Financial Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 gained 0.6% or 35.1 points to 5,935.0.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index gained 0.5% to 1,108.9.
• DJIA edged down 0.3% or 43.3 points to 12,681.2. NASDAQ advanced 0.9% or 24.4 points to close at 2,858.8. S&P 500 closed 0.1% higher, at 1,345.0.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.9% lower, at 10,041.8.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading 98 cents lower at $98.89 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading flat against the USD at $1.6299, 0.2% lower against the EUR at €1.1332 and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥127.75.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Financial Spread Betting Market Review

• UK markets closed higher on Friday, as positive developments regarding Eurozone debt and upbeat trading updates boosted market sentiments.
• Miners, Vedanta Resources, Rio Tinto and Kazakhmys, gained between 0.4% and 1.4%, as base metal prices rose.
• Among precious metal miners, Fresnillo climbed 2.3%, on the back of higher silver prices, while Lonmin advanced 1.7%, after the company reported a rise of more than 74% in its third-quarter platinum sales.
• EasyJet soared 17.7% and led the airline sector higher, after the company raised its full-year guidance and reported strong growth in its third-quarter revenue.
• Vodafone rose 2.0%, after the company reported its first-quarter trading update that beat market expectations, while International Power gained 2.0%, after UBS added the company to its key call list.
• FTSE 100 gained 0.6% or 35.1 points to 5,935.0. FTSE 250 added 1.0% or 113.7 points to 11,820.3.
• Fresnillo advanced 2.3%, as silver for September delivery rallied 3% to $40.12 per ounce.
• Royal Bank of Scotland climbed 2.3%, as West LB upgraded the company to “Neutral”.
• International Airlines Group gained 2.2%, ahead of its first-half results on 29 July. The stock also rose, helped by robust trading updates from its mid-cap peer, EasyJet.
• Capita Group advanced 2.0%, as Goldman Sachs maintained its “Buy” advice on the stock.
• International Power gained 2.0%, after UBS added the company to its key call list, citing its potential for long-term growth.
• Vodafone rose 2.0%, after the company reported a 1.5% rise in its service revenue as demand for smart phones bolstered data sales.
• AstraZeneca lost 1.2%, after BofA Merrill Lynch downgraded the stock to “Neutral” from “Buy”.
• Banks, Standard Chartered and Lloyds Banking Group, fell 1.0% and 0.9% respectively, as investors decided to book profits following recent gains.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Financial Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading flat against the USD at $1.6299, 0.2% lower against the EUR at €1.1332 and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥127.75.
• The EUR is trading 0.2% higher against the USD at $1.4379.
• The USD is trading lower against the major currencies, as US lawmakers failed to agree on raising the nation’s $14.3 trillion debt ceiling.
• The EUR is trading marginally lower against the JPY at ¥112.71, as most Asian equity markets traded lower, decreasing the demand for high yielding assets.
• The WON and Malaysia’s ringgit are trading lower against the USD, as worries over a possible US debt default decreased the demand for high yielding assets.
• The AUD is trading higher against the USD, as the Australian Bureau of Statistics stated that Australian producer prices index advanced 0.8% in the second quarter from the previous three-month period and rose 3.4% from a year earlier.
• On Friday, the EUR ended lower against the USD, as initial excitement over fresh aid for Greece faded, and after investors focused on other risks in Europe.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Financial Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.8% higher today, at $1,612.33 per ounce, as US lawmakers failed to approve a hike in debt-ceiling.
• Gold prices for August delivery added 0.9% or $14.50 to $1,601.50 per ounce on Friday, as persisting worries over the US debt ceiling forced investors to purchase the precious metal as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for September delivery is trading 98 cents lower at $98.89 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for September delivery closed 0.8% or 74 cents higher at $99.87 per barrel, amid expectation of an increase in energy demand, as progress in the Eurozone plan to deal with the sovereign-debt crisis raised optimism about the global economic recovery.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.