Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 added 0.1% or 7.7 points to 5,773.5.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index climbed 0.2% to 1,091.9.
• DJIA rose marginally to 11,953.0. NASDAQ slid 0.2% or 4.0 points to close at 2,639.7. S&P 500 gained 0.1% or 0.9 points to 1,271.8.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.0% higher, at 9,544.0.
• In Asia, crude oil for July delivery is trading 8 cents lower at $97.22 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.2% higher against the USD at $1.6401, 0.2% up against the EUR at €1.1373 and 0.2% stronger against the JPY at ¥131.52.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed mixed yesterday, as losses arising from negative corporate updates were offset by gains due to a pickup in merger & acquisition activity.
• Shares of ENRC jumped 4.7%, as the Sunday Times reported that Glencore may acquire the company.
• Invensys benefited from a Sunday Times report which pointed to a likelihood of sale of the company’s pension program for £4.2 billion that could make it a potential takeover target.
• Lloyds Banking Group, up 1.4%, led the banking sector higher, on reports of another 15,000 jobs cut at the bank, and speculation that Bank of China was mulling acquisition of branches which Lloyds has put up for sale.
• Gains for the FTSE 100 were restricted following profit warnings from Imperial Tobacco and Carnival.
• FTSE 100 added 0.1% or 7.7 points to 5,773.5. FTSE 250 edged down 0.1% or 6.6 points to 11,779.5.
• ENRC rallied 4.7%, as the Sunday Times cited the possibility of Glencore making a £12 billion ($19.5 billion) offer for the company.
• Kazakhmys climbed 2.2%, after securing a $1.5 billion loan facility to aid the growth of a major copper project at Aktogay in Kazakhstan. The stock also benefited from the company being a shareholder in ENRC.
• Lloyds Banking Group was up 1.4%, after the Sunday Telegraph reported that the bank may shed 15,000 jobs to attain its objective of £1 billion cost-saving.
• Aggreko fell 3.2%, amid news that Horizon Acquisition was acquiring its main competitor APR Energy. The stock also fell, as Numis Securities downgraded the stock to “Sell” from “Hold”.
• Antofagasta dropped 2.2%, as copper prices for July delivery eased 0.5% to $4.03 per pound.
• Carnival edged down 2.0%, after the company warned that Middle East unrest and Japan’s natural disasters would cost it around 15 cents per share in the second half of the year. The stock also fell, as the company added that higher fuel prices would cost a further five cents per share.
• Imperial Tobacco dropped 1.4%, as the company stated that its operating profits in Spain could fall short of its previous expectations by up to £110 million.
• Reckitt Benckiser eased 1.3%, as Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to “Equal-Weight” from “Overweight”, citing the ongoing management changes at the firm.
• Randgold Resources declined 1.1%, in line with a fall in gold prices.
• BP slipped 1.0%, as oil prices fell.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Market Review

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.2% higher against the USD at $1.6401, 0.2% up against the EUR at €1.1373 and 0.2% stronger against the JPY at ¥131.52.
• The EUR is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.4421.
• The EUR is trading slightly higher against the JPY at ¥115.65, as most Asian markets traded higher, increasing the demand for high yielding assets.
• The AUD and NZD are trading higher against the USD, amid expectations that positive Chinese economic reports would boost both nation’s exports.
• Yesterday, the GBP rose against the EUR, as disagreement among European leaders over finding a solution to the region’s debt crisis drove investors to seek UK assets.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.3% higher today, at $1519.27 per ounce.
• Gold prices for August delivery lost 0.9% or $13.60 to $1,515.60 per ounce yesterday, as some investors sold the precious metal to cover losses in equity markets.
• In Asia, crude oil for July delivery is trading 8 cents lower at $97.22 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for July delivery closed 2.0% or $1.99 lower at $97.30 per barrel, amid persisting doubts over the pace of the global economic recovery.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.