Spread Betting Trading Signals Snapshot

• FTSE 100 shed 1.1% to end at 5,362.9.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 0.7% or 6.9 points to end at 951.0.
• DJIA edged up 0.2% to close at 11,796.2. NASDAQ declined 0.6% to settle at 2,572.5. S&P 500 finished marginally lower to 1,215.7.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.2% lower, at 8,362.1.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.3% or 0.33 lower at $97.34 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.4% lower against the USD at $1.5745, 0.4% lower against the EUR at €1.1638, and 0.6% lower against the JPY at ¥120.88.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Bets Trading Signals

• UK markets closed sharply lower on Friday, with the FTSE 100 index extending losses for the fifth consecutive day, after policy makers failed to reach a consensus on how to quell the Eurozone debt crisis.
• Among banking sector stocks, HSBC, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group declined between 0.7% and 2.0%, amid concerns over their exposure to the risky European government debt.
• Outsourcing firm, Capita Group, the top laggard on the FTSE 100 index, slumped 4.1%, after it forecasted a sharp decline in its “organic revenue” for the full year 2011.
• Miners, Rio Tinto, Anglo American and BHP Billiton slipped between 1.4% and 2.2%, amid concerns over a slowdown in Chinese demand.
• ARM Holdings retreated 3.9%, after its president issued a cautious outlook for 2012.
• BG Group slipped 1.3%, after its US shale gas joint venture partner, Exco, cut its investment budget for 2012.
• Aviva slid 1.8%, after it sold bonds worth $400 million.
• FTSE 100 shed 1.1% to end at 5,362.9. FTSE 250 lost 1.0% to settle at 10,044.4.
• Carnival rose 1.7%, after Jefferies initiated coverage on the stock with a “Buy” rating.
• International Consolidated Airlines gained 1.1%, in line with a rise in its US peer, American airlines.
• BT Group added 0.7%, after its appeal against proposed cut in the prices for its broadband service was referred to the Competition Commission.
• Capita dropped 4.1%, after it forecasted full year 2011 “organic revenue” to decline 7.0%.
• Inmarsat lost 4.0%, amid speculation that it might lose its blue-chip status in next month’s FTSE index review.
• ARM Holdings fell 3.9%, after its president issued a cautious outlook for 2012.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Trading Signals

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.4% lower against the USD at $1.5745, 0.4% lower against the EUR at €1.1638, and 0.6% lower against the JPY at ¥120.88.
• The EUR is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.3529, after comments from President of Federal Reserve Bank of New York, William C. Dudley increased speculation that the US Central Bank would ease its monetary policy.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥103.86.
• The USD and the JPY appreciated against most of the major currencies amid speculation that the US Congressional committee might announce today that it failed to reach an agreement on deficit cuts, increasing demand for safe haven currencies.
• The GBP is trading lower against the EUR, amid speculation that European leaders would increase efforts to resolve the region’s sovereign debt crisis.
• The AUD and NZD are trading lower against the USD and the JPY, amid speculation that the US might face another credit rating downgrade, damping demand for higher-yielding assets.
• On Friday, the EUR ended higher against the USD, amid reports that the ECB would lend money to the International Monetary Fund which would be used to finance bailouts of European countries facing the debt crisis.
• The CAD closed higher against the USD, after reports showed that consumer prices in Canada rose more-than-expected in October.
• 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 $1,722.75 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery rose 0.3% or $4.90 to settle at $1,725.10 per ounce on Friday. This came amid mounting concerns about the Eurozone debt crisis spurred investment in the precious metal as a safe haven.
• A fall in the dollar against the euro also supported gold prices.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.3% or 0.33 lower at $97.34 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for December delivery fell 1.4% or $1.41 to expire at $97.41 per barrel. This came amid speculation that the reversal of the Seaway pipeline would not be enough to eliminate a surplus in the US Midwest.
• Crude oil lost value amid speculation that a slowdown in the global economy would curb energy demand.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.