Financial Spread Betting Market Review

• FTSE 100 dropped 1.6% or 90.5 points to 5,765.8.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index fell 1.4% to close at 1,089.6.
• DJIA edged down 1.4% or 172.5 points to 11,951.9. NASDAQ shed 1.5% or 41.1 points to 2,643.7. S&P 500 lost 1.4% or 18.0 points to 1,271.0.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.8% lower, at 9,439.2.
• In Asia, crude oil for July delivery is trading 41 cents lower at $98.88 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading slightly higher against the USD at $1.6234, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1313 and 0.2% higher against the JPY at ¥130.67.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets slid on Friday, with the FTSE 100 index witnessing its third consecutive weekly decline, as miners, oil producers and retailers recorded losses.
• Miners, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata, fell between 1.9% and 2.3%, as base metal prices eased.
• Precious metal miners, Fresnillo, Lonmin and Randgold Resources, lost between 0.9% and 5.4%, as silver, platinum and gold prices fell.
• Oil producers, Petrofac, Tullow Oil and Cairn Energy, declined between 2.0% and 2.8%, as oil prices suffered a sell off.
• Home Retail Group, down 5.2%, led retailers lower, after the company warned of warning of very dismal electronics sales.
• Adding to the negative sentiment for UK shares, UK manufacturing fell more-than-expected in April.
• FTSE 100 dropped 1.5% or 90.5 points to 5,765.8. FTSE 250 eased 1.1% or 125.6 points to 11,786.0.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading slightly higher against the USD at $1.6234, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1313 and 0.2% higher against the JPY at ¥130.67.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.4344.
• The EUR is trading 0.3% higher against the JPY at ¥115.5.
• The JPY is trading lower against the major currencies, amid speculation that the Bank of Japan would launch more stimulus measures to support economic growth.
• The NZD is trading lower against the USD, after an earthquake, measuring a magnitude 5.2, struck near Christchurch, New Zealand.
• On Friday, the EUR ended lower against major currencies, amid mounting tensions between the European Central Bank and Germany regarding how to handle the Greek debt crisis.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.1% higher today, at $1531.88 per ounce.
• Gold prices for delivery lost 0.9% or $13.50 to $1,529.20 per ounce on Friday, as the dollar strengthened against most of the major currencies, denting the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for July delivery is trading 41 cents lower at $98.88 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for July delivery closed 2.6% or $2.64 lower, at $99.29 per barrel, on reports that Saudi Arabia would increase its oil supply next month.
• A strong dollar on the forex markets weighed on the crude oil price.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.