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

What a cracking profit taking day.

.

Questıon, ıs thıs a suckers rally?

Stops beıng actıvated.

etc etc

You all know the score.

Indicators are all still heading south, lower highs, lower lows on both FTSE & DOW. The trend is clear, imo.

Great, just trade them then if the moves are big enough.

as always, it's the timing that is so difficult

comment from IG .......

The FTSE 100 is once again tasting the rarified air above the 6000 level. A note of caution should be expressed with these good moves however, as equity volumes for the FTSE remain particularly low at only two-thirds of last week’s trading.

Thursday offers plenty of opportunities for market surprises with Chinese inflation, the start of an EU summit and an extensive list of corporate data releases not to mention reaction to tonight’s FOMC minutes.

Up or down then today chaps?

Ex-divi day + unemployment claims in the US.........probably down, imo.

Ah yes ex-divi day, and quite a heavy one.

Not much indication yet, if any.

i have taken a couple of modest profits in some trading stocks and am now running FTSE short as much as a hedge as anything else

i trust these markets not one little bit

I don't know about trusting them, but they certainly are undecided at the mo.

Down we go then.

Blimey! I was right then??? Only just, but might do the lottery this week based on that! ;o)

Not so fast Harry.. the poxy thing's stalled again -):

strange how quickly sentiment changes
DOW is having a burst for glory and has just gone north of 16,500

Dow futures up, but only just.

cash DOW is still +48 (after +85) and hovering around 16,500

Had to cut a loss this morning but recouped with some on top for much relief and out for overnight.