Trading Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 dropped 1.0% or 58.0 points to 5,815.2.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 0.7% to 1,082.1.
• DJIA fell 0.8% or 96.9 points to 12,143.2. NASDAQ edged down 0.4% or 9.9 points to close at 2,756.4. S&P 500 slid 0.7% or 8.4 points to 1,292.3.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 2.0% higher, at 10,033.8.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading $1.29 higher at $96.99 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.6445, 0.2% higher against the EUR at €1.1434 and 1.2% higher against the JPY at ¥127.63.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

Trading UK Markets

• UK markets closed lower on Friday, as ongoing worries over Eurozone and US debt crisis coupled with a less-than-expected expansion in the US economy for the second quarter dampened market sentiments.
• Banks, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland, dropped between 1.6% and 3.7%, as risk aversion increased among investors.
• Insurers, Resolution, Standard Life and Aviva paced declines, in line with a fall in equity markets.
• Miners, Anglo American, Xstrata and Antofagasta, lost between 0.4% and 3.3%, as base metal prices fell.
• Oil producers, BG Group, Royal Dutch Shell and Cairn Energy, declined between 1.0% and 1.9%, tracking lower crude oil prices.
• BAE Systems fell 0.9%, after Exane BNP Paribas downgraded the stock to “Neutral” from “Outperform”.
• FTSE 100 dropped 1.0% or 58.0 points to 5,815.2. FTSE 250 fell 0.6% or 63.5 points to 11,552.1.
• Lloyds Banking Group slipped 3.7%, after RBS downgraded the stock to “Hold” from “Buy”.
• Anglo American dropped 3.3%, after the company reported its earnings updates that missed market expectations.
• Vodafone climbed 4.0%, after the company stated that it would pass on $3.3 billion to shareholders out of a long-awaited dividend from its stake in Verizon Wireless.
• Pearson gained 3.1%, after the company raised its 2011 profit outlook, citing momentum in its digital businesses and in developing markets.
• Fresnillo advanced 2.2%, as silver for September delivery added 0.8% to $40.11 per ounce.
• International Consolidated Airlines gained 2.0%, after the company posted better-than-expected second-quarter operating profit.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Trading Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.6445, 0.2% higher against the EUR at €1.1434 and 1.2% higher against the JPY at ¥127.63.
• The EUR / USD spread betting pair is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.4382.
• The EUR is trading 1.0% higher against the JPY at ¥111.63, as most Asian equity markets traded higher, increasing the demand for high yielding assets.
• The USD is trading higher against the JPY and Swiss franc, after US President Barack Obama announced Sunday night that Congressional leaders had reached agreement on a framework deal that would cut spending and increase the federal debt ceiling.
• The AUD and NZD are trading higher against the USD, after a report showed that China’s Purchasing Managers’ Index slipped by a smaller-than-expected margin in July.
• On Friday, the USD ended lower against the most of major currencies, after a report showed that the US economy grew less-than-forecasted in the second quarter. The US Commerce Department reported that US gross domestic product expanded at a 1.3% annual rate in the second quarter that missed market expectations of 1.6%.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Trading Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.8% lower today, at $1,613.20 per ounce.
• Gold prices for December delivery added 0.9% or $15 to $1,631.20 per ounce on Friday. This was due to a lack of resolution in the US debt ceiling talks and dismal US economic data forced investors to purchase the precious metal as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading $1.29 higher at $96.99 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for September delivery closed 1.8% or $1.74 lower at $95.70 per barrel, amid worries over future oil demand. This came after a report showed that the US economy expanded less-than-expected in the second quarter and US House leaders postponed a vote on the US debt plan.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.