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

Long both DOW/FTSE may stay long overnight see how it goes .

Hols are for wimps -):

took 60 points on a DOW long ..... would have left it to run, but i could get the stop to edit from my phone - something odd there which i'll tackle tomorrow ..... rather annoying, but it was only a small position anyway, so no real blood though market continues to try to recover a bit

A worrying few days.

claret - i think we're in for a worrying year, never mind just a few days ..... i confess my inclination in the coming months is to be short of the indices, though of course all sorts of things can change that quite quickly


meanwhile, dow is now slipping back again so just maybe i'll go long if 17000 is hit once again

I am in the same camp as you cynic. Just read that a Fed official wants to raise rates four times this year!!! Time to do it was three years ago. Too late again. No doubt the taps will be turned fully back on if it all falls over.

more serious than that - don't forget interest rates only go up if an economy is over-heating in some way - there is the slowdown in china, which i am quite certain is far more serious than published .... you then have the little squabble between iran and saudi which could easily get out of hand .... finally, there is the eu referendum looming, and it's heading for a veyy close call

=======

interest rates to rise 4x in US in 2016?
load of rubbish imo, not least because it will send $ into the stratosphere and crucify US exports ..... i think it does nasty things for 3rd world countries too, especially their debt

Took a 120 points from FTSE long leaving DOW to run ..

well done jimmy
i got back into DOW when it dropped back to 17,010 and am still holding ....... 17275 will be a major hurdle to cross should we get that far (currently ~17,200)

===============

out at 17,169 but shall keep watching with a view to re-entry, level to be decided

Is the DOW going to spring a nasty surprise today ,was up a lot further overnight ..

currently 17146 .

hard to tell with both major indices

i think everyone is still pretty shell-shocked so there will be bear closing pulling against rally selling - or vice versa

FTSE at current level of ~6125 is worth watching for direction

Closed DOW now for 65 points . Going down at the moment . Have no clue today if it's going to rally or fall back.
Again may be worth buying FTSE/DOW on weakness .

ftse also looking unsettled

Yes well done James

Re market today, if in doubt stay out is my motto.

Yes true ,i sometimes try and trade for the sake of it .

Memo to myself ,, trade when you think you see a clear direction.

markets dropping again ...... cash DOW suddenly -80 and FTSE only +12

Went long DOW 17055.

2 lots of numbers from US today, neither of which are likely to affect sentiment greatly .....

U.S. auto sales for December will reveal what a bumper year it was for automakers at 2 pm ET.
The Institute of Supply Management is due to post its economic activity index for January at 10 am ET.

I'm staying long for now and will stop out if things look nasty below 17000 . I have enough points in the tank to accept a small loss if i'm wrong .

FTSE has moved ahead again - now +33 - so with luck DOW will tag along

actually, with DOW now at 17095, i may bank this morning's profit .... shall certainly now keep a watchful eye so to do

===============

banked 30 points which is better than a kick in the nuts
shall now wait to see if 17,100 is (re)pierced with any impetus