Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 surged 1.1% to close at 5,548.1.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index added 1.1% or 10.9 points to 989.0.
• DJIA added 0.9% or 104.8 points to close at 11,913.6. NASDAQ surged 2.3% or 62.0 points to settle at 2,699.4. S&P 500 climbed 1.3% or 15.9 points to end at 1,254.2.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.4% lower, at 8,806.2.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.7% or $0.63 higher at $91.90 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.5994, marginally higher against the EUR at €1.1498, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥121.68.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed sharply higher yesterday, as data showed that Chinese manufacturing sector expanded in October and amid hopes that European policy makers would be able to stave-off the region’s debt crisis.
• Among mining stocks, Kazakhmys surged 8.0%, and emerged as the top gainer on the index, while, Rio Tinto, Antofagasta and Lonmin rose between 7.1% and 7.7%, as China’s manufacturing expanded moderately in October.
• Among bankers, Lloyds rose 5.3%, and led the banking stocks higher, amid expectations of an imminent solution to the Eurozone debt crisis. Lloyds also advanced following news that it still considered flotation of 630 bank branches which it had planned to dispose off.
• Intercontinental Hotel advanced 0.8%, after the company stated that its same-store revenue per available room in the US had risen 8.0% in the third quarter.
• FTSE 100 rose 1.1% to 5,548.1, while FTSE 250 jumped 2.0% to settle at 10,469.1.
• Miners, Kazakhmys, Vedanta Resources and Anglo American, rallied between 4.3% and 8.0%, in line with a rise in base metal prices.
• Lloyds Banking Group surged 5.3%, on news that it was still considering the flotation of 630 bank branches which it had planned to dispose off.
• Energy stocks, BG Group and Tullow Oil, declined 2.0% and 0.7%, respectively, ahead of the third-quarter results from the former and some of its sector peers.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

UK Forex Trading News

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.5994, marginally higher against the EUR at €1.1498, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥121.68.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.3912.
• The EUR is trading 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥105.83.
• The EUR traded lower against the USD and the JPY, amid speculation that consumer confidence in Germany and France might have deteriorated, decreasing demand for the currency.
• The GBP is trading lower against the USD and the JPY, amid concerns that European leaders would build a comprehensive solution to the region’s debt crisis, reducing demand for the currency.
• The NZD is trading lower against its major peers, after a report showed that inflation in the country slowed more-than-expected. This increased speculation that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand would keep its benchmark interest rate at record low for a longer duration.
• Yesterday, the USD closed lower against the EUR, following a report that German opposition leaders agreed to increase the strength of the European Financial Stability Facility to more than €1.0 trillion.
• The CAD closed higher against the USD, as the European leaders’ meeting outlined plans to assist lenders, and after China’s manufacturing rose in October for the first time in four months, increasing demand for riskier assets.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.3% higher today, at $1,655.99 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery rose 1.0% or $16.20 to end at $1,652.30 per ounce yesterday. This came as the dollar weakened against the euro, increasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• Gold prices rose after preliminary data showed an increase in manufacturing activity in China for October.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.7% or $0.63 higher at $91.90 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for December delivery rallied 4.4% or $3.87 to settle at $91.27 per barrel. This came amid hopes that European leaders would resolve the region’s debt crisis, and after various economic releases showed signs of stronger growth in China and Japan.
• Crude oil prices paced gains after a Chinese government report showed that crude oil demand in the country rose 3.1% in September.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.