You might also be able to trade the FTSE 100 on other spread betting websites.
UK Stock Market Analysis and Trading News
Date
Trading Update
17-May-13
[4:14pm] As the week ends markets are once again in the green, with the FTSE 100 up 30 points thanks to some better US economic data.
The end of the week looms and the picture for markets looks very similar on Friday afternoon to how it did on Monday morning: a relatively benign economic environment, showing some signs of recovery, backed by accommodative central banks.
We seem to have entered a utopia for investors; just enough good economic data to encourage nervous investors, but also sufficient bad data to keep central banks actively engaged in providing fresh liquidity.
This isn't quite 'never had it so good', but it is certainly a pleasant atmosphere.
This afternoon, both the Michigan confidence index and US leading indicators were ahead of expectations, nicely counterbalancing yesterday's slew of weaker data.
The FTSE 100 and S&P 500 have both gained around 1.5% this week, and with valuations still not too frothy we could be in for more gains around the world.
Leaving aside the Ocado-Morrisons news, today's pleasant surprise for the Treasury will be Lloyd's share price pushing back to the notional 'break-even' point for the government's stake.
Hardly the time to push the 'sell' button I think, but you could forgive the Chancellor for daring to hope that yet higher prices could be on their way.
A pre-election feelgood sale is not entirely impossible, but investors should leave political considerations to Whitehall.
Update by Chris Beauchamp, Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[3:34pm] After starting off the morning on the back foot, the FTSE has again found buyers around 6670 to drag the benchmark back above the key 6700 level.
US Michigan sentiment numbers have propelled the index to within striking distance of the 2007 highs at 6,751 as we approach the weekend.
We've seen a strong session from the banks following an upgrade to the sector from UBS.
A break above 4,000 in the French CAC for the first time since July 2011 provided some cheer for the mainland as well, while new record highs for the DAX completed a nice trifecta.
Notable gainers were Lloyds and RBS, with the former now sitting at the lower end of the 61-73p range representing a breakeven level for the government, fuelling recent speculation that we may see the privatisation of the pair by 2015.
Ocado Deal Riles Waitrose
Ocado sits atop the FTSE 250 today, after finally delivering on the rumours of a tie up with Morrisons, sending the stock soaring to all-time highs in a case of buy the rumour buy the fact.
The £216m deal sees Ocado supply the logistical infrastructure to the UKs fourth largest grocer in a move that is certain to rile its main client Waitrose.
In fact, Waitrose Managing Director, Mark Price, has already announced intentions to investigate the legality of the deal in light of its own supposed exclusivity agreement with the firm.
One of the big losers of the day is Intertek Group who sunk below the psychological 3,300p level, down almost 5%, on news that its operating profit has narrowed considerably compared to last year.
It's the biggest decline in the share price in 14 months as the consumer-goods testing company reported that profit will continue to drop in the second half of the year.
In light of a mixed Q1 trading report, John Menzies shares are also offered lower with the company citing reduced cargo volumes in its aviation business and a dip in its newspaper and magazine distribution company following an exceptional 2012 for the 180 year old firm.
Update by Toby Morris, Senior Sales Trader,
17-May-13
[10:52am] London's FTSE is trading flat on Friday morning at 6688.
The spread betting markets are faced with something of a dilemma presently.
Equities have been operating in a different realm to economic reality and the fact that sentiment sours on the basis of hawkish rhetoric from some US Fed members demonstrates just how dependent the current rally is on monetary easing.
European markets have taken cues from their US counterparts and investors have been greeted this morning with a lower opening across the board.
The FTSE is currently flat on the day at 6688, with the 6700 level acting as a buffer to additional upside.
Royal Bank of Scotland is leading the gainers based on reports that the bank will cut 1400 jobs over the next two years. The share price has added 2.7% to trade at 327p.
The mining sector is also catching some investor interest today, most likely on bargain-hunting owing to the fairly extreme sell-off we've seen over the past six weeks.
Monetary Policy Committee member Martin Weale is due to speak at a conference in Birmingham this morning.
The recent revisions to both UK inflation expectations and growth is likely to arise and we could well receive some clues to future monetary policy action.
Yesterday's price action on the FTSE 100 indicates that the 6700 level was a target.
As a result, the current bout of profit-taking and the emergence of the shooting-star candle on the daily chart may imply that a near-term correction is in the offing.
The pullbacks since mid-April have been exceptionally shallow so I think at best today, in the absence of fundamental drivers, we could expect some sideways trade.
Update by Brenda Kelly, Senior Market Strategist,
17-May-13
[10:43am] A quick video market update:
Update by Chris Beauchamp, Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[9:57am] European markets have slipped back this morning following last night’s late US sell-off.
Investors are struggling to tear themselves away from Beckham eulogies, with little of substance on the macro radar other than Michigan sentiment this afternoon to indicate any particular directional bias.
Even allowing for this morning’s slight weakness, equities continue to be fairly resilient.
This is despite further disappointing US data yesterday and increasing uncertainty regarding the tapering of bond purchases following comments from San Francisco Fed President John Williams.
Ocado has finally delivered on the rumours of a tie up with Morrisons, sending the stock soaring to all-time highs in a case of buy the rumour buy the fact.
The £216m deal sees Ocado supply the logistical infrastructure to the UK’s fourth largest grocer.
The move that is certain to rile its main client Waitrose, whose Managing Director, Mark Price, has already announced intentions to investigate the legality of the deal in light of its own supposed exclusivity agreement with the firm.
One of the big losers of the day so far is Intertek Group who sunk below the psychological 3300 level, down almost 5%, on news that its operating profit has narrowed considerably compared to last year.
It’s the biggest decline in the share price in 14 months as the consumer-goods testing company reported that profit will continue to drop in the second half of the year.
In light of a mixed Q1 trading report, John Menzies shares are also offered lower with the company citing reduced cargo volumes in its aviation business. The firm also noted a dip in its newspaper and magazine distribution company following an exceptional 2012 for the 180 year old firm.
Update by Alex Young, Senior Sales Trader,
17-May-13
[7:34am] FTSE 100 Technical Analysis (30 mins chart)
FTSE 100 pivot point: 6600
Our preference: LONG positions above 6600 with 6710 & 6755 in sight.
Alternative scenario: The downside penetration of 6600 will call for 6555 & 6494.
Comment: Even though a continuation of the consolidation cannot be ruled out, its extent should be limited.
Update by
17-May-13
[7:34am] UK Shares - Crossing Over their 50 Day Moving Average:
Afren (+3.73% to 139.2p)
Ladbrokes (+1.56% to 214.6p)
Melrose (+1.7% to 256.8p)
RSA Insurance (+1.85% to 115.6p)
UK Shares - Crossing Under their 50 Day Moving Average:
Tesco (-0.4% to 373.9p).
Update by
17-May-13
[6:35am] The FTSE 100 is expected to open 2 points lower at 6,686
Update by Michael Hewson, Senior Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[6:35am] As a result of this weak finish on Wall Street, we can expect to see European markets open lower this morning with the likelihood of some profit taking at the end of another record week.
What economic data there is out of Europe is unlikely to be positive. The latest EU wide new car registration data for April is not expected to improve much from March’s 10.2% decline, and reinforces the weak demand outlook in the euro area.
The European car market has been notable by its complete contrast to the fairly buoyant UK car market which continues to perform fairly well.
We may get some movement in the pound with Bank of England MPC member Martin Weale due to speak.
He may shed more light on some of his views with respect to forward guidance after this week’s inflation report suggested that inflation pressures could be on a downward track.
A number of MPC members have expressed doubts about affecting such a policy and Mr Weale is one along with Ben Broadbent and David Miles.
Update by Michael Hewson, Senior Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[6:08am] Most European indices are expected to open lower on Friday, following in the footsteps of their US counterparts after the S&P ended the session in the red for the first time this week.
The economic data released in the US on Thursday was very disappointing, which under normal circumstances would have heavily weighed on the rally in the stock markets.
However, this is no normal rally. Once again, the economic data was almost completely ignored and the pull back following the data was seen as a buying opportunity.
We saw perfect examples of this twice following the release of the weekly jobless and the Philly Fed manufacturing index.
Both came in well short of market expectations sparking a sharp sell-off, but within an hour and a half on both occasions, the S&P was trading above the levels seen in the lead up to the releases.
US Fed Spooks Markets by Talking of Phasing out QE3 in the Summer
On this occasion though, the strategy didn’t work too well, as two Fed members spoiled the party by discussing the phasing out of QE, potentially as early as this summer.
Needless to say, the markets didn’t respond positively to this.
I think it’s worth noting here though that neither of the Fed members were voting members of the FOMC, so their opinion doesn’t carry as much weight as Ben Bernanke, or any of the other voting members.
Based on the reaction on Wall Street, that clearly doesn’t matter as both of these clearly have inside knowledge on the matter.
On this occasion, there was no opportunistic buying, and both the S&P and Dow ended the day down 0.5% and 0.28%, respectively.
European Indices Looking Slightly Weaker
Clearly the prospect of Fed phasing out its asset purchases is hitting index prices in the futures market at the moment, with the CAC 40, DAX 30, Spain 35 and Euro Stoxx 50 all expected to open lower.
There’s very little out on Friday with respect to economic data, which is likely to leave the markets without any real direction.
The construction output figure for March may attract some attention when released at 10:00, following two consecutive months on negative figures.
This content is for information purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation to trade. Nothing on this website should be construed as investment advice.
Unless stated otherwise, the above time is based on when we receive the data (London time). All reasonable efforts have been made to present accurate information. The above is not meant to form an exhaustive guide. Neither CleanFinancial.com nor any contributing company/author accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the above or for the correctness or accuracy of the information provided.
Where Can I Find Live Spread Betting Prices and Charts for the FTSE 100?
You can also use a spreads account to access shorter-term daily FTSE markets. Readers should note that opening such an account is normally subject to suitability and status checks.
If your account application is accepted then, once logged in, you will be able to access the charts and the current prices. Access is normally free, however, the catch is that you could get the odd sales letter or email from your firm.
Of course, if you do decide to trade, be aware that spread trading and contracts for difference carry a high degree of risk and you may lose more than your initial deposit.
Advanced Charts for the FTSE 100
Although the charting packages normally differ from platform to platform, in order to assist you with your FTSE 100 analysis, most charts generally have:
A large range of time intervals - 1 minute, 2 minute, 10 minute, 1 hour, 4 hour, 1 month etc
A variety of chart types - candlestick, line and OHCL charts
Drawing tools and features - Fibonacci Time Zones, Arcs and Fans
The charts on Financial Spreads also offer more advanced features, including:
BackTesting, Tailored Indicators and Analysis tools
Popular overlays - Ichimoku Clouds, Parabolic SAR, EMA, Chande Kroll Stop etc
A wide selection of secondary charts - ADX, MACD, Volume Index, Historical Volatility etc
Email alerts for when your chosen market hits a pre-set level
Example FTSE 100 chart on the Financial Spreads platform
The brokers below give account holders access to real time trading charts/prices:
Stock market trading is never risk free. However, if you want to use a Practice Account, that lets you try financial spread betting, please see below for further details.
When deciding which trading option is right for you, remember that spread betting, in the UK, is exempt from income tax, stamp duty and capital gains tax*.
If you're trying to find a free spread betting platform then keep in mind that you can trade the FTSE 100 without paying brokers' fees or commissions through companies such as:
If you are interested in a free Test Account which allows users to get a better understanding of financial spread betting, and practice trading markets like the FTSE 100, then you could always take a look at:
All of the above companies provide a Demo Account that lets users practice trading, apply a variety of orders, try out strategies and review charts.
How to Spread Bet on the FTSE 100?
As with many global markets, investors can spread bet on stock market indices, like the FTSE 100, to either rise or fall.
If we log on to Financial Spreads, we can see they are showing the FTSE 100 Rolling Daily market at 5785.3 - 5786.3. This means an investor can spread bet on the FTSE 100 market:
Going above 5786.3, or Going below 5785.3
When spread betting on the FTSE 100 index you trade in £x per point.
Where a point is one point of the index itself.
Should you choose to invest £4 per point and the FTSE 100 moves 24 points then that would alter your profit/loss by £96. £4 per point x 24 points = £96.
Rolling Daily Index Markets
An important aspect of this Rolling Daily Market is that there is no closing date for your trade. You do not have to close your trade, should it still be open at the end of the day, it will roll over to the next session.
If you allow your trade to roll over and are spread betting on the market to:
Increase - then you will be charged a small overnight financing fee, or Decrease - then a small payment is normally credited to your account
Our article Rolling Daily Spread Betting goes into more detail about Rolling Daily Markets and includes a fully worked example.
FTSE 100 Rolling Daily - Index Spread Trading Example
So, if we take the above spread of 5785.3 - 5786.3 and assume:
You have analysed the indices markets, and
You feel that the FTSE 100 index will rise above 5786.3
Then you could decide that you want to buy a spread bet at 5786.3 and risk, let's say, £2 per point.
With this trade you make a profit of £2 for every point that the FTSE 100 index moves higher than 5786.3. However, it also means that you will make a loss of £2 for every point that the FTSE 100 market moves below 5786.3.
Considering this from another angle, should you buy a spread bet then your profits (or losses) are worked out by taking the difference between the closing price of the market and the initial price you bought the market at. You then multiply that difference in price by your stake.
Therefore, if after a few trading sessions the UK stock market rose, you might want to close your position to lock in your profit.
So if the stock market increased then the spread, set by the spread betting company, might move up to 5849.4 - 5850.4. In order to close your position you would sell at 5849.4. Accordingly, with the same £2 stake:
P&L = (Closing Price - Opening Price) x stake
P&L = (5849.4 - 5786.3) x £2 per point stake
P&L = 63.1 x £2 per point stake
P&L = £126.20 profit
Speculating on stock market indices, whether by spread betting or not, doesn't always work out. In this example, you had bet that the index would go up. Nevertheless, it might go down.
If the FTSE 100 index began to drop then you might choose to close your spread bet in order to restrict your losses.
Should the market pull back to 5731.9 - 5732.9 then you would close your spread bet by selling at 5731.9. If so, you would lose:
P&L = (Closing Price - Opening Price) x stake
P&L = (5731.9 - 5786.3) x £2 per point stake
P&L = -54.4 x £2 per point stake
P&L = -£108.80 loss
Note - FTSE 100 Rolling Daily prices as of 11-Sep-12.
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is one of the world's oldest stock exchanges. It's been trading for over 300 years. According to the LSE website it started life in the coffee houses of 17th century London (pre-Starbucks).
FTSE Definitions
FTSE: Financial Times Stock Exchange. These firms (FT and LSE) are jointly responsible for the compilation and maintenance of the main stock indices reflecting the performance of the UK's top shares
FTSE 100: The index of the UK's top 100 companies, as ranked by their market capitalisation. Also referred to as UK100
FTSE 250 or FTSE MID 250: The index of the next 250 FTSE companies as ranked by their market capitalisation
FTSE 350: The index of the top 350 UK companies by market capitalisation. A combination of the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 stocks
FTSE ALL SHARE: An index covering about 800 shares representing 98% of UK stock market value
Risk Warning: Spread betting and CFD trading carry a high level of risk to your capital and you may lose more than your initial investment. Spread betting and CFD trading may not be suitable for all investors. Only speculate with money that you can afford to lose. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and seek independent financial advice where necessary.
'FTSE 100 Spread Betting' by DB, updated 17-May-13
For related pages also see:
Indices Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
Stock market index spread betting guide with live indices prices and charts. Plus a daily stock market review, indices spread betting comparison, where to trade indices commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: Indices Spread Betting.
Stock Market Trading, updated 16-May-13
Compare Indices spreads. Free indices trading information, where to find free Indices charts and prices, how to buy and sell Indices and...read article: Stock Market Trading.
Stock Market Index Spread Betting Guides, updated 26-Apr-13
Over 35 individual Stock Market Index spread betting guides for the FTSE 100, Dow Jones, DAX, NASDAQ, Nikkei etc. Each guide looks at live charts and prices, where you can trade the Index commission-free, a fully worked example and...read article: Stock Market Index Spread Betting Guides.
FTSE 100 Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
FTSE 100 spread betting guide with live FTSE 100 index prices and charts. Plus a FTSE 100 spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the FTSE 100 commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: FTSE 100 Spread Betting.
Dow Jones Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
Dow Jones spread betting guide with live Dow Jones index prices and charts. Plus a Dow Jones spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the Dow Jones commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: Dow Jones Spread Betting.
DAX 30 Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
DAX 30 spread betting guide with live DAX 30 index prices and charts. Plus a DAX 30 spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the DAX 30 commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: DAX 30 Spread Betting.
S&P 500 Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
S&P 500 spread betting guide with live S&P 500 index prices and charts. Plus a S&P 500 spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the S&P 500 commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: S&P 500 Spread Betting.
NASDAQ 100 Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
NASDAQ 100 spread betting guide with live NASDAQ 100 index prices and charts. Plus a NASDAQ 100 spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the NASDAQ 100 commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: NASDAQ 100 Spread Betting.
Q) Average Trading Results?
A) Get free trading tips, offers, price updates, important news and more! All Free - Click here!
Risk Warning: Spread betting and CFD trading carry a high level of risk to your capital and you may lose more than your initial investment. Spread betting and CFD trading may not be suitable for all investors. Only speculate with money that you can afford to lose. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and seek independent financial advice where necessary.
The contents on CleanFinancial.com are for information purposes only and are not intended as a recommendation to trade. Nothing on this website should be construed as investment advice.
Neither CleanFinancial.com nor any contributing company/author accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the above or for the correctness or accuracy of the information provided.
* Tax law is subject to change or may differ if you pay tax in a jurisdiction other than the UK.
Going above 5786.3, or
Going below 5785.3