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

would have been nice to be prescient and to have held Dow position o'night tho!

Well done Toya, hope we're on the way down today.

Looks like we are Maggie! I took a small profit during a little bounce earlier - always get it wrong when I choose to go short so trying not to be tempted, though would have worked well for a change

I prefer to go short as I never seem to get the long right in fact I'm not really getting much right anyway. Do think the warnings re banks and shortage of mortages will send ftse lower how low is anyone's guess.

I just trade in little steps when I can - so have made a small profit today and will adjourn to the gym before I go and lose it all in a flash of greed!

Still nursing my losses from earlier this week - still hoping the Ftse will drop back a tad more - but looking less and less likely.

I guess some possibility tomorrow as last day of tax year when I expect some selling to gain benefit from chgange in tax laws as people sell to lock in taper releif etc - though not sure if that will have significant impact ?

Toya I try to trade in little steps but doesn't always work. Bhunt You could be right - hope that's not wishful thinking!

I can't see which way to trade today, again FTSE seems to have no trend, it's interesting that at 08:30,09:30 and 10:30 the index was the same at 5910 but with slight downwards movement between. My feeling is for a modest gain today, but this is just a gut feeling. So no trades for me.

12700 to 12720 is the level to watch on DOW, still not there yet.

i shall endeavour to be a good boy today (don't all laugh!) and sit on my hands, or even pick my nose rather than ladling out sums of money to undeserving brokers or similar

Now having said that spitfire - its bound to go down !!!

Cynic - I bet you wont be able to resist!!

There you go bhunt, sent it down for you.

Anytime you need it to go in a certain direction, only to happy to predict the opposite way for you.

Hi Spitfire Thanks from me too if I can't close my short today any chance of another up prediction tomorrow?

LOL - just wished I had had suficient funds to short it - as I would be bailing out now at breakeven - instead I need another 50 points - so another up prediction will do me fine - thanks

Oh well that was good whilst it lasted.

Bouncing all over atm

Looking for a possible DOW short at 12595 ?!

Peter .... sitting on hands today is prob best move

Richard think you were probably right, I think the world has gawn mad!

Good money to be made today if you read the swings right, lots to be lost if you read them wrong. I dont understand these at the moment - but I have not traded today - still have my short to try and recover

Couldn't read FTSE today so no trades, tomorrow is bound to be an excellent day, because I'm playing golf so unable to trade.

DOW seems to making an assault on 12700 level now, if it hits it and falls back past 12700 level, it could be a short opportunity. Would be interested if I have read this correctly, from someone with better charting skills than me.

Non farm payrolls tomorrow I believe, so may be building up for that