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

Today looks like a dull day on the stocks, will be going out me thinks.,.

Yep, might be forced to do some gardening! :o(

Amazing (not really) but I'd like to have one up day as good as these down days are bad!

Just added to my long @6580.5!!

Skinny,

Agreed.

It is b. of a market at the moment.

But look around the world at the "peace" and "quiet" everywhere!!

Arrrgh!


A little "up" would be helpful.

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I think, if I was gardening, I would plant potatoes in case of famine, but instead will wash and polish the van ready for an escape to France.

Thank God the tanks are full!

.

I'm still holding the FTSE short, its got to test 6540 support before we can see any upside in my view...

Are you a motorhomer Fred? will be out in mine next week.,.

".....will wash and polish the van ready for an escape...." What have you got Fred? Not like Maestro's (poster from another thread) converted Post Office van, which he calls home, due to some unfortunate investment decisions!

Had a rubbish couple of days myself, two trades which were initially in the money, only to be left to meet their target, but which hit the s/l instead.

Here we go this should be the begining of short term support testing that I've been waiting for.

6585 closed at 6555 +30.. thats me done on the FTSE for now

pretty half-hearted support and indeed, trying to duck down below

Im expecting to be long this afternoon, I think the DOW will recover some of last nights losses so I'll sit on the fence until this afternoon now.

These hammer formations on the 30min FTSE indicate support found and a potential change of direction.. I'll wait for the green bars though before getting into it.

Well done earlier Shortie - MACD on the 10 minute looks like 'buy me'.

or not...

Thanks Skinnyl, I agree looks like a buy, it could well dump a further 30pts though if the cross doesn't establish... Tempting as the buy maybe, I'm going to wait..

An interesting afternoon!

As long as it doesn't go sideways!!

cash dow not exactly full of beans ...... i think it was +40 first thing this morning and has now, quite quickly, dropped away to -25

ftse marginally following in sympathy

twitchy afternoon ahead i dare say

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cash dow now -60
ran and cashed a small short earlier; shame with hindsight :-)