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 still can't believe that the markets know that QE is going to come to an end at some point, yet they still fear it and seem unable to build it into their investment strategies. They have had plenty of advanced warning and time to adjust their positions accordingly......but they still don't like it! It seems markets are only forward looking when it suits them.

I suppose the big problem with investment vechicles and their managers is that they have to pay yields as well as a build on the capital invested with them. That has typically meant exiting bonds and cash where interest rates are super low in favour of equities driving indicies higher. No one wants to sell out of equities for cash too early and miss a dividend reducing a funds payable yield... Even when tappering does occur it will take time before the effects filter through into corporates earnings, reduce yield and force fund mangers to shift investments, the capital flight however is a different story.

6632.8 short, average 6598.

Short @6,642.8

Short 6648.8 now averaging 6611.4 with 4 bets.

6648.8 closed at 6606.8 +42, three bets averaging 6598.9

I managed to close half @6,605 now wish I'd closed it all - what a mad few seconds!

Gold on a mission.

I debated the same Skinny, quite alot going ex div today also

Shortie - that was calculated last night - you must have picked up the tab on your short!

My closing was not one for the purist - more blind panic.

6632.8 closed at 6618.5 +14.3, two bet remaining average 6582.0.

Note the gold chart, a bit more and I think I might start buying.

I did pay a dividend and also a small over night fee last night yes. £2.22 in the pound the divi worked out at, ok I'm going mad, thought there was another one due tonight so didn't want to leave too much overnight.

I know the feeling - in that made fall just before the close, I unintentionally closed the trading platform instead of changing tabs!

I'll get me coat!

I've crystalised 82 pts today profit, verses unrealised losses of 70 pts on the FTSE. Hopefully sailing will be a tad easier tomorrow.

LOL post 12673, I've done that a few times myself, and I've opened a Wall St bet when I wanted a DAX bet before... Oh well its all good fun.

market could be fun from 19:00 - but i'll be out for dinner, so will miss the likely whizz-bang

cynic more like a damp squib!

the amis will almost certainly over-react regardless - its innate

cynic there may be an attempt to create volatility but it should die down fairly quickly as we are now in the holiday season.

Tell that to whoevers been buying Facebook stock, plenty of volatility at the moment I think.