Check out the trades atm. Price just dropped in a few seconds from $15 straight to $14 and then back to $14.40 but price is still bouncing around like a whore in Bangkok
As trading decisions are largely based on opinions and thoughts of the traders themselves (and even more so than facts & figures), I doubt you will get many people here answering your questions. Well not those that know what their talking about anyway lol
Currently, mining hardly compensates. You are better off buying bitcoins directly.
Yea well trading is currently more appealing IMO. Lets say with good trading tactics you make an average profit of 0.5BTC or (at current price) $7/day. Thats equivalent of running a 630 MHash/s rig 24/7...