08:35am ~  I am around the house all day today, so I will report back later if I have any trading related stories.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen spooked the global markets last night during her first press conference after taking charge, by saying under pressure of insistent questioning that the Quantative Easing Programme  could end towards the end of the year and interest rates could rise 6 months after that. This means, like the Bank of England Governor, she’s abandoned a link between interest rates an the unemployment rate. That the pace of tightening was a bit of a surprise to the markets and equities tumbled with the Dow Jones losing 117 points to 16,211 after a roller coaster ride in the last part of the U.S. trading session.

WTI crude prices gained 55 cents to close at just over $99 a barrel on news that stockpiles at Cushing, Oklahoma the delivery point for the contract dropped again. The US Department of Energy said the overall inventories rose 5.85 million barrels to nearly 376 million barrels.

10:15am  ~  I’ve been watching my charts for an hour or so but nothing much happening so I am off with some friends for a cycle ride for a couple of hours  followed by some lunch.

19:40pm  ~  Just got back home after a meeting with builders. Due to the time difference between us and the U.S. at the moment, their trading session is going to end soon so no trading for me this evening.