Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 declined marginally to 5,129.9.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 1.3% to 930.7.
• DJIA climbed 2.3% or 254.7 points to settle at 11,539.2. NASDAQ jumped 3.3% or 82.3 points to close at 2,562.1. S&P 500 gained 2.8% or 33.3 points to end at 1,210.1.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.5% higher, at 8,983.5.
• In Asia, crude oil for October delivery is trading 0.3 % higher at $87.52 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.6409, marginally higher against the EUR at €1.1296 and marginally lower against the JPY at ¥126.11.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets ended lower on Friday, led by losses in banking sector stocks, as investors remained concerned about the European sovereign debt crisis, after Greece warned that it might withdraw from a proposed bond-swap deal if private bondholders’ participation would be less than 90.0%.
• Banking stocks, RBS, Barclays and HSBC Holdings, declined between 1.8% and 5.2%, as risk appetite decreased among investors.
• Insurers, Prudential, Legal & General and Aviva, eased between 0.9% and 2.6%, in-line with a fall in equity markets.
• Investment stock, Resolution, dropped 1.5%, after Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock to “Hold” from “Buy”.
• Amec, fell 3.0%, after Societe Generale downgraded the stock to “Hold” from “Buy”.
• Losses for UK shares were restricted by gains in oil and mining sector stocks.
• FTSE 100 declined marginally to 5,129.9. FTSE 250 fell 0.2% or 24.3 point to 9,997.1.
• Banking stocks, RBS, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group, declined between 1.8% and 5.2%, as risk aversion increased among investors.
• Amec fell 3.0%, after Societe Generale cut its recommendation on the stock to “Hold” from “Buy”.
• Insurers, Prudential and Aviva, eased 2.6% and 2.3%, respectively, in line with a fall in equity markets.
• Fresnillo added 3.4%, tracking higher silver prices.
• Burberry gained 3.2%, after Barclays Capital upgraded the stock to “Overweight”.
• Admiral Group rose 3.1%, after Deutsche Bank raised its recommendation on the stock to “Buy” from “Hold”.
• Petrofac added 2.2%, tracking higher crude oil prices.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Trading Market Review

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.6409, marginally higher against the EUR at €1.1296 and marginally lower against the JPY at ¥126.11.
• The EUR is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.4521. The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the JPY ¥111.61.
• European Central Bank President, Jean-Claude Trichet, stated that policy makers are reviewing their assessment of inflation risks after growth in the Eurozone slowed.
• The CHF, JPY and USD traded lower against most other currencies, as upbeat US economic data eased concerns that the global economy would slip into another recession, reducing the demand for the safe haven currencies.
• The NZD traded higher against the USD, after the statistics agency stated that the home-building approvals jumped 13.0% in July from June.
• Yesterday, the EUR / USD ended higher as a rise in US personal income and spending eased investors’ concerns about the global economic recovery, strengthening demand for higher-yielding assets.
• The CHF weakened against the EUR, amid mounting speculation that the Swiss policy makers would introduce new measures to cap the currency’s gains.
• The JPY closed lower against higher-yielding currencies as Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who had overseen three currency-market interventions, was elected as Prime Minister.
• The CAD closed higher against the USD, as higher commodity prices increased the demand for the commodity linked currency.
• 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 $1,795.23 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery declined 0.3% or $5.70 to end at $1,791.60 per ounce yesterday, as demand for the safe haven asset waned amid hopes that the global economy would recover, as US consumer spending rebounded in July.
• In Asia, crude oil for October delivery is trading 0.3 % higher at $87.52 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for October delivery climbed 2.2% or $1.90 to settle at $87.27 per barrel, amid expectations of an increase in energy demand, after US Commerce Department reported a rise in personal income and spending in July.
• Crude oil prices gained, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke stated the economic growth would resume and the central bank had tools to stimulate the economy if required.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.