Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 surged 3.2% to close at 5,505.4.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index climbed 3.6% or 34.1 points to settle at 982.0.
• DJIA surged 4.2% to close at 12,045.7. NASDAQ jumped 4.2% to settle at 2,620.3. S&P 500 soared 4.3% to end at 1,247.0.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 2.4% higher, at 8,640.7.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.3% or 34 cents higher at $100.70 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5693, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1666, and marginally higher against the JPY at ¥121.91.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets surged yesterday, extending their previous session gains, after global central banks took coordinated steps to ease funding for European lenders, lifting spread betting market sentiment. Furthermore, China’s action to lower bank reserve ratio requirement and upbeat US economic data fuelled the momentum.
• Among mining stocks Antofagasta, the top gainer on the FTSE 100 index, jumped 9.2%, while Rio Tinto, Kazakhmys and Xstrata rose between 6.4% and 6.5%, following a surge in base metal prices.
• Software group, Sage added 5.5%, as its full year profits rose by 8%.
• Among banking stocks, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland climbed between 6.7% and 7.5%, as global economic concerns eased.
• Royal Dutch Shell and BP rose 3.9% and 5.0%, respectively, as crude oil prices surged.
• Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline and Shire gained 2.7% and 4.3%, respectively, as Citigroup initiated coverage on both the stocks with a “Buy” rating.
• FTSE 100 rose 3.2% to 5,505.4. FTSE 250 gained 2.8% to 10,315.3.
• Miners, Antofagasta, Kazakhmys and BHP Billiton, soared between 6.2% and 9.2%, in line with a rise in base metal prices.
• Banking stocks, RBS, Lloyds and Barclays, surged between 6.7% and 7.5%, as risk appetite increased among investors.
• Capita fell 1.3%, despite S&P upgrading its rating on the stock to “Strong Buy”.
• Cairn Energy lost 1.0%, after two of its additional wells failed to find a commercial discovery in Greenland.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5693, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1666, and marginally higher against the JPY at ¥121.91.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.3452.
• The EUR is trading 0.2% higher against the JPY at ¥104.50.
• The EUR is trading higher against the JPY and USD, after six global central banks announced a plan to make dollar funding cheaper for European banks.
• The AUD is trading lower against the USD, after reports showed that Australia’s retail sales growth was lower-than-expected and building approvals declined in October, increasing speculation that Australia’s central bank would ease monetary policy.
• The NZD is trading lower against the JPY and the USD, following report that China’s manufacturing index contracted for the first time since February 2009, decreasing the demand for high-yielding currencies.
• Yesterday, the USD closed lower against all of its major peers, after the world’s major central banks moved to cut borrowing costs for banks and strengthen existing swap lines.
• The CAD ended higher against the USD, as central banks including the Bank of Canada reduced the cost of emergency dollar funding to ease Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis, boosting 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 0.1% lower today, at $1,746.55 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery added 1.9% or $32.10 to end at $1,745.50 per ounce yesterday. This came as the dollar weakened against the major currencies, increasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.3% or 34 cents higher at $100.70 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for January delivery rose 0.6% or 57 cents to settle at $100.36 per barrel. This came amid expectations of an increase in energy demand, after the US Federal Reserve and five other central banks made additional funds available to lower borrowing costs for European banks in a bid to resolve the European debt crisis.
• Crude oil prices rose on news that China would cut the reserve requirement ratio for banks and amid positive economic reports in the US.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.