Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 edged up 0.4% to settle at 5,657.4.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index added 0.8% to end at 1,025.7.
• US markets were closed yesterday on account of a public holiday.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.8% higher, at 8,443.1.
• In Asia, crude oil for February delivery is trading 1.5% or $1.44 higher at $100.14 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.3% higher against the USD at $1.5360, 0.3% lower against the EUR at €1.2062, and 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥117.82.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed higher yesterday, as reaffirmation of France’s “AAA” rating by Moody’s coupled with a successful treasury bills auction in France, helped markets regain some of the earlier losses.
• Engineering Group, Meggitt rose 1.7%, as UBS upgraded its rating to “Neutral” from “Sell”. Burberry gained 2.3%, ahead of its third-quarter trading statement, amid optimism of a surge in its revenues.
• Royal Bank of Scotland climbed 1.3%, as it agreed to sell its aircraft leasing division to Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking.
• Automotive firm, GKN, the top gainer on the FTSE 100 index, rose 3.3%, while publisher, Pearson gained 2.7%, after UBS issued a note advising investors to buy the shares.
• Rockhopper Exploration soared 10.0%, on news that Cairn Energy would acquire a stake in its Falkland Islands oil field.
• FTSE 100 edged up 0.4% to settle at 5,657.4, while FTSE 250 ticked up 0.2% to end at 10,478.6.
• Man Group rallied 3.1, ahead of its trading statement this week.
• Pearson climbed 2.7%, after UBS reiterated its “Buy’ rating on the stock.
• Burberry Group advanced 2.3%, ahead of its third-quarter trading update this week, amid optimism of a surge in its revenues.
• BT Group rose 2.1%, after Nomura Securities upgraded the stock to “Buy”.
• BHP Billiton gained 1.7%, in line with a rise in base metal prices.
• Meggitt added 1.7%, after UBS upgraded the stock to “Neutral” from “Sell”.
• Essar Energy rose 1.5%, tracking higher crude oil prices.
• Carnival slumped 16.5%, after the company reported that the grounding of its Costa Concordia cruise liner would cost the company as much as $95 million.
• Kingfisher dropped 2.1%, after Citigroup removed the stock from its “Buy” list.
• Capita lost 1.6%, on worries that the company’s failure to win contracts would put its organic growth guidance at risk.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

UK Foreign Exchange Trading Review

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.3% higher against the USD at $1.5360, 0.3% lower against the EUR at €1.2062, and 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥117.82.
• The EUR is trading 0.5% higher against the USD at $1.2734.
• The EUR is trading 0.4% higher against the JPY at ¥97.68.
• The JPY and the USD are trading lower against most of their major peers. This came after a report showed that China’s fourth-quarter gross domestic product growth surpassed market expectations, increasing demand for high yielding currency.
• The AUD is trading higher against most of its major peers, amid speculation that a report might show that manufacturing activity climbed in the New York region in January, increasing demand for riskier assets. The AUD is also trading higher, amid optimism that the demand for Australian commodities would continue to increase following upbeat economic data from China.
• Yesterday, the EUR closed higher against the USD.
• The CAD ended higher against the EUR, amid speculation that Canadian exports would benefit from accelerating US economic growth, and ahead of the Bank of Canada’s interest rate meeting this week.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.8% higher today, at $1,657.70 per ounce.
• Gold futures for February delivery rose 0.8% or $12.70 to settle at $1,643.50 per ounce in electronic trading yesterday. This came as mounting fears of default by Greece, and lingering concerns about the Eurozone debt crisis, spurred demand for the precious metal as an alternative investment.
• Regular floor trading was closed on account of US public holiday.
• In Asia, crude oil for February delivery is trading 1.5% or $1.44 higher at $100.14 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for February delivery added 0.9% or 86 cents, to end at $99.56 per barrel in electronic trading, after Iran warned that a disruption to crude supplies through the Strait of Hormuz would harm the world’s crude oil markets. Crude oil prices also rose amid supply worries in Nigeria.
• Regular floor trading was closed on account of US public holiday.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.