Spread Trading Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 rallied 3.0% or 157.2 points to 5,320.0.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index gained 3.6% to 968.2.
• DJIA advanced 1.1% or 125.7 points to close at 11,269.0. NASDAQ edged up 0.6% or 15.3 points to settle at 2,508.0. S&P 500 added 0.5% or 6.2 points to 1,178.8.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.9% higher, at 9,045.0.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading 10 cents higher at $85.48 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.6281, 0.3% lower against the EUR at €1.1384 and 0.2% higher against the JPY at ¥125.07.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread trading on indices.

Spread Trading UK Markets

• UK markets closed higher on Friday, led by gains in banks, miners and oil producers, as strong US retail sales data and a short-selling ban by France, Italy, Spain and Belgium, eased concerns over the pace of the economic recovery.
• Banks, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC, climbed between 3.0% and 5.3%, as risk appetite improved among investors.
• Miners, Kazakhmys, Rio Tinto and ENRC, advanced between 1.3% and 6.3%, on the back of firm base metal prices.
• Kazakhmys also rose, after Arbuthnot Securities upgraded the stock to “Strong Buy” from “Buy”.
• Oil producers, Essar Energy, BG Group and Tullow Oil, gained between 1.2% and 6.3%, amid easing worries over demand outlook for crude oil.
• Kingfisher and Shire advanced 5.9% and 3.9% respectively, after UBS took a positive stance on both stocks.
• FTSE 100 rallied 3.0% or 157.2 points to 5,320.0. FTSE 250 gained 2.9% or 292.3 points to 10,432.0.
• Inmarsat jumped 9.7%, extending its Thursday’s gains, after Citigroup upgraded the stock to “Buy”.
• Weir Group climbed 6.5%, after Goldman Sachs Group added the stock to its “Directors of Research” focus list.
• Kazakhmys advanced 6.3%, after Arbuthnot Securities upgraded the stock to “Strong Buy” from “Buy” on valuation grounds.
• Essar Energy rose 6.3%, as Arden Partners started coverage on the stock with a “Buy” rating and price target of 470p.
• Kingfisher gained 5.9%, as UBS added the stock to its European Key Call list.
• Randgold Resources fell 0.2%, as gold for December delivery declined 0.5% to $1,742.60 per ounce.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread trading on UK shares.

Forex Futures Spread Trading Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.6281, 0.3% lower against the EUR at €1.1384 and 0.2% higher against the JPY at ¥125.07.
• The EUR is trading 0.4% higher against the USD at $1.4296.
• The EUR is trading 0.5% higher against the JPY at ¥109.82, as most Asian equity markets traded higher, increasing the demand for high yielding assets.
• The JPY is trading lower against the USD, amid speculation of further intervention by the Japanese authorities into currency markets to curb gains in the yen. The JPY also weakened, after a report showed that Japan’s economy contracted during the second quarter.
• On Friday, the USD ended lower against major currencies, after a report showed that an index of US consumer confidence fell much more-than-expected in August.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread trading.

Commodities Spread Trading Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.1% lower today, at $1,744.10 per ounce.
• Gold prices for December delivery declined 0.5% or $8.90 to $1,742.60 per ounce on Friday, as investors decided to book profits following a surge in gold prices earlier in the week.
• Gold prices fell, as upbeat US retail sales data dimmed the demand for gold as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading 10 cents higher at $85.48 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for September delivery closed 0.4% or 34 cents lower at $85.38 per barrel, amid worries over future oil demand, after a report showed that US consumer confidence plunged in August to the lowest level in 31 years.
• Crude oil futures traded higher after data revealed that US retail sales increased 0.5% in July, following a 0.3% rise in June.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread trading.