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

With this lot due out today, surprising that the DOW is only -3 at the moment:
2:00 PM GMT US Consumer Confidence (AUG)
2:00 PM GMT US Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index (AUG)
2:00 PM GMT US New Home Sales (JUL)
2:00 PM GMT US New Home Sales (MoM) (JUL)
2:00 PM GMT US House Price Index (MoM) (JUN)
2:00 PM GMT US House Price Index (QoQ) (2Q)
6:00 PM GMT US Federal Open Market Committee Meeting Minutes
9:00 PM GMT US ABC Consumer Confidence (AUG 24)

The dow did have a big down day on Friday at -241, but with all of the data today it could be a lively afternoon.

-241 was monday's drop on the DOW, as they were open while Britain was on holiday.
Currently -10, so maybe they are not too pessimistic about the home sales figures. Tricky call, imo, but I suspect the shorters will have the advantage.

my mistake I meant to write Monday.

Can't think why, but i am deeply suspicious of Mr Darling's prognostications that UK's recession is or will be worst for 60 years etc etc ...... certainly our own biz, which is usually one of the first to be hit in such times, is currently showing little or no effect ...... secondly, what are the odds that in about a year's time Mr Darling will be crowing that through Labour's skill, the worst of the recession has been avoided? ...... much shorter than EME coming home with the bacon is my guess!

He may be trying to drive down sterling to help exporters without actually cutting rates

sterling is already below rock bottom vs both $ and

Totally agree Rich, not sure that it will be any more than one or two quarters of negative growth - if that, certainly only a mild recession. Took other half shopping here in westcountry for her birthday last weekend, the shops were packed as were the pubs, no real signs of a slowdown here. Also just marketed a house on Monday this week, 3 viewings booked already, two for later today, so fingers crossed, but thats not exactly reminiscent of the early nineties when you were lucky to get a viewing in a month...

Number One Son, who is also a spiv like you (lol!), also reports that (better end)house sales in Yorkshire are still ticking along OK, even if prices have to be reduced a bit.

Pleased to be sidelined today.

Feels like one of those horrible ranging days, between 5500 and 5530 with no direction. May look again when the DOW opens.

BoE to pronounce today, hence lack of interest i suspect

5% unchanged has perked sterling a smidgeon

It's still the currency to short though, just my opinion of course.
2517

a safer short is $:ZAR - i.e. ZAR to weaken

Dow is horrific and really struggling to hold 111275/11300 (down 250) .... the inclination is to say that the fall is badly overdone, but markets are renowned for lack of logic

What the hell is ZAR? and what happened to the dow?

george was mentioning shorting sterling ..... ZAR = south african rand

as for the dow, it got real sick! ...... shit employment numbers

The only thing going up at the moment is the dollar a new bubble?

well I decided to play the idices one more time and went short just after lunch and rode it all the way down and banked almost 500 in profit.

Wasn't I the clever one. - easy peasy money this

So confident that the market was at its low I went long whilst I went to the Dentist.

Gave it all back !!! Lost the lot

Morale of the story - stay to what you know and watch it like a hawk. - Enjoyed the ride - but I am too compulsive for this game.

Hi to those I know through this board

Looks like we are about to go into a death spiral on FTSE