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 think Russia, India and China are benefitting from the conflicts with Iran, especially the sanctions.

75 million young and rich guys live in the country. The West is losing such a large market. I heard 50% of Porsche cars exported to the Middle East in 2011 were sold to Iran. This cannnot happen anymore, Chineese made products, cars like Chairman will do well.

don't understand the point you are trying to make ..... if it's about rich kids in m/e, it is the kudos of owning lambos, ferraris, veyrons etc that counts ..... a chinese chairman hardly has the same cachet!

You are right, but when new lambos, ferraris becomes too costly for them, due to overcharges by the smugglers, they will have no choice but to buy something else.

The market for the West will be lost for long long time. China loves it anyway.

don't be ridiculous ..... no need to smuggle ..... they'll just nip across to UAE and buy there and ship across to Bandar Abbas

Yep, They have been doing this for years, but UAE restricted bank accounts, work visa for Iranians, etc, so Russia, India and China milking Iran.

Weidmann resignation report turns up heat on ECB's Draghi

FRANKFURT | Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:00am BST

(Reuters) - German central bank chief Jens Weidmann's reported threat to resign has piled pressure on European Central Bank President Mario Draghi to assuage his opposition to a new bond-buying plan without tying it up in so many knots it is rendered ineffective.

Bernanke may hint at stimulus without boxing Fed in

JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming | Fri Aug 31, 2012 10:01am BST

(Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will likely acknowledge the U.S. central bank is actively considering another round of monetary easing in his keynote Jackson Hole speech on Friday.

But the Fed chief could disappoint fidgety financial markets if he stops short of signalling another bond-buying program is imminent, which many analysts say is a strong possibility.

what a silly day ...... assuming it all holds together, i have recouped every penny that got dumped yesterday, yet nothing has changed

Nothing has changed??? It's the Mitt Romney feelgood factor! DOW futures +112 atm. Don't you just love the same old cr*p from the american pre-election steam train? Sound bites, photo ops, cuddly kids & bodyguards in mirror shades, all seemingly pure as the driven snow!

U.S. markets shut today, I think, for a bank holiday.

It is Harry: Labor Day - sort of a misnomer for a day off!

good morning mistress ..... as you will have noticed, am now back from my jolly in alsace ...... some interesting FRENCH moselle wines (much fresher than their german counterpart) and also from luxemburg, which unfortunately did not get a chance to try

GBP Manufacturing PMI 49.5 consensus 46.1 previous 45.2

So Cynic: everyone round to your house for a wine tasting?

Sounds great. I'll bring some cheese & baguettes. Satnav ready to receive instructions!

He's clearly still cogitating, Harry - probably counting up his bottles in the cellar!

just back from london - am actually contemplating selling the golf club (or farr vintners) some of my red wines as have far too much mature and fine ...... perhaps a bit short on whites, though there's some interesting stuff down there, like decent rhone whites and 2007/2009 mosel + some yquem of "strange" vintages + some very good ..... would like some really good red burgundy, but it's scarily expensive

You're avoiding Harry's kind offer to bring you some cheese and baguettes Cynic!

a (in)decent picnic by the river would be just thing in this weather and wine is def for shring

Just back from lunch time picnic by the river with daughter and grand daughter - very enjoyable.