Mixed Results in US Spread Betting Markets
US equity markets experienced a bit of a mixed start today, as further signs of stabilisation in the embattled American labour market left investors feeling as if the Fed may decide to raise interest rates ahead of schedule.
A Labour Department report released this afternoon has showed the number of Americans claiming first-time jobless benefits [...]
Spread Betting Update - US Equity Markets Struggle
US equity markets struggled to find direction during the first hour of trading today, as the release of more positive American economic data lifted the market’s short-term interest rate expectations.
The Institute for Supply Management’s Chicago Purchasing Managers Index, an important barometer for business activity, rose to a reading of 60 in December from 56.1 the [...]
US Equities Robust Despite Poor US Housing Data
US equities made decent gains at the start of trading today, despite flat American housing data.
An official government report released this afternoon has revealed that home prices across 20 US cities were flat in October, dashing hopes for a sixth straight monthly increase and casting some doubt over the market’s ability to sustain the [...]
UK 100 Index Continues Up
The UK’s leading index continues to be up on the day, trading at 5342 points with resource stocks continuing to dominate.
Cairn Energy remains out in front, now up 20.70p (+6.49) at 330.5p, with Royal Dutch Shell ‘A’ and ‘B’ close behind, up 2.62% and 2.72% respectively at 2.50pm (London time).
Also among the winners is [...]
Stronger Dollar and Weak Data Pressurise Wall Street
Stock prices came under pressure this afternoon on Wall Street, with a resurgent Dollar affecting foreign investment flows, and also affected by the release of unexpectedly weak initial jobless claims figures for the week ending 12 December and a lower profit forecast by FedEx Corp.
Shortly after the open, the DJIA was trading down 62 points [...]
Wall Street Moves Higher Amid Speculation of Low Interest Rates
Confident speculation that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates low helped push Wall Street back into positive territory today.
A Bloomberg survey of 98 economists predicted that the Fed will leave its benchmark lending rate unchanged despite recent data pointing to renewed economic growth. High unemployment is a key concern for the Fed and analysts [...]
Weaker US Data Pushes Wall Street Lower: Spread Trading News
Wall Street dipped back into the red today as investors fretted over the latest US economic releases and Best Buy’s disappointing outlook.
Official government data released this afternoon revealed that US wholesale prices rose nearly twice as much as anticipated in November while a separate report indicated that manufacturing activity in the New York region [...]
US Equity Markets Move Higher After Positive News: Financial Spread Trading Report
US equity markets kicked off in positive territory today, after deal news spurred risk appetite and Abu Dhabi quashed default fears after providing Dubai World with a substantial sum of cash.
The market heaved a sigh of relief today after Dubai’s cash-rich neighbour handed over $10 billion to Dubai World. This came in order [...]
Positive Economic Data Pushes Indices Higher: Financial Spread Betting News
Hot on the heels of a batch of positive economic data from China this morning, US retail sales figures for November beat expectations, further cementing the path to economic recovery on which we wander.
Hot on the heels of a batch of positive economic data from China this morning, US retail sales figures for November beat [...]
Wall Street Opens Well Despite US Jobless Claims Data
Wall Street opened very strongly this afternoon, with the DJIA quickly ratcheting up 100 points of gains (around 1%) within 10 minutes of the open on the NYSE.
This came despite news from the US Labor Department that jobless claims were higher than expected for last week, with the number of workers making new benefit claims [...]