Spread Betting Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 shed 2.8% to close at 5,544.2.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index declined 2.2% or 22.1 points to 996.0.
• DJIA fell 2.3% to settle at 11,955.0. NASDAQ shed 1.91% to close at 2,684.4. S&P 500 slumped 2.5% to end at 1,253.3.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.1% lower, at 8,886.8.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.9% or 84 cents lower at $92.35 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.6071, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1615, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥125.60.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread betting on indices.

UK Spread Betting Markets

• UK markets dropped sharply yesterday, led by declines in mining and banking sector stocks, as investors remained cautious and awaited further details about the Eurozone rescue package.
• Among mining sector stocks, Vedanta Resources, the top laggard on the FTSE 100 index, declined 9.0%, while BHP Billiton and Xstrata retreated 6.4% and 7.7%, respectively, as metal prices lost ground amid worries over demand from China.
• Security firm, G4S lost 1.0%, amid news that its largest two stake holders were set to oppose the ISS takeover deal.
• Bankers, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, and Royal Bank of Scotland retreated between 2.9% and 7.6%, on doubts over the Eurozone bailout agreement.
• BP and BG group retreated 1.3% and 4.7%, respectively, as oil prices lost ground.
• FTSE 100 shed 2.8% to close at 5,544.2. FTSE 250 slumped 2.7% to settle at 10,479.7.
• GlaxoSmithKline rose 1.2%, after Cowen upgraded the stock to “Outperform” from “Neutral”.
• WM Morrison edged up 0.3%, ahead of its trading update next week, and after Jefferies reiterated its “Buy” rating on the stock.
• Miners, Vedanta Resources, Xstrata, and Rio Tinto, tumbled between 9.0% and 6.5%, in line with a fall in base metal prices, amid speculation of decrease in demand from China.
• Banking stocks, RBS and Lloyds Banking, dropped 7.8% and 7.6%, respectively, amid renewed concerns about the Eurozone debt crisis.
• 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 lower against the USD at $1.6071, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1615, and 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥125.60.
• The EUR is trading 0.2% lower against the USD at $1.3837.
• The EUR is trading 0.4% lower against the JPY at ¥108.13.
• The EUR is trading lower against the USD and the JPY, amid speculation that an economic slowdown in the European region would pressure the European Central Bank to consider cutting interest rates.
• The USD strengthened against most of its major counterparts after data showed that Chinese manufacturing index dropped in October, boosting demand for the USD as a safe haven currency.
• Yesterday, the JPY closed lower against all major currencies, after Japan intervened in to foreign-exchange markets to weaken its currency.
• The AUD closed lower against the USD, amid speculation that Reserve Bank of Australia would cut its benchmark interest rates following report that showed Australia’s consumer prices rose 2.6% this month from a year earlier
• The GBP ended lower against the USD, following reports that showed business expectations slumped and house prices fell in the UK. GBP closed higher against the EUR, amid mounting concerns that the European rescue plan to contain the region’s sovereign debt crisis might fail.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread betting.

Commodities Spread Betting Markets

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.3% higher today, at $1,719.11 per ounce.
• Gold for December delivery 1.3% or $22 to end at $1,725.20 per ounce yesterday, as the dollar rose against the major currencies, decreasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for December delivery is trading 0.9% or 84 cents lower at $92.35 per barrel.
• Yesterday, crude oil for December delivery declined 0.1% or 13 cents to settle at $93.19 per barrel. This came as the dollar gained against the euro, decreasing the demand for the commodities as an alternative investment.
• Crude oil prices also paced decline amid speculation of large-scale commodity-position liquidation after MF Global filed for bankruptcy.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread betting.