Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 edged down 0.3% to close at 5,527.2.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 1.0% or 10.1 points to 980.1.
• DJIA slid 0.5% to close at 11,983.2. NASDAQ dipped 0.4% to settle at 2,686.2. S&P 500 lost 0.6% to end at 1,253.2.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.5% lower, at 8,759.8.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.4% or 33 cents higher at $94.59 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.6023, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1633, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥125.21.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets slid modestly on Friday, as continuing concerns over the European debt crisis overshadowed a drop in US unemployment rate.
• International Consolidated Airlines, the top laggard on the FTSE 100 index, fell 6.8%, after its third quarter earnings dropped by 31.0%.
• Miner, Anglo American slid 0.8%, following its acquisition of the Oppenheimer family’s 40% stake in De Beers for $5.1 billion.
• Legal & General dropped 2.5%, after Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating on the stock to “Equal Weight” from “Over Weight”.
• Utilities sector stock, SSE lost 3.2%, after JP Morgan recommended it as a “Sell”.
• Inmarsat lost 3.2% amid heightened political and regulatory pressure on its customer, Lightsquared.
• Smith & Nephew dropped 1.4%, following a slight drop in its third-quarter profit.
• FTSE 100 edged down 0.3% to close at 5,527.2. FTSE 250 inched lower 0.2% to settle at 10,387.8.
• ARM Holdings, soared 7.1% after positive industry comments from its US peer Microchip, and broker RBS.
• Essar Energy rose 1.9%, in line with a rise in crude oil prices.
• WM Morrison gained 1.7%, ahead of its third-quarter trading update next week, and after Nomura increased its sales estimates for the company.
• Kazakhmys added 1.6%, amid speculation that ENRC might bid for the company.
• International Consolidated Airlines Group tumbled 6.8%, after the company reported a drop in its third-quarter operating profit.
• Intercontinental Hotels Group lost 3.1%, after Credit Suisse kept a “Neutral” rating on the stock.
• ICAP dropped 4.9%, amid worries over impact on its business of adverse macro-economic headwinds.
• Inmarsat lost 3.4%, amid intensifying political and regulatory pressure on its key US customer Lightsquared.
• Xstrata fell 2.9%, after the company announced its plan to sell $3.0 billion worth of bonds.
• Legal & General declined 2.5%, after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

UK Currencies Trading News

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.6023, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1633, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥125.21.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.3774.
• The EUR is trading 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥107.63.
• The EUR is trading lower against the USD and the JPY. This came amid fears that the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, might fail to get a majority for a key parliamentary vote, as the country’s borrowing costs reached a record high, decreasing demand for high yielding assets.
• The AUD/JPY is trading lower against the JPY, following a report that showed the Australian job notices fell in October.
• The CHF is trading lower against the USD and the EUR, after the Swiss Central Bank President, Philipp Hildebrand, stated that policy makers are ready to act in case the franc’s strength threatens the country’s economy.
• On Friday, the USD ended higher against the EUR, as investors remained concerned about the European sovereign debt crisis.
• 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 $1,770.08 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery eased 0.5% or $9.40 to end at $1,755.70 per ounce on Friday, as the dollar rose against the major currencies, decreasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation. Gold prices also paced losses, as investors took advantage of the recent gains to book profits.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.4% or 33 cents higher at $94.59 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for December delivery added 0.2% or 19 cents to end at $94.26 per barrel. This came amid hopes that Europe would reach an agreement with Greece on a rescue plan, and following US Labor Department’s report that showed US unemployment rate fell to 9.0% from 9.1%.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.