Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 slid 0.5% to close at 5,670.8.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index dropped 0.5% to end at 1,022.0.
• DJIA edged down 0.1% to close at 12,449.5. NASDAQ rose 0.3% to end at 2,710.8. S&P 500 rose marginally to settle at 1,292.5.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 0.9% lower, at 8,369.0.
• In Asia, crude oil for February delivery is trading 0.4% or 39 cents higher at $101.26 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading 0.1% lower against the USD at $1.5321, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.2048, and 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥117.74.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Stock Market Futures Trading Review

• UK markets ended on a mixed note yesterday, with the FTSE 100 index closing lower, as the UK goods trade deficit widened more than expected in November, denting market sentiment.
• Unilever tumbled 3.1%, after Citigroup downgraded its ratings on the stock to “Underperform” from “Neutral”.
• Power supplier, Aggreko fell 3.3%, as Credit Suisse slashed its rating on the stock to “Neutral” from “Outperform”.
• Utilities, Centrica and SSE retreated 1.3% and 2.8%, respectively, amid worries that they might need to follow EDF Energy in cutting tariffs.
• Among oil producers, BP, BG Group and Royal Dutch Shell declined between 0.9% and 3.1%, in line with a drop in crude oil prices.
• Moneysupermarket.com gained 6.8%, after it forecasted a 20% YoY growth in revenue for 2011.
• FTSE 100 slid 0.5% to close at 5,670.8, while FTSE 250 edged up 0.2% to end at 10,372.6.
• Royal Bank of Scotland Group rose 3.1%, after a report stated that its Irish unit, Ulster Bank, might initiate a second round of job cuts in an effort to save around €50 million.
• Aviva added 2.7%, after the Guardian and the Independent reported that the company might be a takeover target for China’s Ping An Insurance.
• Aggreko fell 3.3%, after Credit Suisse downgraded the stock to “Neutral” from “Outperform” and gave a cautious outlook for its 2012 earnings.
• Unilever declined 3.1%, after Bank of America cut its recommendation on the stock to “Underperform” from “Neutral”.
• Royal Dutch Shell-A, Royal Dutch Shell-B and Petrofac dropped between 2.4% and 3.1%, tracking lower crude oil prices.
• ARM Holdings eased 2.6%, after Nomura reiterated its “Neutral” rating on the stock.
• 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 $1.5321, marginally lower against the EUR at €1.2048, and 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥117.74.
• The EUR is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.2718. The EUR is trading 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥97.73.
• The EUR is trading lower against the USD and the JPY, ahead of the debt auction by Spain and Italy, amid concerns that the nations would struggle to meet their funding needs.
• The NZD is trading higher against the USD and the JPY, amid speculation that a report would show retail sales in the US grew for a fourth straight month in December, increasing demand for riskier assets.
• Yesterday, the USD closed higher against the EUR, after a report showed that Germany’s economy contracted in the final quarter of 2011, and ahead of the European debt auctions.
• The AUD and the CAD ended lower against the USD, as demand for high yielding assets increased amid speculation that France’s credit rating might be downgraded. The currencies also ended lower ahead of the Spanish and Italian debt auction this week amid concern that their credit ratings might also be lowered.
• The GBP / USD closed lower after data showed higher-than-forecasted increase in the UK trade deficit in November. The GBP also ended lower, amid speculation that the UK central bank would take additional stimulus measures to spur economic growth, after country’s retail-store inflation slowed to the least in 16 months in December.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading marginally higher today, at $1,642.97 per ounce.
• Gold for February delivery added 0.5% or $8.10 to settle at $1,639.60 per ounce yesterday. This came after reports stated that Chinese gold imports from Hong Kong surged to a record high in November, ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
• In Asia, crude oil for February delivery is trading 0.4% or 39 cents higher at $101.26 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for February delivery dropped 1.3% or $1.37 to $100.87 per barrel. This came amid demand worries, after Germany reported that its economy shrank in the last quarter of 2011.
• Crude oil traded lower after the US Department of Energy reported that US crude oil inventories jumped by 5 million barrels for the week ended 6 January.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.