Spread Trading Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 tumbled 3.4% or 191.4 points to 5,393.1.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 3.4% to 992.7.
• DJIA slumped 4.3% or 512.8 points to settle at 11,383.7. NASDAQ sank 5.1% or 136.7 points to close at 2,556.4. S&P 500 plunged 4.8% or 60.3 points to 1,200.1.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 3.5% lower, at 9,316.4.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading 80 cents lower at $85.83 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.2% higher against the USD at $1.6268, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1527 and 0.4% lower against the JPY at ¥127.94.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread trading on indices.

UK Spread Trading Markets

• UK markets dipped sharply yesterday, with the FTSE 100 index falling to the lowest eleven-month closing level, as lingering worries over global economic recovery and dismal earning updates dampened market sentiments.
• Among banks, Lloyds Banking Group tumbled 10.2%, after the company posted its first-half net loss of £2.3 billion, while Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC, declined between 2.6% and 7.8%, as risk aversion increased among investors.
• Miners, Vedanta Resources, ENRC and BHP Billiton, dropped between 5.1% and 9.4%, in line with a fall in base metal prices, while Rio Tinto sank 5.4%, after the company reported that its first-half profit missed market expectations.
• Oil producers, Cairn Energy, Royal Dutch Shell and BP, lost between 2.9% and 7.3%, as crude oil prices plunged. FTSE 100 tumbled 3.4% to 5,393.1. FTSE 250 dropped 3.9% to 10,570.6.
• Inmarsat plunged 19.3%, after the company cut growth forecasts for its mobile satellite services business.
• Lloyds Banking Group tumbled 10.2%, after the company posted its first-half net loss of £2.3 billion, which was much higher than market expectations.
• Miners, Vedanta Resource, Xstrata and ENRC, dropped between 8.0% and 9.4%, as copper for September delivery fell 2.1% to $4.23 per pound.
• Randgold Resources jumped 6.6%, as gold prices traded higher during the London session.
• Unilever gained 2.7%, after the company reported its first-half net income of €2.2 billion.
• Imperial Tobacco rose 1.3%, as investor opted for defensive stocks.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread trading on UK shares.

Forex Spread Trading Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.2% higher against the USD at $1.6268, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1527 and 0.4% lower against the JPY at ¥127.94.
• The EUR is trading 0.2% higher against the USD at $1.4108.
• The EUR is trading 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥110.94, as most Asian equity markets traded lower, decreasing the demand for high yielding assets.
• The AUD is trading higher against the USD, after the Reserve Bank of Australia raised the outlook for inflation to 3.50% from a previous prediction of 3.25%.
• Yesterday, the GBP ended lower against the USD, as the Bank of England kept its main interest rate at a record low to support economic growth.
• The EUR ended lower against the USD, after European Central Bank (ECB) President Jean-Claude Trichet stated that the ECB would offer banks more cash amid concerns of an escalation in debt crisis.
• The JPY ended lower against the USD, after the Japanese government intervened in the foreign-exchange markets to curb the yen’s strength. The Bank of Japan also stepped up its monetary easing measures.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread trading.

Commodities Spread Trading Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.6% higher today, at $1,652.13 per ounce.
• Gold prices for December delivery fell 0.4% or $7.30 to $1,659.00 per ounce yesterday, as investor decided to book some profit following recent session gains. However, gold prices traded initially higher, as intensifying concerns over Eurozone debt crisis spurred investment in the precious metal as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading 80 cents lower at $85.83 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for September delivery tumbled 5.8% or $5.30 to $86.63 per barrel, tracking a sharp decline in equity markets.
• Oil prices fell as the dollar rose against the major currencies, decreasing the demand for the commodities as an alternative investment.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread trading.