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

Come to Daddy ,this could be the quickest 100 points ever.

That's me out my limit was hit 15562 . 100 points

Wish i'd left that running until close ..

i must own up to a couple of small dabbles on DOW last night, and am thankful that i took my very nice profits when i did .... at least they helped ameliorate some of the hammering i have taken in recent weeks

the DOW's performance was extraordinary with some thing like a 350 point recovery in a very short time (foinavon won at a canter!) ...... but at least 100 points of that was lost in the last 30

the 10-minute chart will be much more precise

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today will be another one for watchfulness with china continuing south - are we now becoming slightly immune to that? - as i certainly don't trust any recovery, let alone foresee it being sustained for long

lower highs and lower lows continue

ECB interest rate decision today at 13.30 hrs......expectations are dismal!

both dow and ftse quickly collapsing ..... not a huge surprise i'm afraid

Baltic Dry signalling recession apparently.
2517

Closed out last nıght.

Wıll have a look thıs evenıng to see where we are.

Last nıght 50 poınt swıngs ın mınutes.

Not leavıng anythıng runnıng wıthout watchıng charts.

Too rısky.

Hope everyone stıll has there shırt. Its certaınly hard work!!!!!!!!!!

from 19721 .....

China’s slowing growth has crushed shipping rates to such an extent that hiring a 1,100-foot merchant vessel would set you back less than the price of renting a Ferrari for a day.

Rates for Capesize-class ships plummeted 92 percent since August to $1,563 a day amid slowing growth in China. That’s less than a third of the daily rate of 3,950 pounds ($5,597) to rent a Ferrari F40

good morning CD .... not too much claret spilled of your either i trust

you're right that one scarcely dares leave the screen as the indices - especially DOW - are like demented zebedees

Thankfully I grasped the lift off at around 7.00pm and took cynic's call yesterday, of 15850 as a potentıal target for the close.

Wasn't brave enough to go all that way.

Happy with what i got under the circumstances.

chuckle .... my 15,850 was merely a stab as to where the index might get given a gale in the right direction ....... as it happens, that level was hit, which was almost as crazy as the index dropping 500+ points

DAX - not an index i have traded - is performing strongly today, though i don't see any reason for it

Very calm before the storm is it going to be more mayhem when the US opens ??

ECB....no change to interest rates.

why the big excitement across the markets?
surely super mario didn't say anything unexpected

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looks like DAX, DOW and FTSE are now close to important support (haha) resistance levels ..... keep watching

Wild swings in the DOW before the open .

so i see and indeed across the other markets too ..... a quick rush of blood to the head, and then a bit of reality or whatever

DOW is still up 26 (it was 110 and more only 10 minutes ago), but has been down 80 odd during the morning

choose your direction if you dare :-)

Up !!

But have nimble fingers .

just took a quick 60 points on DOW, but now watching to see if 15,850 can be breached, but it's certainly struggling at the moment

i'll go and grab myself a drink while i have no position running :-)