Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 added 0.6% or 30.9 points to close at 5,368.4.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index advanced 0.6% or 5.7 points to 937.9.
• DJIA rose 0.7% or 75.9 points to close at 11,509.1. NASDAQ climbed 0.6% or 15.2 points to settle at 2,622.3. S&P 500 gained 0.6% or 6.9 points to end at 1,216.0.
• Japanese markets are closed on account of a public holiday.
• In Asia, crude oil for October delivery is trading 1.3% or $1.11 lower at $86.85 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.6% lower against the USD at $1.5703, trading 0.4% higher against the EUR at €1.1489, and 0.5% lower against the JPY at ¥120.715.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK spreads markets moved higher on Friday, driven by gains in banking sector stocks, amid optimism of positive results from the European Union Finance Ministers meeting in Poland.
• Satellite operator, Inmarsat, the top gainer on the FTSE 100 index, surged 6.9%, amid takeover speculation.
• Banking stocks, RBS and Barclays rose 2.3% and 3.4%, respectively, as investors kept economic worries on the back burner, in the wake of intervention by central banks to provide dollar liquidity into the European financial system.
• Commodities trader, Glencore International advanced 4.0%, after its Chief Executive, Ivan Glasenberg, bought shares worth £10 million.
• BG Group climbed 1.7%, amid speculation of a Chinese oil company being interested in its Brazilian business.
• Commercial Services provider, Intertek Group surged 2.1%, as JPMorgan upgraded the stock to “Overweight” from “Neutral”.
• FTSE 100 added 0.6% to 5,368.4. FTSE 250 rose 1.0% to 10,428.2.
• Inmarsat soared 6.9%, on optimism that private equity firms might consider an investment in the company.
• Barclays rallied 3.4%, as risk aversion decreased among investors.
• Randgold Resources rose 3.3%, tracking higher gold prices.
• ARM Holdings dropped 2.5%, after Goldman Sachs Group removed the stock from its “Conviction Buy” list. The stock also paced declines, after its US peer, Research In Motion, reported lower-than-expected second-quarter earnings.
• Kazakhmys declined 1.3%, as base metal prices declined.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

FX Futures Trading UK Market Review

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.6% lower against the USD at $1.5703, trading 0.4% higher against the EUR at €1.1489, and 0.5% lower against the JPY at ¥120.715.
• The EUR is trading 0.9% lower against the USD at $1.3667. The EUR is trading 0.8% lower against the JPY at ¥105.07.
• The EUR is trading lower against the USD and JPY, as European policy makers failed to introduce a plan to prevent the escalation of the region’s debt crisis, and after concerns about Greek default deepened.
• The AUD and NZD are trading lower against the USD, on fears that the European economy would stall, reducing demand for currencies linked to global growth.
• On Friday, the USD closed higher against the EUR, as report that Greece would not get the next loan disbursement on schedule, increased concerns of a slowdown in the European economy, decreasing the demand for high yielding assets.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.7% higher today, at $1,825.17 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery added $33.30, or 1.9%, to $1,814.70 per ounce on Friday, after Germany delayed approval of Europe’s bailout fund and Institute for International Finance floated an additional proposal involving emerging markets and the IMF to help Greece’s bond refinancing, forcing investors to purchase the precious metal as an alternative investment.
• In Asia, crude oil for October delivery is trading 1.3% or $1.11 lower at $86.85 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for October delivery declined 1.6% or $1.44 to settle at $87.96 per barrel, amid expectations of a decrease in energy demand, as investors remained concerned about the pace of global economic recovery.
• Crude oil prices also lost values, on news that production from the Sarir and Mesla oil fields in Libya are expected to reach 200,000 barrels per day by the end of September.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.