Spread Betting Trading Signals Snapshot

• FTSE 100 slumped 2.6% to end at 5,222.6.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 3.3% or 31.2 points end at 919.7.
• DJIA tumbled 2.1% to close at 11,547.3. NASDAQ declined 1.9% to settle at 2,523.1. S&P 500 shed 1.9% to 1,193.0.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.5% lower, at 8,303.2.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.4% or 35 cents lower at $96.57per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5625, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.1596, and 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥120.38.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Trading Signals

• UK markets plunged sharply yesterday, with the FTSE 100 index extending losses for the sixth consecutive day, as political impasse over debt reduction in the US, raised prospects of further credit rating downgrade.
• Mining stocks, Anglo American, Rio Tinto, Antofagasta, Kazakhmys, Vedanta Resources and Fresnillo declined between 5.0% and 6.9%, amid worries over worsening demand.
• Randgold Resources retreated 5.7%, as gold prices lost ground.
• Insurer, Resolution, the top laggard on the FTSE 100 index, declined 7.5%, after it terminated takeover talks about a possible acquisition of Phoenix Group Holdings.
• Among banking stocks, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group slipped 5.4% and 7.1%, respectively, as investors turned risk averse.
• Royal Bank of Scotland dropped 4.9%, after a broker slashed its rating to “Neutral” from “Buy”.
• FTSE 100 slumped 2.6% to end at 5,222.6. FTSE 250 tumbled 2.8% to settle at 9,767.9.
• Shire added 0.2%, amid speculation that it could be a bid target for AstraZeneca.
• Resolution sank 7.5%, after it terminated takeover talks about a possible acquisition of Phoenix Group Holdings.
• Lloyds plummeted 7.1%, as risk appetite decreased among financial spread betting investors, after the three-month cross- currency basis swap widened for a sixth day, and bond yields climbed in Spain, Italy, France and Belgium.
• Oil stocks, Petrofac and Essar Energy, both slumped 6.3%, tracking lower crude oil prices.
• Miners, Kazakhmys, Antofagasta and ENRC, slumped between 6.0% and 6.4%, amid concerns over demand prospects.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

UK Forex Trading Trading Signals

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5625, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.1596, and 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥120.38.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.3474. The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥103.81.
• The JPY is trading lower against most of its major peers, after credit rating companies affirmed US government’s credit ratings, decreasing the demand for safe haven assets.
• The USD is trading higher against the EUR and the GBP. This came after Standard & Poor's stated that it would maintain the US government's credit rating at ‘AA+’, even after a congressional super committee did not reach an agreement to cut the budget deficit.
• Yesterday, the USD closed higher against the EUR, as surging European bond yields and speculation that France might lose its ‘AAA’ credit rating, forced investors to invest in safe haven assets.
• The GBP closed lower against the USD, after reports showed that average asking prices for houses in UK slid 3.1% from October. GBP also depreciated after Prime Minister, David Cameron, stated that UK was “well behind” where it needs to be on economic growth.
• The CAD ended lower against the USD, as deficit impasse in the US and Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis, prompted investors to invest in the USD as a safe haven asset.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Trading Signals

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.1% lower today, at $1,677.55 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery advanced 0.3% or $5.30 to end at $1,678.49 per ounce yesterday. This came as lingering concerns over global economic growth weighed on market sentiments, forcing investors to purchase the yellow metal as a safe haven asset.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.4% or 35 cents lower at $96.57per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for January delivery declined 0.8% or 75 cents to settle at $96.92 per barrel. This came amid worries over demand prospects after Moody’s Investors Service signalled that it might downgrade France’s credit rating. It also came amid speculation that US super committee had failed to reach a deficit-reduction agreement.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.