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

up 80 points. Bodes well for Friday?

German bailout vote is 'too little, too late'




Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, 20:56, Thursday 29 September 2011

Germany's Bundestag has voted overwhelmingly to boost the scope of the EU's rescue fund but implicitly capped its firepower at 440bn, leaving it no clearer whether Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURTRUSD - news) has the means to halt debt contagion to Italy and Spain.

Looks like spain and italy next.

It will be over by December 2011 and FTSE will fly.

December 2011? not sure

what a day - and well done bm and others - but december - not so sure about that though

The world is in to much debt. This may well go on for a while yet. imho

have been out most of the day and for dinner, but great times for those who can sit by the screen

The size of the rescue fund needs to be transformed from a continental lifeboat to an ocean-going liner. That became clear last weekend at the International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington, when a 2 trillion EFSF was discussed, a 50pc default on Greek sovereign debt and widespread recapitalisation of Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURTRUSD - news) 's banks.

Pumping up the EFSF to 2 trillion will be done by leveraging the 440bn fund with debt from the European Central Bank. German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble has already dismissed the idea as "stupid". What the Bundestag agreed to on Thursday is nothing compared with what still needs to be done today.

The debate moves on to Cannes in November (Berlin: NBXB.BE - news) and the next G20 summit, by when the crisis will have entered another acute phase.

Most of the bad news is being built in and the FTSE is well oversold, there will be a large correction up soon be ready. Many good UK stocks hammered for no other reason than the Euro fear.

It's Friday and last day of the month so expect anything. Small down open for the FTSE but I am taking a chance and going long for my FTSE spreadbet today 5179 with tight trailing stop.

morning to everyone, at the rate we are falling the ftse is looking to end the month on a low.

Stopped out even before FTSE opened, wrong call i should have kept my short head on.

probaly bad news from the states today,and they'll rise. who knows with them? ftse long at 5097.not holding me breath tho!!

out for 25 pts = bored

Been long @5101 for over 2 hoursszzzzzzzzzzzz.

Sorry skinny

DOW broken 11,000 next stop 10,800

Bernard - for what?

When i posted your trade was down 30 points did you have a stop loss.

Yes - 50 - (smaller stake) its Friday - Crazy Yanks day :-)

Well done, be careful there could be a spike down near close.