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

Thanks, a bearish report then? http://uk.investing.com/economic-calendar/core-retail-sales-63

Should have gone short like you thought last night Stan .

I have gone short but it's static at the mo JB.

wrong call at the moment ...... DOW just refuses to drop and stay dropped

Maybe Stan should have gone with his gut last night .

Down here and flat there.

Big move expected in the US indices later today, depending on the FED interest rate decision. All pretty flat at the moment......waiting....waiting.

i'm sure JY's comments will be completely neutral
whether the market will actually take much note remains to be seen

I'm not sure you are right. Expectation might be different from reality this time. No change is expected, but it's possible she may increase by a quarter.

if so, i'ld have thought market would tank, but as it has been so contrary for several weeks, it's just as likely to rocket!

On the turn over here going down?

A rare overnight left short just closed in profit, phew!.. will try not to do that again any time soon.

i wonder how much of the following is already priced in ......

Dot plot expected to shift down to three increases this year
Fed may tweak balance of risks, signaling delay in tightening

This week, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and her colleagues have an opportunity to clarify where they stand on the outlook for interest rates. The message will probably be that plans for additional tightening have been postponed, but not for long.
Fed officials are expected to reduce the number of rate hikes they see in 2016 and leave the target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent after a two-day gathering of the Federal Open Market Committee in Washington. Here’s what to look for when the FOMC releases its post-meeting statement and updated forecasts at 2 p.m. Wednesday, and in Yellen’s 2:30 p.m. press conference:

Fed policy makers will unveil new projections for the appropriate pace of rate increases for the first time since they voted to raise rates in December. Jonathan Wright, an economics professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said the so-called “dot plot” will probably show a median forecast for only three increases this year, down from four in December.

Three months ago, market participants doubted that forecast: Futures contracts linked to the fed funds rate implied only two rate increases in 2016. Now, those contracts imply just one is more likely.

Don't know, but glad to have no index position until things are a bit more settled, also ex.divi tonight.

ED: Dow flat again at the mo.

DOW
i like the idea of taking a short here, but lack the balls :-)

Have not been in any indices for a couple of weeks ,no rhyme or reason to it at the moment .

i agree .... they're totally nuts

It certainly is very tight.

your rectum or mine, he asked quizzically :-)

I was referring to your wallet.. what else -):