Financial Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 dropped 1.6% or 90.9 points to 5,752.8.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 1.7% or 18.9 points to 1,068.0.
• DJIA slid 0.8% or 94.6 points to 12,385.2. NASDAQ eased 0.9% or 24.7 points to 2,765.1. S&P 500 index closed 0.8% lower, at 1,305.4.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.8% lower, at 9,893.8.
• In Asia, crude oil for August delivery is trading 29 cents higher at $96.22 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.6077, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1383 and 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥127.15.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Financial Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed lower yesterday, with the FTSE 100 index declining for the third consecutive session, as lingering worries over Eurozone and US debt crisis dampened market sentiments.
• Banks, Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Chartered, dipped between 0.8% and 7.5%, as Friday’s stress tests failed to calm concerns that European banks have insufficient loss-absorbing funds.
• Insurers, Resolution, Prudential and RSA Insurance, also paced declines, along with a fall in equity markets.
• Miners, Vedanta Resources, Kazakhmys and Antofagasta, lost between 1.2% and 2.7%, tracking lower base metal prices.
• Oil producers, Cairn Energy, Tullow Oil and BP, declined between 0.7% and 4.1%, as crude oil prices slipped.
• FTSE 100 dropped 1.6% to 5,752.8. FTSE 250 fell 1.9% to 11,527.8.
• Engineering companies, GKN and IMI dropped 4.6% and 4.5% respectively, after their Swedish peer, Atlas Copco reported earning updates that missed market expectations.
• Man Group lost 4.2%, as the company decided to expose its portfolio to the estates of defunct US investment bank Lehman Brothers through funds managed by its subsidiary GLG Partners.
• Cairn Energy declined 4.1%, as crude oil for August delivery fell 1.4% to $95.93 per barrel.
• Fresnillo gained 2.1%, as silver for September delivery contract added 3.3% to $40.34 per ounce.
• Randgold Resources advanced 1.7%, as gold for August delivery rose 0.8% to $1,602.40 per ounce.
• British Sky Broadcasting added 0.6%, as UBS and Merrill Lynch reiterated their “Buy” ratings after the collapse of the News Corp bid.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Financial Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.6077, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1383 and 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥127.15.
• The EUR is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.4123, as ongoing worries over the Eurozone debt crisis dampened demand for high yielding assets.
• The EUR is trading slightly higher against the JPY at ¥111.69.
• The AUD is trading lower against the USD, after the Reserve Bank of Australia’s minutes of its July meeting revealed that policy makers had scope to extend a pause in interest-rate increases.
• Yesterday, the USD ended higher against major currencies, as persisting worries over Eurozone and US debt crisis spurred demand for safe haven asset.
• The CAD fell against the USD, as concerns that European leaders might fail to resolve the Eurozone debt crisis diminished demand for commodity linked currencies.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Financial Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.3% lower today, at $1,601.77 per ounce.
• Gold prices for August delivery advanced 0.8% or $12.30 to $1,602.40 per ounce yesterday
• Mounting concerns over the Eurozone debt crisis and the lack of agreement on raising the US debt ceiling spurred investment in the precious metal as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for August delivery is trading 29 cents higher at $96.22 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for August delivery closed 1.4% or $1.31 lower at $95.93 per barrel, on fears that the escalating Eurozone and US debt crisis could weigh on the future oil demand.
• Oil prices also fell, as the stronger dollar decreased the demand for the commodities as an alternative investment.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.