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

Lets hope it's longer than the life of a little blue pill, otherwise my holdings in IEC, GOO, DNX & BLT are gonna take a pounding. (Metaphorically speaking of course, 'cos when the blue pill runs out then........................I'll get my coat).

Interesting that oil shares pre-empted crude's recent fall, will their recent rise pre-empt it's rise?
The dollar is doing a superman impression this week, wonder when it's going to fall flat on it's face?

At londons close dow was 1% down, and then finished 2% down, so I can't see ftse holding out with this sort of movement.

Important results from RBS tomorrow, with 6.0bn w/o forecast, and I have seen a loss of between 1.0bn to 1.7bn predicted.

Interesting day ahead.

Good luck..................

Looks like the viagra has worn off big time ! despite a war in Georgia

strong performance by Dow but still really struggling to break through 11640/11650 ..... mind you, if it does, then could be like a cork from a bottle

Gold at key support 850 and presumably 150 eurodollar ditto. Difficult to work out if it is oil or dollar driven

gold is $ driven ..... strong $ = weak gold in simplistic terms

25 point loss on ftse today, I called it correct and went long this morning, but timing off because s/l out. It feels like we could have some short term gains with markets wanting to advance. So I'm a short term bull for a change.

DOW showing +70 start, so might be a reasonable afternoon.
Thought there might have been a friday afternoon/bank holiday selloff on the FTSE.

With this lot due out today, surprising that the DOW is only -3 at the moment:
2:00 PM GMT US Consumer Confidence (AUG)
2:00 PM GMT US Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index (AUG)
2:00 PM GMT US New Home Sales (JUL)
2:00 PM GMT US New Home Sales (MoM) (JUL)
2:00 PM GMT US House Price Index (MoM) (JUN)
2:00 PM GMT US House Price Index (QoQ) (2Q)
6:00 PM GMT US Federal Open Market Committee Meeting Minutes
9:00 PM GMT US ABC Consumer Confidence (AUG 24)

The dow did have a big down day on Friday at -241, but with all of the data today it could be a lively afternoon.

-241 was monday's drop on the DOW, as they were open while Britain was on holiday.
Currently -10, so maybe they are not too pessimistic about the home sales figures. Tricky call, imo, but I suspect the shorters will have the advantage.

my mistake I meant to write Monday.

Can't think why, but i am deeply suspicious of Mr Darling's prognostications that UK's recession is or will be worst for 60 years etc etc ...... certainly our own biz, which is usually one of the first to be hit in such times, is currently showing little or no effect ...... secondly, what are the odds that in about a year's time Mr Darling will be crowing that through Labour's skill, the worst of the recession has been avoided? ...... much shorter than EME coming home with the bacon is my guess!

He may be trying to drive down sterling to help exporters without actually cutting rates

sterling is already below rock bottom vs both $ and

Totally agree Rich, not sure that it will be any more than one or two quarters of negative growth - if that, certainly only a mild recession. Took other half shopping here in westcountry for her birthday last weekend, the shops were packed as were the pubs, no real signs of a slowdown here. Also just marketed a house on Monday this week, 3 viewings booked already, two for later today, so fingers crossed, but thats not exactly reminiscent of the early nineties when you were lucky to get a viewing in a month...

Number One Son, who is also a spiv like you (lol!), also reports that (better end)house sales in Yorkshire are still ticking along OK, even if prices have to be reduced a bit.

Pleased to be sidelined today.

Feels like one of those horrible ranging days, between 5500 and 5530 with no direction. May look again when the DOW opens.

BoE to pronounce today, hence lack of interest i suspect