Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 edged down 0.3% to close at 5,444.8.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 0.3% or 2.6 points to 963.6.
• DJIA climbed 1.0% to close at 11,893.8. NASDAQ edged up 0.1% to settle at 2,625.2. S&P 500 gained 0.9% to end at 1,239.7.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.5% higher, at 8,542.9.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.4% or $0.38 higher at $98.16 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.5932, 0.2% lower against the EUR at €1.1690, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥123.54.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets dipped on Thursday, led by a decline in banking and mining sector stocks, amid a surge in French bond yields.
• Among mining stocks, Vedanta Resources, the top laggard on the FTSE 100 index, slumped 9.5%, after its first-half profit nosedived 92.0%.
• Rio Tinto and Antofagasta slipped 1.9% and 2.2%, respectively, tracking a fall in base metal prices.
• Randgold Resources dropped 4.0%, as gold prices lost ground. Admiral Group extended its losses, falling 7.6%, after Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock to “Hold” from “Buy”.
• Among banking stocks, HSBC continued its decline, sliding 1.9% in the wake of a sharp drop in its underlying profit.
• Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group lost 1.2% and 1.3%, respectively.
• Fund manager, Schroders retreated 2.6%, after its assets under management dropped 11.0% in the third quarter. Peer, Hargreaves Lansdown lost 2.6%.
• Engineering firm, Meggitt declined 4.3%, following a downgrade to “Neutral” from “Buy” at Citigroup.
• FTSE 100 edged down 0.3% to close at 5,444.8. FTSE 250 slid 0.8% to settle at 10,187.4.
• Experian rallied 5.4%, after a 20.0% rise in first-half earnings.
• WM Morrison rose 3.7%, after it reported a rise in its third-quarter sales.
• Cairn Energy advanced 1.7%, following higher crude oil prices.
• Anglo American added 1.3%, after it announced that it had completed the sale of 24.5% in its unit, Anglo American Sur.
• Vedanta Resources tumbled 9.5%, after it reported a 92.0% plunge in its first-half profit.
• Admiral Group sank 7.6%, after various brokers downgraded the stock.
• Randgold Resources fell 4.0%, tracking lower gold prices.
• Miners, Rio Tinto and Antofagasta, dropped 1.9% and 2.2% respectively, in line with a fall in base metal 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 marginally lower against the USD at $1.5932, 0.2% lower against the EUR at €1.1690, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥123.54.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.3628.
• The EUR is trading marginally lower against the JPY at ¥105.68.
• Yesterday, the EUR closed higher against the USD, after Greece selected a new Prime Minister to head the unity government. In addition, Italy witnessed decent demand at the auction of 1-year bills, and as Standard & Poor’s stated that France would keep its ‘AAA’-rating.
• The CAD ended higher against the USD, after Canada recorded its first trade surplus since January.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.9% higher today, at $1,768.13 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery fell 1.8% or $32 to settle at $1,759.60 per ounce yesterday. This came as demand for the safe haven asset weakened following an unexpected decline in US jobless claims and after selection of the new Greek Prime Minister.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.4% or $0.38 higher at $98.16 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for December delivery rallied 2.1% or $2.04 to settle at $97.78 per barrel. This came amid expectation of increase in energy demand, after US Labour Department data showed initial jobless claims fell by 10,000.
• Crude oil gained value as the dollar depreciated against the euro, increasing the demand for commodities as an alternative investment.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.