Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 slumped 1.9% to close at 5,460.4.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 1.8% or 17.6 points to 966.2.
• DJIA slumped 3.2% to close at 11,780.9. NASDAQ tumbled 3.9% to settle at 2,621.7. S&P 500 plunged 3.7% to end at 1,229.1.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 2.8% lower, at 8,506.3.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.3% or $0.24 lower at $95.50 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally higher against the USD at $1.5916, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.1761, and marginally higher against the JPY at ¥123.76.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Stock Market Futures Trading News

• UK markets dropped sharply yesterday, as a surge in Italian borrowing cost above 7.0% raised concerns about worsening of the European debt crisis.
• Auto insurer, Admiral Group, the top laggard on the FTSE 100 index, plummeted 25.6%, after its personal injury claims rose above historic levels, leading the company to lower its earnings guidance for the current year.
• Among banking stocks, HSBC declined 5.8%, after its third-quarter pre-tax profit dropped sharply and as it forecast a gloomy outlook.
• Business process outsourcer, Capita Group lost 5.0%, after it failed to bag a £1.4 billion pension contract.
• Tate & Lyle slipped 2.3%, after Investec downgraded the stock to “Sell” from “Hold”.
• Tullow Oil lost 5.3%, as it lowered its full-year production target for 2011.
• Kesa Electricals fell 2.8%, after it announced that it would pay £50 million to exit its Comet chain in the UK.
• FTSE 100 slumped 1.9% to 5,460.4. FTSE 250 fell 1.4% to 10,268.9.
• Admiral Group slumped 25.6%, after it reduced its earnings guidance for the year, citing higher-than-expected personal injury claims.
• Essar Energy plummeted 7.2%, as crude oil prices retreated.
• HSBC lost 5.8%, following a fall in its third-quarter pre-tax profit.
• Banks, Barclays and RBS, dropped 5.5% and 5.6%, respectively, as risk appetite decreased among investors.
• Tullow Oil sank 5.3%, after it trimmed its full- year output target.
• Capita Group tumbled 5.0%, after it lost a £1.4 billion pensions contract.
• 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 $1.5916, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.1761, and marginally higher against the JPY at ¥123.76.
• The EUR is trading 0.1% higher against the USD at $1.3533.
• The EUR is trading marginally higher against the JPY at ¥105.23.
• The EUR is trading higher against the USD and the JPY, ahead of Italy’s sale of €5 billion one-year bills today.
• Yesterday, the USD closed higher against the EUR, amid fears that Italy and Greece would struggle to form strong governments required to implement austerity measures.
• The AUD ended lower against the JPY and the USD, amid speculation that Australian unemployment rate would show a rise in October.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.6% lower today, at $1,761.39 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery fell 0.4% or $7.60 to settle at $1,791.60 per ounce yesterday. This came as the dollar rose against the major currencies, decreasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• Gold traded lower as investors took advantage of recent gains and preferred to book profits.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.3% or $0.24 lower at $95.50 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for December delivery declined 1.1% or $1.10 to end at $95.74 per barrel, amid worries over demand prospects, after Italian bond yields reached 7.0%.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.