Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 lost 0.4% or 20.8 points to close at 5,196.8.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index advanced 0.6% or 6.0 points to 933.3.
• DJIA gained 1.3% or 143.1 points to close at 11,154.0. NASDAQ slipped 0.4% or 10.8 points to settle at 2,480.8. S&P 500 advanced 0.8% or 9.3 points to end at 1,160.4.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.4% lower, at 8,669.3.
• In Asia, crude oil for November delivery is trading 0.6% or 51 cents higher at $82.65 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5592, 0.3% higher against the EUR at €1.1513, and 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥119.43.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK financial spread betting markets closed lower yesterday, as a drop in commodity sector stocks overshadowed German support for a bigger Eurozone bailout fund and upbeat US economic data.
• Mining stocks, Rio Tinto, Vedanta Resource, Antofagasta, Xstrata and Fresnillo declined between 3.0% and 4.5%, as metal prices lost ground. Furthermore, a downgrade to “Neutral” from “Buy” at Goldman Sachs also weighed on Antofagasta.
• Hedge fund manager, Man Group lost 2.2%, as RBS and Macquarie, both cut their ratings on the stock.
• Retailer, Burberry, the top loser on the FTSE 100 index, slipped 8.3%, as Citigroup trimmed 2012 growth forecast of the Chinese economy.
• UK banking stocks bucked the negative trend, with Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Chartered rising between 1.0% and 2.7%, amid improvement in market sentiment.
• Tate & Lyle rose 2.9%, after it issued upbeat guidance for the rest of the year.
• FTSE 100 lost 0.4% or 20.8 points to close at 5,196.8. FTSE 250 shed 0.5% or 53.2 points to settle at 9,985.5.
• International Consolidated Airlines Group rose 3.8%, after the stock was rated “Overweight” in new coverage at JPMorgan Chase.
• Tate & Lyle added 2.9%, after its Chief Executive stated that an “encouraging start” to the financial year has carried on into the second quarter with “solid demand”.
• Insurers, Aviva and Standard Charter, climbed 2.9% and 2.7%, tracking a rise in their European peers.
• Burberry Group tumbled 8.3%, tracking a fall in its European peers.
• Miners, Xstrata, Antofagasta and Rio Tinto, dropped between 3.0% and 3.9%, amid fear that a slowdown in China’s economy could curb demand for base metals. Antofagasta also lost value, after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to “Neutral” from “Buy”.
• Aggreko lost 3.6%, amid speculation that its rival, APR Energy, had signed an agreement with Caterpillar and Ring Power.
• Lonmin fell 2.7%, following lower platinum prices.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5592, 0.3% higher against the EUR at €1.1513, and 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥119.43.
• The EUR is trading 0.4% lower against the USD at $1.3543. The currency is trading 0.6% lower against the JPY at ¥103.73.
• The JPY and USD are trading higher against the EUR, ahead of release of reports that might indicate US consumer spending slowed in August and retail sales in Germany decreased, boosting demand for safe haven currencies.
• The NZD is trading lower against the USD, after the Standard & Poor's Ratings Services and the Fitch rating both downgraded the New Zealand government’s debt rating.
• Yesterday, the EUR ended higher against the USD, as positive US economic data and the German parliament’s approval of a bigger European bailout fund for sovereign debt crisis, increased 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 0.3% higher today, at $1,629.16 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery settled 0.1% or 80 cents lower to end at $1,617.30 per ounce yesterday. This came as demand for the safe haven asset waned amid speculation that the global economy was recovering, following a drop in US initial jobless claims and better-than-expected GDP data. However, a fall in the dollar kept the losses in check.
• In Asia, crude oil for November delivery is trading 0.6% or 51 cents higher at $82.65 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for November delivery added 1.2% or 93 cents higher to finish at $82.14 per barrel, amid expectation of an increase in energy demand. This came as US weekly jobless claims dropped and GDP data came in better-than-expected, and after the German parliament voted in favour of increasing the size and flexibility of the Eurozone rescue fund.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.