Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 shed 1.3% or 68.4 points to close at 5,128.5.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 1.1% or 9.9 points to 923.4.
• DJIA slumped 2.2% or 240.6 points to close at 10,913.4. NASDAQ tumbled 2.6% or 65.4 points to settle at 2,415.4. S&P 500 shed 2.5% or 29.0 points to end at 1,131.4.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 2.6% lower, at 8,470.6.
• In Asia, crude oil for November delivery is trading 1.4% or $1.08 lower at $78.12 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.3% lower against the USD at $1.5531, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1655, and 0.4% lower against the JPY at ¥119.54.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK financial spread betting markets closed sharply lower on Friday, as flat Chinese PMI data and larger than expected fall in Germany’s retail sales weighed heavily on investor sentiment.
• Intertek, the top laggard on the FTSE 100 index, slumped 9.5%, after UBS downgraded its ratings on the stock to “Sell” from “Neutral” and also included it in its “least preferred” list of industrial stocks.
• Standard Chartered, Lloyds Banking and Royal Bank of Scotland, retreated between 4.1% and 5.2%, tracking a decline in their European peers.
• Barclays fell 4.6%, as its Japanese unit faced a 10-day trading suspension on some operations, on allegations of violating short-selling rules.
• BP slipped 0.8 %, amid report that its plan to sell a stake in Argentina-based Pan American Energy, was on the verge of collapse due to opposition from Argentinean politicians.
• FTSE 100 shed 1.3% to close at 5,128.5, while FTSE 250 lost 1.7% to 9,819.4.
• Randgold resources rose 2.6% tracking higher gold prices.
• Intertek Group tumbled 9.5%, after UBS cut its recommendation on the stock to “Sell” and removed the stock from its list of potential bid targets.
• Standard Chartered slumped 5.2%, after UBS trimmed its earnings estimate on the stock.
• Kazakhmys plummeted 4.9%, as copper prices declined.
• Barclays fell 4.6%, as its Japanese unit faced a 10-day trading suspension on some operations on allegations of violating short-selling rules.
• WPP sank 4.5%, after Natixis downgraded the stock to “Reduce” from “Neutral”.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.3% lower against the USD at $1.5531, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1655, and 0.4% lower against the JPY at ¥119.54.
• The EUR is trading 0.5% lower against the USD at $1.3325.
• The EUR is trading 0.5% lower against the JPY at ¥102.56.
• The EUR is trading lower against the USD, ahead of European finance ministers meeting today to weigh the threat of a default in Greece and to pressurize the country to implement the agreed structural reforms to qualify for an international bailout package.
• The JPY is trading higher against the USD, as most Asian equity markets traded lower, increasing the demand for safe haven assets.
• NZD is trading lower against the USD after Standard & Poor’s joined Fitch Ratings in cutting the nation’s credit ratings.
• On Friday, the EUR closed lower against the USD and JPY, amid concerns that European policy makers would take more time to announce measures to prevent the escalation of region’s sovereign debt crisis. In addition, data showed that German retail sales fell by more-than-expected and US consumer spending slowed in August.
• The CAD ended lower against the USD, on fears that slowdown in the global economy would lead to a decrease in exports and revenue of the country.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.4% higher today, at $1,629.95 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery rose 0.3% or $5.0, to settle at $1,622.30 per ounce on Friday, as lingering concerns about global economic recovery spurred purchase of the precious metal as an alternative investment.
• Gold prices rose after being helped by bargain hunting from investors.
• In Asia, crude oil for November delivery is trading 1.4% or $1.08 lower at $78.12 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for November delivery fell 3.6% or $2.94 to end at $79.20 per barrel, amid speculation that a slowdown in the global economy would curb energy demand. This came after data showed that China’s manufacturing activity contracted in September and inflation in the Euro area increased.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.