Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 soared 1.1% to settle at 5,490.2.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index added 0.6% or 5.4 points to settle at 972.8.
• DJIA edged down 0.6% to close at 11,954.9. NASDAQ lost 1.3% to settle at 2,579.3. S&P 500 declined 0.9% to settle at 1,225.7.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.7% lower, at 8,491.0.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.2% or $0.20 lower at $99.94 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.5482, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1880, and marginally higher against the JPY at ¥120.70.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Trading Review

• UK markets closed higher yesterday, rebounding from previous session’s losses, as better-than-expected reading on German confidence index and a robust Greek and Spanish bond auction, buoyed investors’ sentiment. However, gains were restricted, amid reports that the German Chancellor had opposed to increase the lending limit for the European Stability Mechanism, the Eurozone’s future bailout fund.
• Oilfield services firm, Petrofac, the top gainer on the FTSE 100 index, jumped 5.1%, as it raised its profit guidance for this year.
• AMEC added 1.9%, as Citigroup upgraded its rating on the stock to “Buy” from “Sell”.
• Royal Dutch Shell, Tullow Oil and BG Group advanced between 2.7% and 3.2%, tracking a rise in crude oil prices.
• Man Group rallied 3.2%, after the hedge fund manager stated that it bought more shares.
• FTSE 100 soared 1.1% to settle at 5,490.2, while FTSE 250 climbed 0.6% to close at 9,961.0.
• Petrofac climbed 5.1%, after the company announced that it would surpass its profit target this year.
• Energy stocks, BG Group, Royal Dutch Shell and Tullow Oil, rose between 3.1% and 3.2%, tracking higher crude oil prices, amid speculation that the Federal Reserve might announce additional measures to stimulate growth.
• Man Group added 3.2%, after the company announced that it had bought back 1.4 million shares.
• Whitbread lost 3.9%, after its third-quarter sales fell short of market expectations.
• Banking stocks, Barclays and RBS fell 1.6% and 0.8%, respectively, tracking a fall in their European peers.
• Insurers, Prudential and Legal & General, declined 0.8% and 0.4%, respectively, as risk appetite decreased among investors.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread betting on UK shares.

Forex Spread Betting Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.5482, 0.1% lower against the EUR at €1.1880, and marginally higher against the JPY at ¥120.70.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.3031.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the JPY at ¥101.60.
• The AUD is trading lower against the USD, following report that Australian consumer confidence was at a four-month low. This also came after Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor, Ric Battellino, stated that a likely fall in the currency would help to protect the nation from an economic slowdown in Europe.
• Yesterday, the EUR closed lower against the USD, after the US Federal Reserve stated that the US economy is expanding moderately, and after German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, reiterated her opposition to raising the lending limit for the European Stability Mechanism.
• The GBP/EUR closed higher amid concern that the European debt crisis would worsen, boosting demand for the relative safety of the UK currency.
• The CHF ended lower against the USD, amid fears that the European leaders would fail to resolve the sovereign debt crisis, decreasing demand for riskier assets.
• The CAD closed lower against the USD, after the US Federal Reserve refrained from taking new steps to lower borrowing costs.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.6% higher today, at $1,639.60 per ounce.
• Gold for February delivery declined 0.3% or $5.10 to settle at $1,663.10 per ounce yesterday. This came as the dollar rose against the euro, decreasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for January delivery is trading 0.2% or $0.20 lower at $99.94 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for January delivery added 2.4% or $2.37 to settle at $100.14 per barrel. This came amid concerns that supplies from the Persian Gulf would be disrupted after a report stated that Iran would hold drills to practice closing the Strait of Hormuz.
• Crude oil traded higher, amid speculation that the US Federal Reserve might announce additional measures to stimulate growth and as German investor confidence unexpectedly rose in December.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.