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

it's not a case of the numbers being good or bad but more a case of whether they are perceived as worse or better than expected

Closed FTSE short for +6.5 not a lot but it all helps, will have another look later

Short DOW, err, based on not a lot :S

umm, and again wiv a little top up :)

oops, stopped out, my own fault should have taken the profit when it was there :(

no ... should have gone long ... lol!

One way of looking at it Richard, however, having another go, wonder if there will be a sell off before the US close (6pm today I believe)

now my long is quite well in the monmey, i have set a stop that will still leave me in profit if hit .... on that basis, will be comfortable to leave it open over w/e

looks like you're on a winner, making new intra day highs

need some .... like most, have taken a whacking over the last 2/3 weeks .... thank goodness NRK cushioned me, though it's a shame i got out a bit too early (92 from memory)

Well, that's one advantage of been away, haven't had the opportunity to get it wrong for a while. Incidentally, have a down slopey resistance line on the 1 hr chart that the DOW is hitting its head on at the moment, moves through here could be quite a few more points on the table.

so let us all into the secret, or has it popped it already (now 12953)

jumped through at 12944, looks like it's going to test the same level as support now

i am wondering whether Dow has done the usual "too far too fast" bit ..... have taken the profit on my long position, and though i have not reversed that, i shall certainly be watching the markets very carefully this afternoon

on the other hand, NASDAQ has broken back above 200 dma (go back to page 1), and that may be worth a little dabble

DOW futures are currently +74 & with little news due today I can't see it falling very much. Midweek may be different.

harry .... not sure to what level "your" +74 takes you, but on Dow cash indicators, it has been as high as 13060 this morning and has now dropped back to about 13015 (+50) ..... if Dow cannot hold 13000 this evening, we could see another sell off of unknown magnitude.

conversely, as mentioned above, NASDAQ is (the only index) looking much healthier

Hmmm......... Now only 13024 (futures not looking so healthy).
Am almost day trading now as seems sensible to sit on cash rather than equities.

as Dow has now dropped through 13000, have shorted modestly, but shall watch carefully

and have doubled up as Dow really does look as though it is taking a breather and looks unwilling, at least for the mo, to hold above 13000

was short, but closed.................too early as usual :(