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

Cautionary note from DP of IC:
"The Federal Reserve’s tapering of Quantitative Easing is ultimately bad news for stocks. The bull market since March 2009 has been built on cheap money and would not have lasted nearly as long nor travelled so far but for this artificial stimulus. We are therefore at a risky time, with stocks still flying high and richly valued, but with the rocket-fuel being gradually siphoned out of the tank.

That said, the selling in recent days is most likely just a correction within a bull market, rather than the start of something more sinister. If and when it deteriorates further, I would have to change my mind. In the meantime, I am happy to seek small short positions on an intraday view. The bull market in equities is probably not over, although we are plainly in its later stages."

just to support what i have been saying for quite some time about world economies picking up .......

Stolt Nielsen notes a gradual recovery in the chemical tanker business, with Stolt Tankers posting an operating profit of $15.8m in the fourth quarter as against $9.0m in the previous period, as market conditions firmed for the third consecutive quarter

is there anything obvious that has spooked the markets this morning - even dow futures?
perhaps it's just "end of month" syndrome

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if without cause, am quite tempted to have a small dow long dabble

long @ 6,452 - based on madness!

Looks more long than short at the moment Skinny...Best of luck with that play.

skinny is long,,,,.. those inoculations are affecting your eye sight.,.

Cheers BB, I read again and yes he's long... 6490 first upside target I make it

LOL - and he was out some time ago @6,469.

Could 3D printing provide new solutions for disabled people?

Long again @6,439.8!

confess i can see no sensible reason for this severe tumble on both sides of the atlatic, other than it's what the markets seem to want to do - and a lot of forced selling too i'ld wager

When you went long skinny I went short on UKX and was worried, out at 6436.3 + 14.2 scalping is a lot easier than trying to call top or bottom and exhausting. Back at 2.30.

6431 long

Dollar Index on a mission today.

what a vile day!
whatever the pre-opening asst'd numbers were in usa, they don't seem to have inspired much, to say the least

USD/JPY short looks feasible right now to move back below 100

I think the Euro CPI figures started the rot this morning - other issues apart!

Happy January!

confess i've made a complete cock-up of this month, starting when i lost my nerve on the short positions i had very early on

I don't think you are alone cynic!

Small DOW @15,622!

I started the Year shorting Next.... Couldn't have made a worse call there..