5686 position closed

Spike to 6,777 on the FTSE.

margin call for cynic ? dead silence..consider a bit of collection from all here to support poor old man

Well I'm certainly prepared to step up to the plate... Is 5p any help -):

this is so great from you Stan, surely even well above anticipated..:))

your offer is most generous stan, but fortunately not remotely required

fwiw, i shall be looking to bank some further profits from asst'd long positions over the next couple of weeks, but with a view to re-buying following weakness, perhaps as soon as the second half of january

good spirit and propaganda should remain as top play

i expect the markets to remain difficult to read for 2014, with a fair amount of volatility
i'ld guess that QE will gather pace with the inherent threat of rising interest rates in its wake ......
both of these will make the markets jittery, though for no really good reason, not least because they will be indicators of strengthening world economies
that said, some of the eurozone countries will remain (very) weak with france proving its foolish election of a left-wing president with his lunatic high taxation regime to be a total disaster
germany may continue to get away with its smoke and mirrors

Volatility ,,now that's a word i like to hear ..

End of February or early March the US is expected to hit the debt ceiling again. The below are worth a read when you have a few minutes spare.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/budget/treasury-secretary-jack-lew-to-congress-we-ll-hit-the-debt-ceiling-by-early-march-20131219

http://www.marketminder.com/a/fisher-investments-13-risks-that-werent-in-2013/dfaae341-d652-4103-af6f-ef504ba01e98.aspx

.

got to say ftse santa's rally has been magnificient, couldn't ask for better year ending:).all good for all

No where near as good as the DOW's though!

I think asos £1 to £61 has got to be good, now wheres that hob nail boot for kicking arse's gone I need to remind myself not to sell tooooooo early. happy new year.,.

Charles Stanley traders Bulletin back after xmas break............

features on header of Chart Attack Thread.

http://www.charles-stanley.co.uk/traders-bulletin

Interesting chart in that link...

Balerboy agree, more like looking for gun..:) as far I remember you got out at some 400....see what your 6000 shares would be now...and next year..and next..:)