Spread Trading Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 dropped 1.1% or 64.0 points to close at 5,990.6.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index dropped 0.8% to 1,114.4.
• Dow Jones edged down 0.5% or 62.3 points to settle at 12,657.2. NASDAQ lost 0.4% or 12.9 points to close at 2,859.8. S&P 500 shed 0.7% or 9.4 points to 1,343.8.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.7% lower, at 10,070.8.
• In Asia, crude oil for August delivery is trading 34 cents lower at $ 95.86 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.6025, slightly lower against the EUR at €1.1278 and 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥129.41.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread trading on indices.

UK Spread Trading Markets

• UK markets closed lower on Friday, with the FTSE 100 index closing below the psychologically important level of 6,000, after the US economy added fewer jobs in June than market expectations, raising concerns over the pace of the economic recovery.
• Miners, Antofagasta, Kazakhmys and Rio Tinto, dropped between 2.0% and 4.5%, in line with a fall in base metal prices.
• Oil producers, Essar Energy, BG Group and Royal Dutch Shell - B, lost between 0.6% and 4.0%, as crude oil prices slipped.
• Banks, Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC, declined between 1.0% and 3.5%, as risk appetite decreased among investors.
• British Sky Broadcasting dipped 7.6%, after the UK government indicated that it would not give quick approval to News Corp’s takeover bid.
• FTSE 100 dropped 1.1% or 64.0 points to 5,990.6. FTSE 250 fell 0.8% or 93.6 points to 12,074.3.
• British Sky Broadcasting Group slid 7.6%, after News Corp. stated that it would shut down its UK tabloid, ‘News of the World’ in the wake of a phone-hacking scandal.
• Miners, Antofagasta, Vedanta Resource and ENRC, lost between 3.3% and 4.5%, tracking lower base metal prices.
• Essar Energy dropped 4.0%, as crude for August delivery declined 2.5% to $96.20 per barrel.
• Associated British Foods and Marks & Spencer gained 1.7% and 0.6% respectively, ahead of their trading updates this week.
• Tobacco stocks, British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco, added 0.8% and 0.7% respectively, as decreasing risk appetite prompted investors to purchase defensive assets.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread trading on UK shares.

Forex Spread Trading Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.6025, slightly lower against the EUR at €1.1278 and 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥129.41.
• The EUR / USD is trading marginally lower at $1.4208.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥114.74.
• Malaysia’s ringgit and South Korea’s won are trading lower against the USD, as signs of slowing global economic recovery dimmed the outlook for regional exports and dampened demand for emerging-market assets.
• The AUD is trading lower against the USD, on speculation that China, its largest trading partner, would increase efforts to tame inflation.
• On Friday, the EUR ended lower against the USD, as political turmoil surrounding Italy’s finance minister sent that country’s bond yields up sharply, raising worries about Italy getting sucked into Europe’s debt crisis.
• The USD ended lower against the JPY, after the US Labour Department stated that the US economy added 18,000 jobs in June, much fewer than market expected, and after the unemployment rate rose to 9.2% in June.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread trading.

Commodities Spread Trading Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading marginally lower today, at $1544.05 per ounce.
• Gold prices for August delivery gained 0.7% or $11 to $1,541.60 per ounce on Friday, as investors’ mounting concerns over the pace of the economic recovery spurred investment in the precious metal as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for August delivery is trading 34 cents lower at $ 95.86 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for August delivery closed 2.5% or $2.47 lower at $96.20 per barrel, amid worries over future oil demand, as dismal US jobs data reignited concerns over the pace of the economic recovery.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread trading.