Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 surged 2.9% to close at 5,713.8.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index added 3.7% or 36.3 points to 1020.1.
• DJIA surged 2.9% to close at 12,208.5. NASDAQ jumped 3.3% to settle at 2,738.6. S&P 500 gained 3.4% to end at 1,284.6.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.1% higher, at 9,022.5.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.8% or $0.73 lower at $93.23 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.6083, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1348, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥121.99.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets surged yesterday, led by sharp gains in banking and mining sector stocks, after Eurozone leaders agreed to expand the bail-out fund to contain the sovereign debt crisis. Additionally, the news about Greek debt restructuring deal also buoyed market sentiment.
• Barclays, the top gainer on the FTSE 100 index, jumped 17.6%, while Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland gained 8.2% and 10.1%, respectively, amid easing worries over the contagion risk.
• Hargreaves Lansdown, Man Group and Schroders rallied between 3.2% and 8.0%, as the European policy makers agreed on a rescue deal.
• Kazakhmys rose 9.4%, after stating that it would meet its entire production target for 2011.
• Standard Life gained 3.7%, after Jefferies International upgraded the stock to “Hold” from “Underperform”.
• FTSE 100 rose 2.9% to 5,713.8, while FTSE 250 rose 3.0% to 10,733.3.
• Banks, Barclays and RBS, soared 17.6% and 10.1%, respectively, after the European Banking Authority reports showed that UK banks would not require additional capital.
• Miners, Vedanta Resources and Xstrata rallied 12.3% and 10.8%, respectively, tracking higher base metal prices.
• Kazakhmys jumped 9.4%, after stating that it would meet its entire production target for 2011.
• Aviva surged 8.8%, benefiting from a recovery in the equity markets.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.6083, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1348, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥121.99.
• The EUR is trading 0.2% lower against the USD at $1.4173.
• The EUR is trading 0.3% lower against the JPY at ¥107.50.
• The JPY is trading higher against the USD and the EUR, amid speculation that Japan’s central bank would avoid intervening in foreign-exchange markets. The JPY was trading higher despite Bank of Japan adding about ¥5 trillion towards stimulus intended to respond to the currency appreciation and fallout from the European crisis.
• The AUD and NZD are trading higher against the USD, as easing concern about Europe’s sovereign debt crisis and signs of growth in the US economy, raised demand for high-yielding currencies. The currencies also paced gains after China showed its willingness to co-operate with Europe’s revised bailout plan.
• Yesterday, the EUR and CAD ended higher against the USD, after European leaders announced a plan to deal with the Greek debt and boost the Eurozone bailout fund, raising demand for risky assets.
• The GBP/EUR closed lower, after European Union leaders agreed to expand a rescue fund for indebted nations, damping demand for the perceived safety of the UK currency.
• 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 $1,745.27 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery added 1.4% or $24.20 to settle at $1,747.70 per ounce yesterday, as the dollar weakened against the euro, increasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.8% or $0.73 lower at $93.23 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for December delivery rallied 4.2% or $3.76 to end at $93.96 per barrel. This came as European leaders announced details of a plan to rescue Greece, recapitalize European banks and boost the European Financial Stability Facility to about $1.4 trillion.
• Crude oil prices rose amid expectations of an increase in demand, after the US Commerce Department reported that the US economy grew at an annual rate of 2.5% in the third quarter.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.