Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 advanced 2.4% or 125.9 to 5,394.5.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 2.9% to 967.1.
• DJIA edged up 0.5% or 53.6 points to settle at 11,613.5. NASDAQ added 0.1% or 3.4 points to close at 2,579.5. S&P 500 gained 0.5% or 6.0 points to end at 1,218.9.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.3% higher, at 9,068.8.
• In Asia, crude oil for October delivery is trading 0.3 % higher at $89.11 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.6235, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1296, and 0.2% higher against the JPY at ¥125.01.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed sharply higher yesterday, led by a rally in banking and mining sector stocks, after minutes from the recent FOMC meeting showed that some policy members voted for additional stimulus measures to stoke the US economy. Additionally, better-than-expected rise in factory orders in the US boosted market sentiments further.
• Banking stocks, RBS, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group, added between 2.7% and 4.9%, as risk aversion decreased among investors.
• Miners, BHP Billiton, Antofagasta and Rio Tinto rallied between 3.1% and 5.2%, tracking higher base metal prices.
• Smith & Nephew soared 4.9%, amid takeover speculation.
• Wolseley climbed 5.0%, after Jefferies International upgraded the stock to “Buy” from “Hold”.
• FTSE 100 advanced 2.4% or 125.9 to 5,394.5. FTSE 250 rose 2.8 % or 282.8 point to 10,525.9.
• Hargreaves Lansdown soared 6.1%, ahead of its full-year results.
• Glencore International rallied 5.5%, in-line with a rise in commodity prices.
• Smiths Group surged 5.3%, after US factory report showed an increase in orders for civilian planes and car parts.
• Petrofac climbed 5.3%, after the company won two North Sea contracts by the UK arm of GDF Suez.
• Miners, Antofagasta, Xstrata and Vedanta resources, advanced between 5.1% and 5.2%, tracking gains in base metal prices.
• Fresnillo rallied 5.1%, tracking higher silver prices.
• British Land fell 0.9%, after Morgan Stanley cut its recommendation on the stock to “Underweight” from “Overweight”.
• Vodafone slipped 0.9%, after the US Department of Justice stated that it might block AT&T’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA.
• Essar Energy slid 0.8%, tracking a fall in crude oil 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 $1.6235, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1296, and 0.2% higher against the JPY at ¥125.01.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.4373.
• The EUR is trading 0.4% higher against the JPY ¥110.52, as Chinese manufacturing activity showed an increase in August and Asian stocks rallied for a sixth consecutive day, reducing the demand for JPY as a safe haven currency.
• The AUD traded higher against the JPY, after a report showed that Australia’s retail sales surpassed market expectations, boosting confidence that Australian Reserve Bank would not lower interest rates further.
• The NZD traded higher against the JPY, after Asian equity markets rose, boosting demand for higher-yielding assets.
• Yesterday, the USD closed higher against the EUR, after the US commerce Department reported that national factory orders rose 2.4% in July, and Chicago-area PMI data surpassed market expectations. The EUR also declined amid reports that the Euro-zone governments might charge countries that seek collateral for a new bailout for Greece.
• The CHF ended higher against all major peers, as the Swiss National Bank refrained from announcing new steps to curb gains in the currency.
• The CAD ended lower against the USD, following report that showed the Canadian economy unexpectedly shrank in the second quarter and amid speculation that a slowdown in US would decrease exports of the country.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.1% lower today, at $1,824.95 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery rose 0.1% or $1.90 to $1,831.70 per ounce yesterday, on speculation that the US Federal Reserve would take additional measures to spur economic growth.
• Gold paced gains after People’s Bank of China advised that the country should increase its holdings of gold.
• In Asia, crude oil for October delivery is trading 0.3 % higher at $89.11 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for October delivery declined 0.1% or $0.09 to settle at $88.81 per barrel, amid demand concerns, after the US Energy Department reported an increase in crude oil inventories by 5.28 million barrels to 357.1 million.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.