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

HARRYCAT, some stocks are looking cheap atm but I think they will get even cheaper, this is just the start IMO. I mentioned many weeks ago that I thought a double dip was coming, just needs confirming via future figures, which I am sure we will get. Any election bounce we get will be short lived, again IMO.
Hang on tight!
2517

Hang on to what ?....the railings on the titanic.....you go down as well....oh !...that taxiderm feeling is coming back...now what was his telephone number.....?....let me see...Iran..., North Korea,....Valdez....general Custer....no that's not it....I know I have it somewhere....

RF, I thought the discipline of S/B or CFD's was to keep tight stops in place so as not to get caught in ever escalating losses? One reason I just stick to trading equities.
George, you may well be right about the double dip, but worth a short term punt on the election bounce, imo.

the talk was of double-dip recession, and i really do not think that will happen.
even though i have not managed to get the timing right myself, i have been warning of an imminent sharp sell of in the markets for several weeks
this is now happening and MAY have further to run, but that is mere and required correction, and nothing (directly) to do with the world economy

why do you say that cynic? The news is certainly not good out there and it seems that aside from the obvious political uncertainty at least in the UK, there are also the austerity measures required to reduce Sovereign debt around the Eurozone, supertaxes on resources, worries over Greece, Spain and Portugal, a fragile housing market and economic recovery, the Euro....no wonder the markets are twitchy.

because looking at a much broader worldwide scenario, i see usa economy recovering nicely, and far east and india continuing to advance strongly too ...... unemployment numbers always lag in both directions

As long as GS associates are active, nothing is reasonable in this financial market. They dominate, play in symphony, and do not bother about humanity.... Actions are similar to what Hitler did about 60 years go

a charming but inaccurate bucolic picture!

for the moment you should treat this as just another correction
the internals are still in trend

its not this fall you need to worry about

it is whether or not the reaction rally has the legs to make a new high

With you on that one Camelot, those crazy yanks could do anything. I'm more concerned about Tim Cahill staying at Everton cause they didn't qualify for Europe but at least if the worse happens Moyes will make another killing. Splat as a Kopite you must be concerned re Gerrard and Torres at mo? :o) Those Greeks aren't taking any shit!

high volatility likely for several weeks i should imagine, and then the summer slumber

Bought back BARC today that I sold on the 14th @315.

Oil price seems to be heading down towards $75?

it's still $81.00 ..... the strengthening $ will influence i guess, and frankly, even if us light drops to $75, it's no big deal .... i'ld be more concerned if, in the immediate future, crude shot up to say $100 and held there - mitzy reckons it will within a couple of weeks!

Rompypompy says its nothing to do with politicians

lol

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, on Wednesday downplayed market concerns about Greece's problems spreading to Spain and Portugal. "What I now see are totally irrational movements on the markets set off by unsubstantiated rumors, for instance yesterday with Spain, but also as regards Portugal

Gordon has had 2 years to do something and failed miserably

Time to use the zebra crossing and cross the road
:-)


The next British government must take early measures to reduce the countrys huge deficit and stabilise debt, the European Commission warned today.

The stark message from the EUs Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner will be seized on by the Conservatives as Brussels endorsement for their economic programme.

Introducing the Commissions latest economic forecasts, Olli Rehn said: The first thing for the new government to do is to agree on a convincing, ambitious programme of fiscal consolidation in order to start to reduce the very high deficit and stabilise the high debt level of the UK.

The next British government must take early measures to reduce the countrys huge deficit and stabilise debt, the European Commission warned today.

Why do the words pot, kettle and black spring to mind?

Ah yes, Dr Euro. Physician, heal thyself!

"Was that the answer you wanted?"

Indeed. When I saw those pictures from Athens last night I wondered whether that was a nation I'd lend my money to - but on the other hand, if it were not actually my money, but that of the people I work for, I probably would!

TP

5300....would you believe it ?.....it takes months to climb up and then over a cliff we go....there will not be any posssibility of keeping shares for any length of time if this trend of slowly rising followed by diabolical sudden drops continues....I will be changing my trading tactics from now on...it will take some time, but I will have to do it....