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

I'm no real technical buff but for what its worth I'll put my fourpennith in.

If you look at a ten year chart, the dotcom bubble was created very quickly which peaked around 2000. Thus the fall was equally dramatic. The difference in the bull run since 1993 is that it it developed much slower over the last four years so logically I'd though it was much stronger for it. The bear market and fall over the past 9 mnths has been dramtic, quick and nasty but not particularly strong.

IMO and I may be wrong, I'd thought we were therefore going to have a quick recovery back upto the peak of 9 mnths ago.

Technically it does look as though we might have a temporary pull back but I have decided that although unpleasant, chart-wise, the recent dramatic falls may turn out to be historically insignificant.

I'm sure some of you have a greater technical knowledge than me, so your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks PT & DD

Likewise Pt & DD

I looked at FTSE this morning and I really couldn't decide on a direction, so when in doubt do nowt, always another day. Yesterday was a better day to read and I did well following the trend and going short first thing.

AAAgh - my short on the dow got shorted out at 13030 - about 2 points less than its highest point - and look where it is now - down 200 I need to scream.

Still my FTSE shorts are still running

In a nutshell

FTSE waiting to see if BoE will cut rates.
Dow always had a support at about 12800

And if it doesn't???

The odds must be for no change today I would have thought ??

One position this morning, a short which I closed for 2 point loss, never mind. FTSE seems to want to go higher in short term, ahead of BOE decision, would guess rate will remain the same.

Will look again after the announcement.

Back to grouting my patio, can't let the missus have all the fun!

well I have just taken a small short on the Ftse at 6250 (again) in anticipation of no change ??

Miners and oils super strong. Rio bordering on the 65 resistance. FTSE seems to be getting ever stronger against the Dow until commodities have another wobble

Evening all, with the BoE quartery inflation report out Wednesday I decided to go short on the FTSE rolling bet, have 2 rolling bets also on Wall St both short and a buy June Future for EUR/USD, I figure a correction to past weeks is inorder. Thinking of playing GBP/JPY also on a future as no rate cut today, 206-208 I think we'll return to, the pair to me has fallen to quickly too soon as did indicies seeing a correction at curent levels. Swiss Franc also looks interesting against sterling, the rot that was has been fought off but maybe this is a little high at the moment.

still running with my FTSE short from 6250 - so far ok !

Looking at DOW futures it should help your short, just below the support of 12800. I was going to open a modest long on FTSE this morning, but have changed my mind to a short after looking at the DOW and Asia.

I know FTSE is stuffed with oilies and miners, but I'm still surprised at how strong it has been when compared with DOW.

Heres hoping to a gentle trending down day.

opened a short at 6237

Hope you are lucky - cos if you are - so will I

closed short for 31 points, looks like you're lucky too.

may look later for another entry.

Yep - just closed at 6195

looks like it will continue to fall so back in @ 6190

.and out at 6175