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

certainly did not inspire me to jump for joy!

have been more prudent than i was last night and closed FTSE long with modest profit though still holding Dow long open ....... Wal-Mart and Home Depot figures today + September pending home sales ....... none of these are likely to be rosy, but will the market take them badly as is its wont of late?

Wal-Mart & Home Depot figures are already out on the Bloomberg site. They look reasonable, but that's all. As you say, be interesting to see how the DOW reacts to them. I also read this morning that the if DOW reacts negatively then that will have a direct impact on the price of the $ (weakening it) & subsequently strengthening Gold & other precious metals (I have a vested interest in platinum).
All seems very complicated!

thanks for that info .... had not picked up on it ..... Wall Steet indications are little moved, though good to see level back above 13000

Slightly better guidance on the figures on the home page of CNN, under heading"Stocks set to rebound
Futures higher as better-than-expected results from Wal-Mart outweigh earnings miss warning at Home Depot. "
DOW futures also up, so your long position on the DOW looks about right, imo.

it's marginally in the money, but certainly no momentum at the mo ..... i guess these housing figures will be perceived as more important

And FTSE should follow!

that is true, but did not want to be overexposed by having both positions open

Spot on, i myself have gone long FTSE.

interestingly, FTSE has yet to follow in the steps of Dow

DOW up 111 points. Are you holding on or closing, cynic?

holding

Good call. Now up 125 points.

and still holding - now +150 ...... hoping for another 100 points, though doubt if we shall see that tonight ...... will contemplate on whether to cut later in the evening

Be interesting what it does in the last hour

currently 13244 = +260 .... from memory, 13255 is a potential resistance so have put in trailing stop at 13195 ..... anyway, unless even if that gets stopped out, provided Dow does not fall away completely, strong opening on FTSE assuredly assured ..... on that basis, i also opened a FTSE long earlier at 6362

so much for that resistance! ..... Dow finished at about 13300 and have raised trailing stop to 12965 .... if it gets stopped out during the night, then so be it, but certainly a lot happier than i was 24 hours ago!

Happier!!!? Understatement methinks! You must be booking your next holiday on that result! :o)

Good call cynic!

thanks guys! ...... perhaps that prize ass scottinvestor should take note occasionally! ..... just for info ..... Dow long still open but trailing stop now raised to 13275; FTSE long doubled early this morning at 6427.5 ..... shall be monitoring both very closely as it is far from impossible that either market could boil over and i have no intention of allowing those profits to fritter away