Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 edged up 0.3% to close at 5,568.0.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index added 0.8% or 7.9 points to settle at 993.3.
• DJIA gained 0.7% to close at 12,097.8. NASDAQ surged 1.1% to settle at 2,655.8. S&P 500 soared 1.0% to end at 1,257.1.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.2% lower, at 8,593.3.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.5% or 46 cents lower at $100.53 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5626, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.1683, and 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥121.57.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed higher yesterday, as French and German leaders proposed a new European Union treaty to strengthen the Eurozone fiscal rules and after Italy unveiled a sweeping austerity package, lifting shares spread betting market sentiment.
• Among financial stocks, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland climbed 6.3% and 5.3%, respectively, as Deutsche Bank issued an upbeat note on the UK domestic banks.
• Aviva added 1.8%, amid speculation that the company is mulling the sale of a tranche of its pension assets to boost its cash balance.
• Fund managers, Schroders and Man Group advanced 1.9% and 2.8%, respectively, after their peer Aberdeen Asset Management reported a 44% rise in profit for fiscal year 2011.
• Vedanta Resources rose 2.3%, amid speculation that India's interior ministry had cleared its purchase of a majority stake in Cairn Energy's business in the country.
• FTSE 100 rose 0.3% to 5,568.0, while FTSE 250 gained 0.6% to settle at 10,368.3.
• Lloyds Banking Group and RBS gained 6.3% and 5.3%, respectively, as concerns about the Eurozone debt crisis eased.
• International Consolidated Airlines Group rose 2.9%, after it announced that its November traffic rose 2.1% on YoY basis.
• Vedanta Resources rose 2.3%, after India approved its acquisition of a majority stake in Cairn’s Rajasthan oilfields.
• Luxury retailers, Burberry Group and Next edged down 3.3% and 2.1%, respectively, reversing their earlier gains, amid valuation concerns.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Futures Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5626, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.1683, and 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥121.57.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.3375.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥104.06.
• The JPY is trading higher against most of its peers, after Standard & Poor’s put 15 European nations on watch for potential downgrade, boosting demand for safe haven assets.
• The AUD is trading lower against all of its major peers, after the Reserve Bank of Australia cut key interest rate by 25 basis points to 4.25%, to sustain the country’s economic growth.
• Yesterday, the EUR closed lower against the USD, amid report that Standard & Poor’s had put 15 Eurozone nations for a possible credit rating downgrade.
• The GBP closed higher against the USD, on optimism that euro-area leaders are working to contain the region’s debt crisis, increasing demand for higher yielding assets.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.4% lower today, at $1,714.63 per ounce.
• Gold for February delivery shed 0.7% or $11.70 to settle at $1,722.80 per ounce yesterday, as the dollar rose against the euro, decreasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.5% or 46 cents lower at $100.53 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil futures for January delivery closed marginally higher at $100.99 per barrel. This came amid speculation that rising tension in the Middle East would threaten supplies.
• Crude oil prices rose on hopes that European leaders would take steps to resolve the region’s debt crisis, increasing demand for crude oil.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.