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

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."

Have a good weekend all

Spain's largest bank is in trouble
Santander has fallen woefully short of its chairman's growth targets, and it's not clear things are improving.


if the above is accurate - gleaned from CNN - the it must surely be reflected in the markets on monday, though there has so far been no register in usa

If you've been into a Santander in the UK & seen how desperate they are for deposits, it's no surprise. I've been suspicious of this for months. Got a free umbrella out of them though!

Hope they are in trouble ,worse bank in the UK ,fine when Abbey , i was with them since school days from building society to bank but then when they were taken over they just became another huge too big arrogant institution ,every thing i hate about huge faceless companies like BT and Vodafone and BT are the worse.

guessing the Spanish property market may have caused them problems?

according to my reading of the entrails, next week could easily a sharp correction of the various indices ..... glad i have a few short positions, though i couldn't short M&S at the price i wanted on friday

2nd week in January in last 10 years has been the weakest trading week of the year. By that I mean markets falling but then recovering again on the 3rd week of january and going on strongly.

Interesting programme just started on Radio 4 - 'The MINTs'.

and with hindsight, i don't think i'm cross with myself at all for selling (taking profit) C+M and HG+HC indices when i did :-)

6736 gone short

If you havent already got it.......

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

permanent fixture on header on chart attack thread, usually out at about 9am.

Ask cyners to place it in header here.

why ask me? .... i'm a dinosaur in such things, and i suspect it's only the initial sponsor who can do so - if then

============

meanwhile
pay great heed to the dow (and s+p)
cash dow was +60 prior to opening and is currently -20
we have seen this inability to hold on to gains several times in the last week, so to me, the inference is obvious ..... and if the dow sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold

G/F, Asking Alf to do something as simple as mealy Cutting & Pasting a chart into the header of a thread that he started is yet again beyond him... What a duffer -):

He thinks you are asking him to cut a pasty?

Give him a chance!

The reason for GF asking, is that you and "management" are the only ones who can edit the header and add a chart.

This is true Fred, So how come Alf doesn't know?

don't really work with pastry either, though making pork pies with hot crust pastry is great fun as is good old-fashioned steak and kidney suet pudding

made some really good (and very bitter!) marmalade this w/e