Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 edged 0.5% up to close at 5,337.0.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index advanced 0.7% or 7.0 points to settle at 947.9.
• DJIA rose 0.3% to close at 11,555.6. NASDAQ slipped 0.5% to settle at 2,515.5. S&P 500 inched 0.2% higher to end at 1,195.2.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.2% lower, at 8,377.1.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.6% or $0.63 lower at $99.16 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.5594, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.1702, and 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥121.54.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets closed higher yesterday, extending gains for the third consecutive day, as stronger-than-expected US consumer confidence data lifted market sentiment. Markets also rose amid optimism over the outcome of a crucial meeting of euro-area finance ministers at Brussels on the region’s debt crisis.
• Randgold Resources jumped 5.8%, after a broker raised its rating on the stock to “Buy” from “Hold”.
• Engineering group, GKN rose 4.2%, after Moody’s Investors Service upgraded its rating on the stock to “Positive” from “Stable”. GKN also rallied, amid speculation that Quest Global Engineering might be interested in bidding for the company.
• Commercial property firms, Land Securities and British Land added 1.2% each, after a broker raised its recommendation on both the stocks to “Buy” from “Neutral”.
• Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury added between 0.1% and 1.3%.
• IG Group soared 9.3%, after it forecasted a 23.0% YoY increase in its first-half revenue.
• FTSE 100 rose 0.5% to 5,337.0. FTSE 250 climbed 1.2% to 10,031.6.
• Randgold Resources gained 5.8%, after Investec raised its recommendation on the stock to “Buy” from “Hold”.
• GKN rallied 4.2%, amid speculation that Quest Global Engineering might be interested in bidding for the company. GKN also gained value after Moody's upgraded the stock to “Positive” from “Stable”.
• G4S climbed 3.2%, after HSBC upgraded the stock to “Overweight” from “Neutral”.
• Banking stocks, Lloyds Banking Group, RBS, and HSBC Holdings, fell between 0.5% and 2.1%, as risk appetite decreased among investors.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

FX Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.5594, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.1702, and 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥121.54.
• The EUR is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.3326, after the euro-area finance ministers agreed to extend the capacity of the European Financial Stability Fund.
• The EUR is trading marginally lower against the JPY at ¥103.86.
• The AUD is trading higher against the USD and the JPY, as a government report showed that business investment in Australia surpassed market expectations in the third quarter.
• The NZD is trading higher against most of its peers, following a report that showed home-building approvals in New Zealand rose in October for the third time in four months.
• Yesterday, the AUD and NZD ended higher against the USD, after a better-than-expected rise in US consumer confidence in November spurred demand for higher-yielding assets.
• The EUR closed lower against the GBP, amid speculation that Europe’s effort to expand its bailout fund to €1.0 trillion is falling short, and after the European Central Bank failed to offset extra liquidity created by its bond purchases.
• The CAD ended higher against the USD, after Canada’s third-quarter current account deficit narrowed from the second largest on record, following higher aircraft and metals exports.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.2% higher today, at $1,722.32 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery added 0.2% or $2.60 to end at $1,713.40 per ounce yesterday. This came as the dollar fell against the euro, increasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.6% or $0.63 lower at $99.16 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for January delivery advanced 1.6% or $1.58 to end at $99.79 per barrel. This came amid optimism that future energy demand would increase, after US consumer confidence rose more-than-expected in November.
• Crude oil gained value amid fears that oil production would decrease in Iran, amid ongoing civil unrest in the country.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.