Financial Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 gained 0.8% or 46.1 points to 5,899.9.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index gained 1.1% to 1,103.1.
• DJIA edged up 1.2% or 152.5 points to 12,724.4. NASDAQ advanced 0.7% or 20.2 points to close at 2,834.4. S&P 500 rose 1.4% or 18.0 points to 1,343.8.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.8% higher, at 10,093.2.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading 29 cents higher at $99.42 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.6310, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1336 and marginally lower against the JPY at ¥128.19.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Financial Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed higher yesterday, as reports that European leaders have agreed on a new aid package for Greece eased concerns over European debt crisis.
• Banks, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC, climbed between 0.5% and 7.8%, as risk appetite increased among investors.
• Insurers, Aviva, Old Mutual and RSA Insurance, advanced between 1.4% and 4.2%, in line with a rise in equity market.
• Oil producers, Essar Energy, Tullow Oil and BG Group paced gains, tracking higher crude oil prices.
• Among other stocks, AstraZeneca climbed 2.0%, after its heart drug Brilinta gained approval from US regulators, while Kingfisher jumped 5.6%, following the company’s positive updates.
• Gains for UK indices were restricted by losses in miners, following a report that China’s manufacturing PMI dropped to a 28-month low.
• FTSE 100 gained 0.8% to 5,899.9. FTSE 250 rose marginally to 11,706.7.
• Kingfisher climbed 5.6%, after the company stated that sales growth in its French business nullified trading conditions that had been expected to be tougher in the second quarter.
• Aviva jumped 4.2%, amid speculation that the company may be a takeover target.
• ARM Holdings lost 1.6%, as Nomura downgraded its rating on US peer, Intel Corp to ‘Reduce”.
• Capita Group declined 1.6%, as Evolution Securities downgraded the stock to “Neutral” from “Buy”.
• Miners, Xstrata and Rio Tinto declined 1.1% and 1.0% respectively, as copper for September delivery contract fell 1.2% to $4.38 per pound.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Financial Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.6310, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1336 and marginally lower against the JPY at ¥128.19.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.4387, amid speculation that German business confidence would decline to the lowest level in eight months in July. The USD also found support from reports that the White House was close to inking a deal with House Republicans to boost the US debt ceiling and reduce deficits by about $3 trillion over 10 years without immediate revenue increases.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥113.08.
• The AUD is trading higher against the USD and JPY, after a government report showed that Australia’s import and export prices unexpectedly rose in the second quarter.
• The WON is trading higher against the USD, as easing concerns over the Eurozone debt crisis spurred investors’ interest in emerging-market assets.
• Yesterday, the EUR rallied against the USD, after European Union leaders agreed to a new $157 billion bailout plan for Greece and reiterated their commitment to contain the Eurozone debt crisis.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Financial Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.3% higher today, at $1,590.25 per ounce.
• Gold prices for August delivery declined 0.6% or $9.90 to $1,587.00 per ounce yesterday, as easing concerns over Europe’s sovereign debt crisis decreased the demand for the precious metal as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading 29 cents higher at $99.42 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for September delivery closed 0.7% or 73 cents higher at $99.13 per barrel. This came amid expectation of an increase in oil demand, following some positive US economic data and hopes of a solution to the Eurozone debt crisis which shows signs of global economic recovery.
• Oil prices rose, after the International Energy Agency stated that it would not extend a release of oil supplies.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.