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

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good grief! .... didn't realise there was such a large divi but that explains the clunk

LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Sterling fell sharply to a one-month low against the dollar on Wednesday, while gilt futures soared after the Bank of England inflation report doused expectations of near term monetary tightening. Sterling fell to a one-month low of $1.6759 GBP=D4 after the report was released from around $1.6820 beforehand. The euro rose to a session high of 81.84 pence EURGBP=D4 from around 81.59 beforehand. The drop in the currency reflected repricing of rate hike expectations, traders said. Sterling overnight rates dipped across the 2014/2015 strip GBPOIS=ICAP as investors pushed back rate hike bets. Before the inflation report was released, investors were pricing in a chance of a rate hike in nine months which was now pushed back to 10 months, the SONIA curve showed. British June gilt futures FLGcv1 extended gains after the release of the BoE's report, and were last up 75 ticks on the day at 111.10. German Bund futures also rose to day's high of 145.79, up 48 ticks on day. Euro zone bond yields fell.

BERLIN, May 14 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is getting ready to take a decision on fresh policy action next month, ECB Executive Board member Yves Mersch said on Wednesday, hinting at some degree of consensus on some measures. ECB President Mario Draghi said last week the Governing Council was "comfortable with acting next time" - its June 5 policy meeting - but wanted to see updated economic projections from the bank's staff first. Speaking at a panel discussion at a conference, Mersch said Draghi's comments could be interpreted as what his predecessor Jean-Claude Trichet would have expressed by using the term "strong vigilance". "What exactly will happen is a decision that will be taken at the next council (meeting). There are several possibilities," Mersch said, adding that some were easier to implement than others and that there was perhaps already theoretical unanimity on various tools. "We are working intensively to expand our independent instruments within our mandate and to make our action as effective as possible". "We never precommit unconditionally," he added.

Cable shorts all now in the money..

Breaking lower, maybe the start of something

GBP/JPY gone short 170.68

spiteful little day today .... glad i've got a dow short running; banked one (hit limit) of those positions last night

Wal-Mart profit falls 5 percent as severe winter deters shoppers

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported a 5 percent fall in quarterly profit as severe winter weather hurt comparable sales in the United States.

Wal-Mart said comparable sales at its U.S. stores, its biggest unit, were relatively flat. Weather adversely impacted same-store sales by about 20 basis points, the company said.

Overall revenue rose marginally to $114.96 billion.

Net income attributable to Wal-Mart fell to $3.59 billion, or $1.11 per share, in the first quarter ended April 30, from $3.78 billion, or $1.14 per share, a year earlier.

NEW YORK, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened lower on Thursday, pressured by weaker-than-expected earnings from Wal-Mart Stores Inc WMT.N , the biggest U.S. retailer. Shares of Wal-Mart, a Dow component, fell 2.7 percent to $76.73. The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was down 36.09 points, or 0.22 percent, at 16,577.88. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was down 3.35 points, or 0.18 percent, at 1,885.18. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was down 2.89 points, or 0.07 percent, at 4,097.74.

Is the FTSE on the turn? Or just a dip before another push higher?... Mmmm, maybe a good time to take some money off the table, then kick myself that I didn't leave profits to run... The dilema.

I'm thinking exactly the same ,except one difference is i have hardly got any profits to come :))

Were doomed doomed I tell you Jimmy.

Luckily enough I took 90% of my folio off two weeks ago, and thank god I did or Id be buckets down.

Looks rather serious this time.

Europe growth stalling.

Cant help the World Recovery.

Italy missed going into recession by a smidgen, that really is bad news.

I've just closed today's short @6,826.0 +60, but have a couple more running.

6844 closed at 6830 for +14, have taken profits, not convinced we won't see a rally later on.

I've also got other unrealised losses running on the FTSE.

Doomed GF :)) ... I'm not holding a lot but a couple of trades i'd like to have been out of , i like to have funds ready when we have these wobbles .....

my only good news is my dow short
ezj and several others have taken a real bashing

Hanging man (if you squint) yesterday.