Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 edged up 0.5% to close at 5,649.7.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index closed marginally higher to end at 1,013.7.
• DJIA slid 0.4%, to close at 12,359.9. NASDAQ inched 0.2% higher, to end at 2,674.2. S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, to settle at 1,277.8.
• Markets in Japan are closed on account of a public holiday.
• In Asia, crude oil for February delivery is trading 0.6% or 57 cents lower at $100.99 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5406, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.2144, and 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥118.55.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed higher on Friday, after better-than-expected data on US payrolls lifted market sentiment.
• Vodafone added 1.2%, after Goldman Sachs upgraded its rating on the stock to “Buy” from “Neutral”.
• Broadcaster, ITV gained 2.7%, as Morgan Stanley raised its recommendation on the stock to “Overweight” from “Equal Weight”.
• Carnival advanced 1.0%, after Morgan Stanley reiterated its “Overweight” stance on the stock.
• Retailer, Burberry, the top riser on the FTSE 100 index, climbed 3.9%, amid reports that China was studying measures to boost consumption.
• Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group added between1.2% and 2.9%, as concerns over European debt crisis eased.
• BP and Royal Dutch Shell added 0.6% and 1.7%, respectively, as oil prices rose on Middle East concerns.
• FTSE 100 edged up 0.5% to close at 5,649.7, while FTSE 250 rose 1.0% to 10,245.9.
• Burberry climbed 3.9%, amid reports that China was studying measures to boost consumption and after Citigroup forecasted a 20.0% sales growth in its third-quarter results.
• ITV rose 2.7%, after Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to “Overweight” from “Equal-weight”.
• Vedanta Resources added 2.1%, following report that its Zambian mine workers had called an end to their strike.
• Man Group sank 8.4%, after a broker cut its earnings estimate on the stock, stating that its assets and fees might decline.
• ICAP slid 3.0%, after UBS reiterated its “Sell” recommendation on the stock, citing a sharp fall in trading volumes.
• Ashmore lost 2.9%, after Credit Suisse downgraded the stock to “Neutral” from “Outperform”.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

UK Currencies Trading Review

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5406, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.2144, and 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥118.55.
• The EUR is trading 0.3% lower against the USD at $1.2687.
• The EUR is trading 0.4% lower against the JPY at ¥97.62.
• The EUR is trading lower against most of its major peers, ahead of the meeting between the German and the French leaders, and amid speculation that Germany’s industrial production declined in November.
• The AUD is trading lower against the USD, amid speculation that the Reserve Bank of Australia might ease monetary policy, after data showed that the nation’s retail sales unexpectedly stagnated in November.
• The NZD is trading lower against the USD, following a report that showed New Zealand's trade deficit widened in November.
• On Friday, the USD closed higher against the EUR, after data showed that the country’s economy added more-than- expected jobs in December and after German factory orders dropped in November.
• The CAD ended lower against the USD, after Canada’s unemployment rate increased for a third month in December to 7.5%.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.6% lower today, at $1,608.25 per ounce.
• Gold for February delivery eased 0.2% or $3.3 to end at $1,616.80 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 traded lower as investors took advantage of recent gains and preferred to book profits.
• In Asia, crude oil for February delivery is trading 0.6% or 57 cents lower at $100.99 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for February delivery lost 0.3% or 25 cents to end at $101.56 per barrel. This came amid demand worries after German factory orders dropped the most in almost three years in November, and after Fitch Ratings cut Hungary’s credit ranking to junk. Additionally, a rise in the dollar also weighed on crude oil prices.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.