Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 retreated 2.4% or 125.7 points to settle at 5,214.7
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 2.6% or 24.1 points to 915.5.
• DJIA tumbled 2.7% or 303.7 points to close at 10,992.1. NASDAQ slumped 2.4% or 61.2 points to settle at 2,468.0. S&P 500 shed 2.7% or 31.7 points to end at 1,154.2.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 2.0% lower, at 8,560.9.
• In Asia, crude oil for October delivery is trading 1.2 % lower at $86.19 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.2 % lower against the USD at $1.5851, 0.3% higher against the EUR at €1.1662, and 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥122.84.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets retreated sharply on Friday, led by a sharp decline in financial sector stocks, as investors remained concerned over Europe's ability to resolve its debt crisis.
• Among financial stocks, Barclays, the top laggard on FTSE 100, declined 9.4%, while Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking shed 5.5% and 5.7%, respectively. This came as the London Inter Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) for dollar loans rose to the highest level since August 19, 2010 and ahead of the publication of the final recommendations from the UK’s Independent Commission on Banking on Monday.
• Car insurer, Admiral declined 4.2%, after the Ministry of Justice decided to impose a ban on referral fees that lawyers pay to insurance firms for information of potential personal injury claimants of accidents.
• Tullow Oil surged 15.2%, after the company reported a new oil discovery at its Zaedyus exploration well.
• FTSE 100 retreated 2.4% to 5,214.7, while FTSE 250 declined 2.1% to close at 10,151.4.
• Banking stocks, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and RBS, tumbled between 5.5% and 9.4%, amid increasing worries about the Eurozone debt crisis and ahead of the publication of the final recommendations from the UK’s Independent Commission on Banking on Monday.
• Miners, Vedanta Resources, Xstrata and Kazakhmys, slumped between 5.4% and 6.1%, tracking lower base metal prices.
• Tullow Oil surged 15.2%, after the company reported a new oil discovery at its Zaedyus exploration well.
• Precious metal stocks, Fresnillo and Randgold resources, advanced 0.1% and 0.4%, respectively, tracking higher silver and gold prices.
• British Sky Broadcasting rose 2.2%, after Goldman Sachs recommended the stock as a relatively safe investment in a crisis.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Currencies Trading UK Market Review

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.2 % lower against the USD at $1.5851, 0.3% higher against the EUR at €1.1662, and 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥122.84.
• The EUR is trading 0.5% lower against the USD at $1.3586.
• The EUR is trading 0.6% lower against the JPY ¥105.31.
• The EUR is trading lower against the USD and JPY, amid reports that Chancellor Angela Merkel is planning to shore up German banks in the event that Greece fails to meet the terms of its aid package and defaults.
• The AUD traded lower against the USD, amid concerns that Greece might default, decreasing the demand for high yielding assets.
• On Friday, the USD closed higher against the EUR, amid renewed fears that European policy makers are failing to contain the eurozone debt problems and following news that the German government might re-introduce a fund to recapitalize its banks if Greece defaults.
• The CAD ended lower against the USD, after Canadian labour productivity data showed that employers had unexpectedly cut jobs in August for the first time in five months.
• The CHF closed lower against the EUR and USD, after Swiss Economic Minister, Johann Schneider-Ammann, stated that the currency remained “massively overvalued” even after SNB imposed a ceiling.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.2% lower today, at $1,852.2 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery advanced 0.1% or $2.0 to settle at $1,859.50 per ounce on Friday. This came as renewed escalating worries about the Greek debt crisis and signs of slowing global economic growth spurred demand for the yellow metal as an alternative investment.
• In Asia, crude oil for October delivery is trading 1.2 % lower at $86.19 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude for October delivery declined 2.0% or $1.81 to $87.24 per barrel, amid worries over demand prospects. This came as concerns about the European sovereign debt crisis deepened following report that a German member of the European Central Bank had resigned over the institution’s bond-buying program.
• Crude oil lost value amid speculation that Libya might export a crude-oil cargo this month for the first time since March, as production resumes at Africa's biggest oil reserves.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.