USD/JPY Spread Betting Market Hits 4-Yr High as Yen Decline Continues

Owing to the UK bank holiday, European markets started last week trading fairly flat with thin volumes to match. Asian shares advanced on the back of better than expected U.S jobs data released on Friday. The Dow closed above 15,000 on Tuesday for the first time, a significant achievement that highlights the importance of the [...]

Spread Betting Markets Soften amid Nervousness on ECB Rate Decision

European stocks edged higher after the May bank holiday break as PMI readings across the continent exceeded market expectations. Spread betting investors quickly reversed the gains as nervousness over the ECB rate decision due at 12.45 took hold. Traders seem optimistic about a quarter point cut, though many economists have called into question the effectiveness [...]

Upbeat UK GDP Data Sees the GBP/USD Spread Betting Market Rally Over 100 Points

Data out from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed that the UK avoided a Triple Dip recession after seeing growth of 0.3% in the first quarter of this year, beating forecasts of 0.1%. It must of course be said that this is a preliminary reading and historically, preliminary GDP readings have proved highly volatile [...]

Poor German Economic Data Pull Spread Betting Indices Lower

The only catalyst seemingly able to dampen the US bulls, who grabbed the opportunity to push markets higher on the back of a positive earning session, was a fictitious post from a hacked twitter account causing a 140 point round trip on the Dow. Over the pond however, European spread betting indices have already given [...]

Spread Betting Indices Slide as German PMI Misses Expectations

PMI data out of Germany this morning caught equity bulls off guard and dragged indices back from their highs as both the Manufacturing and Services measure missed expectations. The single currency was also aggressively sold off, as once again the ability of Germany to prop up the broader Eurozone economy was drawn into question. Amongst [...]

Missed NFP Number Causes the Gold Spread Betting Market to Jump

After a weak start for European indices this morning, the picture has become significantly worse throughout the session as weak US data compounded negativity to see stocks pushing lower into the weekly close. In the UK, low cost airline EasyJet published their March trading update before the opening bell. Brokers have taken a mixed view [...]

USD/JPY Spread Betting Market Soars after BoJ Announces QE

Whilst UK miners have largely clung to gains in today’s session, the wider market has continued to pull back as spread betting investors reduce risk in the face of Eurozone concerns and weaker US macro data. ENRC and Vedanta have been the headline outperformers on the day, both adding 5%. ENRC saw their stock pushed [...]

Possible Removal of BoJ Bank Note Rule Could Prompt USD/JPY Strength

As the yen rises back to its old ways, the Bank of Japan is pressured to step up its dovish talk ahead of this week’s 2-day policy meeting. It’s interesting that the central bank first won its independence in the mid 1970s as part of its fight against double digit inflation, before losing it to [...]

M&A Rumours Cause the Vodafone Spread Betting Market to Rally

Shares spread betting markets opened higher this morning and have largely pushed on throughout the session as traders nudge risk assets higher following the Easter break. Mixed PMI numbers from the UK and Europe were largely ignored as positive sentiment drove the gap between equity valuations and macroeconomic data ever wider. Whilst questions surrounding the [...]

FX Spread Betting Investors Lift Sterling before Cypriot Banks Reopen

European equities have struggled for support today as concerns over the re-opening of Cypriot banks tomorrow and the possibility of similar bailouts in the broader Eurozone in future gave traders cause to reduce risk ahead of the Easter break. Poor GDP readings for France and the UK earlier this morning heaped more pressure onto equities, [...]