Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 rallied 1.8% or 95.6 points to close at 5,399.0.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index climbed 1.7% or 16.3 points to 963.9.
• DJIA surged 3.0% to close at 11,433.2. NASDAQ gained 3.5% to settle at 2,566.1. S&P 500 rose 3.4% to end at 1,194.9.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.9% higher, at 8,772.7.
• In Asia, crude oil for November delivery is trading 0.1% or $0.12 higher at $85.29 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.2% lower against the USD at $1.5620, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1468, and 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥119.74.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed higher yesterday, as an agreement between the French and German leaders on support for the euro-zone boosted market sentiment.
• ARM Holdings surged 6.6% and emerged as the top gainer on the FTSE 100 index, as RBS reiterated its "Buy" rating on the stock.
• Among energy stocks, Royal Dutch Shell and BP added 2.5% and 2.9%, respectively, tracking higher crude oil prices.
• Petrofac rallied 4.4%, amid takeover speculation and as UniCredit advised a “Buy” on the stock.
• Kazakhmys gained 3.4%, after Morgan Stanley considered it as a preferred copper miner.
• ITV rose 1.2%, after a broker added the stock to its “Buy” list.
• Barclays gained 4.5%, as risk appetite improved among investors.
• FTSE 100 rallied 1.8% to close at 5,399.0, while FTSE 250 gained 1.8% to settle at 10,140.8.
• ARM Holdings soared 6.6%, after RBS reiterated its “Buy” rating on the stock.
• Old Mutual and Standard Chartered, rallied 5.1% and 4.4%, respectively, in line with the rise in equity markets.
• Essar Energy climbed 4.7%, tracking higher crude oil prices.
• Petrofac rose 4.4%, amid takeover speculation and as UniCredit advised a “Buy” on the stock.
• Banking stocks, Barclays and RBS, added 4.5% and 4.2%, respectively, as risk appetite increased among investors.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Futures Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.2% lower against the USD at $1.5620, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1468, and 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥119.74. This came following a report that an index of consumer sentiment about hiring prospects in the UK fell 1 point to minus 67 in August.
• The GBP is also trading lower against most other currencies amid speculation that UK industrial production had contracted for a second month in August.
• The EUR is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.3631.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥104.41.
• The USD/CHF spread betting market is trading lower ahead of the release of minutes of the Federal Reserve policy meeting in September.
• Yesterday, the EUR ended higher against the USD, after the French and German leaders assured to create a plan to recapitalize European banks and prevent the spread of the sovereign debt crisis.
• The AUD closed higher against the USD and the JPY, amid optimism that a report this week would show Australian employers added 10,000 jobs in September, after cutting 9,700 positions in August.
• The CHF closed higher against the USD and the JPY, as investors took advantage of recent weakness in the Swiss currency.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.4% higher today, at $1,680.09 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery added 2.1% or $35.0 to end at $1,670.80 per ounce yesterday. This came as the dollar weakened against the major currencies, increasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for November delivery is trading 0.1% or $0.12 higher at $85.29 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for November delivery advanced 2.9% or $2.43 to close at $85.41 per barrel. This came after German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged to support European banks, and announced an additional bailout package to resolve the debt crisis.
• Crude oil prices traded higher, as the dollar weakened against the euro, increasing the demand for the commodities as an alternative investment.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.