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

expect more M&A activity in 2014.

it's always difficult to judge when you'll actually be pissing downwind, though you seem (are) remarkably good at calling very short-term short trades

Go on then Skinny, "Inflation is taxation without legislation".

Cheers Cynic, well not over the last 24 hrs in NXT hey lol, although I did make some money there before Christmas so not all bad...

shortie can you explain your chart over on the IMG thread please ?

Shortie - it's all explained here!

Jimmy, GF had previously said that short players were buying back in. So I expected maybe to find a breakout. I was just mapping the downward trend range and last support 240ish then 300. The chart was still within its downwards range so its worth noting the base to see if it builds from there. Possible long position might have been forming, chart for future reference, not been back since mind.

Very good Skinny... Milton Keynes... lol

Thanks ,i traded it well last year ,tempted to go back in but it's easy to get stopped out of.
Edit ,i also think the markets a bit overheated.

Jimmy, I bet, my chart shows the downwards trend and also the range. The range is too wide (volitile) a trade at present. Once a base is found the range should narrow and trading will be easier.. A good one to watch and chart from..

I'm a charting amateur at best. :)

Well your only really looking for a change in the trend, sure the trend says short but fundamentals for this company are all over the place. Last company accounts placed £177m as net assets with 266m shares in issue, this gives you a base price of 67p the rest 100+p being all based on future earnings. This is why the slightest negative noise has a big effect and ultimately why the share is falling to find a medium between its NAV and potential earnings.... Just my take on it...

Your right there shortie (This is why the slightest negative noise has a big effect)

It also worked the other way last year jumped on news then fell right back dangerous one to trade ,thanks for your input Shortie.

i'm sure shortie has spotted it already, but dow has lost all its earlier sprightliness and s+p is now in negative territory

Your welcome Jimmy, last year their accounts were also in better shape some £70m was added to current liabilities between 30 Apr 2012 and 2013.

I've pretty much had enough for the day guys, been trading 5 min charts on the FTSE since taking a loss on NXT. GJ short is doing me proud..

For myself waiting till next week before committing to any trades, stocks seem to be all over the place on low volume.

Your not wrong Chris, I'm looking to close out before leaving the office and driving home.

PHILADELPHIA--The Federal Reserve is facing daunting challenges when it comes to eventually ending its current easy money stance, and it might have to raise short-term rates faster than many expect, warned Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Charles Plosser. While he didn't say the central bank is on the edge of needing to raise rates off of their current rock-bottom levels, the official fretted the Fed confronts a wide range of uncertainties about how that process will play out. Mr. Plosser has been a long-term skeptic of the Fed's bond-buying stimulus efforts, and he's been uncomfortable with the duration of very low short-term rates. Mr. Plosser, who spoke as part of a panel discussion held in Philadelphia at the annual American Economic Association, will be a voting member of the monetary policy setting Federal Open Market Committee this year. His comments follow the FOMC's decision in December to slow the pace of what had been an $85 billion per month bond-buying program. Going forward, the monthly pace of purchases will stand at $75 billion, and many in the market expect a gradual but steady reduction in the pace of buying as the year progresses. Mr. Plosser used his remarks to look out a bit further at the monetary policy outlook. Currently, the Fed expects to keep short-term rates very low until some time in 2015. The veteran central banker is uneasy with that, and warns the Fed should prepare for a faster and more aggressive campaign of rate hikes given the inflation risks presented by all the liquidity it has provided markets. Mr. Plosser said the Fed would like to raise rates "gradually" but added "it doesn't always work that way." "How fast will we have to move interest rates up...we don't know the answer to that," Mr. Plosser said. He warned that the Fed may have to be "aggressive," and he added "people like to think the Fed has all this great control over interest rates, but the market does its own thing."