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

not forgetting the asia woes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

;

quite extraordinary gyrations across the pond
cash DOW DOWN 250 o'night ....... as i wrote yesterday, paddle in the markets only if you have steel-capped boots

Stepping back and looking at the long term charts. I am in two minds as to whether this is a correction or the start of something much more sinister.

Coming to a point when i will make a call to hold or sell all my holdings.

Currently had a small dabble long on FTSE 100

if you take a long term view, i doubt it makes sense to liquidate everything, not least because judging the bottom is well nigh impossible

Liquidation for me (and no doubt others) in 2007 would have saved me a huge percentage drop. That's why I am very cautious now. Worked hard to get it back. Not going to see all that effort decimated again.

Are we in for a 2008/2009 style crash , i don't think so .
The world had ended all the banks were going to go bust, houses were going to be worth £10 each
This is different .

I hope you are correct jimmy b.

i believe it is quite serious when china is struggling - and many other indicators are already there.............................
gla

jimmy £10 houses - is that somewhere in the northern portion of the country :-)) i thought you could get a whole street for a tenner and still have change for a pint lol

Used to be able to swap a tube of toothpaste for a terrace in Wales ,not anymore .

Anyway Claret i'm bottom fishing .

Excellent :)

A bit clearer!

I think just bigger skinny .

I hadn't realised how popular Bottom fishing was with women!

jimmy 18109 skinny 18111 - ha ha lol like it dudes :-)

i am not clever enough to post pictures on here or insert a link that works but here is a non working kink that made me laff........reminded me of certain govs LOL
http://milwaukee.wisgop.info/2013/12/the-problem-with-socialism-is-that-you-eventually-run-out-of-other-peoples-money/

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money

dz - i agree that the crash of the markets in china is indeed a worry ...... however, that country is so unbelievably corrupt and the accounting (non) standards so farcical, that fishing in that pond by a gweilo (round eye!) has always been foolish in the extreme

what implications this latest shambles might have on the rest of the world and its markets is hard to gauge, and impossible for me :-)

cheers skinny - looks like i will need to keep my dunce's hat on for longer :-)

cynic 18116 - how can you possibly say china is 'unbelievably corrupt and the accounting (non) standards so farcical' just dont get it LOL :-D

the other problem with china is that a large proportion of investment is done by small investors who change with the wind and believe almost any rumour they hear - very unstable - then with global problems starting to bite although they / china soared in recent times may well in fact be hit hardest of all - what goes up must........................ ;