Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 jumped 4.0% or 204.7 points, to close at 5,294.1.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index gained 4.6% or 40.8 points to end at 938.4.
• DJIA advanced 1.3% or 146.8 points to close at 11,190.7. NASDAQ gained 1.2% or 30.1 points to settle at 2,546.83. S&P 500 rose 1.1% or 12.4 points to end at 1,175.4.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.1% higher, at 8,620.3.
• In Asia, crude oil for November delivery is trading 1.6% or $1.32 lower at $83.10 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.5635, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1515, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥119.64.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK spread betting markets closed sharply higher yesterday, led by a boost in commodity and banking stocks, amid hopes that policy makers would act collectively to keep European debt crisis at bay.
• Vedanta Resources, the top gainer on the FTSE 100 index, surged 11.8%, after it received consent of ONGC to acquire Cairn India.
• ENRC, Kazakhmys, Xstrata and Antofagasta rallied between 8.9% and 10.7%, tracking a rise in base metal prices.
• Precious metal miners, Randgold Resources and Fresnillo climbed 5.1% and 10.3%, respectively, as gold and silver prices rose.
• Banking stocks extended previous session gains, with Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays climbing 6.1% and 8.0%, respectively, amid easing European debt worries.
• Insurers, Aviva and Prudential gained 4.5% and 4.9%, respectively, amid hopes of a surge in their asset base.
• FTSE 100 jumped 4.0% to 5,294.1. FTSE 250 climbed 2.9% to settle at 10,127.1.
• Miners, Vedanta Resources, Xstrata and Rio Tinto, soared between 7.8% and 11.8%, in line with a rise in base metal prices. Vedanta also rose, as it received approval of ONGC to acquire Cairn India.
• Fresnillo rallied 10.3%, following higher silver prices.
• Essar Energy surged 10.2%, tracking a rise in crude oil prices.
• Barclays jumped 8.0%, as risk appetite increased among investors, on hopes that European policy makers would recapitalise the region’s weakest lenders.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.5635, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1515, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥119.64.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.3578. The currency is trading 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥103.90.
• The EUR is trading lower against the USD and JPY, amid speculation that consumer confidence in Europe might slip to a two-year low in September. This also came after Royal Bank of Scotland Group slashed its forecast for the EUR, citing a possible interest-rate cut.
• The JPY is trading higher against its major peers amid speculation that Japan’s exporters would send home their overseas earnings before the end of this quarter.
• Yesterday, the EUR closed higher against the USD and JPY, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged that her nation would help Greece meet the terms of its bailout agreement. This also came after Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou won support in parliament for an expansion to the region’s rescue fund, increasing demand for riskier assets.
• The CHF ended lower against the USD and JPY, after Switzerland’s consumption indicator showed that consumer demand dropped to the lowest in almost two years in August, adding to signs the economy was stalling.
• The AUD and NZD closed higher against the USD, as higher commodity prices increased the demand for the commodity linked currencies.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Trading UK News

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.1% lower today, at $1,641.26 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery climbed 3.6% or $57.70 to end at $1,652.50 per ounce yesterday. This came as the dollar weakened against the euro, increasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• Gold gained value after US consumer confidence rose less-than-expected, increasing the demand for gold as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for November delivery is trading 1.6% or $1.32 lower at $83.10 per barrel.
• Yesterday, Crude Oil for November delivery rallied 5.3% or $4.21 to settle at $84.45 per barrel. This came amid expectation of increase in energy demand, on hopes that European law makers would provide measures to resolve the region’s sovereign-debt crisis.
• Crude oil traded higher as the dollar lost value against the euro, increasing the demand for the commodities as an alternative investment.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.