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In this article we take a look at some of the key commodities (gold, oil, platinum, palladium and natural gas) affected by the current geopolitical turmoil, and how they are reacting right now. Source: Bloomberg Forex Commodities Gold Petroleum Russia Palladium Following the announcement of fresh sanctions on Russia by the West, Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has initiated an attack on the Ukraine which is seeing elevated volatility in the market. In this article we take a look at some of the key commodities (gold, oil, platinum, palladium and natural gas) affected by the current geopolitical turmoil, and how they are reacting right now. Russia’s percentage share of key global commodity production in 2021 Source: IG The above graphic shows the percentage share of global production from Russia in 2021, as sourced from Refinitiv workspace. While we have seen base metals like aluminum and nickel rallying to new highs, Russia’s contribution to global output appears less signficant in this department when compared to diamonds, precious metals and energies. Gold, platinum and palladium The country is a key producer of platinum group metals (PGMs) most significantly palladium (40% of global production in 2021). Russia is also the third largest gold producer in the world accounting for roughly 10% of global production. Gold prices are being further elevated by increased safe haven demand through the conflict. Source: ProRealTime The price of the march contract for palladium has moved aggressively through the $2400/oz mark to test resistance at $2610/oz. A close above this level could unlock further gains with $2740 the next upside resistance target from the move. Source: ProRealTime Since breaking out of a bullish triangle consolidation, the price of platinum has pushed through resistance at $1075/oz and $1105/oz. Pullbacks within the new uptrend consider long entry with $1150 the next upside resistance target from the move. Source: ProRealTime Safe haven appeal is seeing gold now move to test the upper resistance level ($1960/oz) of the broad range which has been in place for the last two years or so. A break above $1960/oz could see $1995 and $2070/oz as further resistance targets from the move. Diamonds Russia is also believed to have the largest deposits of diamonds in the world and is the largest producer of rough diamonds. Oil and gas In terms of energies in recent years, gas supplies have accounted for 17% of the global total and nearly a third of supply to Europe. The country is an ally of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) which has been keeping oil supply throttled, despite increasing demand through an economic rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic. Source: ProRealTime The long-term trend for Brent crude remains firmly up, with the short-term momentum pushing the price to our upper channel resistance target of $100.60/barrel. Pullbacks within this uptrend are considered buyable with a longer-term upside target of $119/barrel projected from a Fibonacci extension. Shaun Murison | Senior Market Analyst, Johannesburg 25 February 2022

The FTSE 100, DAX and S&P 500 have dropped out of bed in light of Russia mounting a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Source: Bloomberg Indices Shares Russia Ukraine S&P 500 FTSE 100 FTSE 100 falls to 200-day SMA as Russia invades Ukraine As Russia invades Ukraine and president Putin declares war on his Russian neighbour, the FTSE 100 took a beating but less so than other European indices such as the DAX, for example. This has to do with the fact that the FTSE 100 is commodity, and especially oil, heavy with the likes of BP and Shell outperforming. The index is thus benefitting from the rise in commodity prices on the back of the Russian invasion. The FTSE 100 nonetheless dropped sharply to the 200-day simple moving average (SMA) at 7223 which so far offers support, just as it did in September, November and December. Were it to be slipped through, however, the late December low at 7100 would be targeted next. Minor resistance seen at the 22 February low at 7360 is expected to cap any potential short-term bounce today, together with the breached three-month uptrend line at 7375. Source: IT-Finance.com DAX drops like a stone on full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine The DAX 40 fell out of bed as Russia mounts a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, earlier dropping by as much as -5% to the pre-Covid-19 pandemic February 2020 high and 50% retracement of the October 2020 to November 2021 advance at 13,831 to 13,810 which offered interim support. Slightly further down the January 2020 high and February 2021 low can be found at 13,644 to 13,641. Minor resistance sits at the 22 February low at 14,305 and major resistance at 14,840 to 14,917. This resistance area is made up of several monthly lows going back to May 2021. Source: IT-Finance.com S&P 500 spirals towards May 2021 low at 4030 on Russian invasion of Ukraine The S&P 500 is on track to tumble to the June 2021 low at 4130 and may continue its slide to the 4030 May 2021 low as Russia declares war on Ukraine. Around the minor psychological 4000 mark the index may stabilise, however, since the February and mid-March 2021 highs were also made in this vicinity. A potential short-term bounce is likely to encounter resistance at the 4214 January low. Together with the July 2021 trough at 4224 it is likely to cap the upside today. Source: IT-Finance.com Axel Rudolph | Market Analyst, London 25 February 2022

With prices up 5.6% following Putin’s assault on the Ukraine, what’s the outlook for wheat prices? Source:Bloomberg IG Analyst | Publication date: Friday 25 February 2022 04:16 The European price of wheat has hit a 10-year high following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale assault on the country and, at 5am Ukrainian time, explosions took place near major cities, including Kyiv, the capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law. With concerns about the likelihood of disruption to food exports due to the conflict in Eastern Europe, wheat prices rose 5.6% to $935 a bushel, exceeding previous highs seen in November and building on the previous day’s highs. Ukraine the ‘breadbasket of Europe’ Russia is the world’s second largest exporter of wheat, while the Ukraine is the fourth biggest. Together, the two nations provide 23% of the world’s wheat exports, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture, and produce over 95m tonnes a year. Indeed, the Ukraine is dubbed the ‘breadbasket of Europe’ because of its agriculture. Prior to the conflict, wheat prices were already at high levels. Prices rose 30% last year alone and, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, “uncertainty over exportable supplies” could cause further price inflation. Analysts at ING previously said earlier this month that the commodity markets were “starting to price in some geopolitical risk around the growing tension between Russia and Ukraine” despite the fact that there had been “plenty of uncertainty” over what would happen next. With Marioupol and Odessa “unusable” due to the Russian bombing, Black Sea exports were suspended, French agricultural consultancy Agritel notes. "It is totally unprecedented," said Sebastien Poncelet, an analyst at Agritel. "When we see that there are explosions in Odessa, which is the main Ukrainian port, we must assume there will not be much grain loaded there today," he told AFP. Previously, when the Russians annexed the Crimea in 2014, wheat prices rose 15-10%. However, at that time disruption to agriculture was limited, Poncelet points out. "The fighting was essentially confined to Donbas, which is not a big agricultural region, and the crisis remained focused on Crimea," he said. Carlos Mera, head of agri-commodity markets at Rabobank, told The Grocer, that if the Ukraine’s Black Sea ports were blockaded or Ukrainian output was reduced, wheat prices could rise by anything from 10% to 30%. Further sanctions by the Western governments could also push wheat prices higher, although it is unclear what action they may yet take. The UK grows 80% of its wheat and imports the remaining 20% from Europe. The effect of rising gas prices With Russia also providing a third of Europe’s gas, any disruption to supply or further hike in prices could also have a knock-on effect on the wheat price outlook. Natural gas is used to make fertiliser, which is then used to produce wheat and fertiliser costs are already rising, affecting the cost of wheat production. Brent crude, which is also used to make fertiliser, is at a seven-year high, exceeding $100 a barrel. While the conflict in the Ukraine continues to escalate, wheat prices look likely to continue to climb. Go short and long with spread bets, CFDs and share dealing on 16,000+ shares with the UK’s No.1 platform.* Learn more about trading shares with us, or open an account to get started today. * Best trading platform as awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2021

Shell and BP shares could soar as oil prices continue to rise. But both are exposed to volatility if Russia chooses to cut production. Source: Bloomberg Indices Shares Commodities Petroleum BP Russia Oil stocks have soared so in 2022. And this was before the escalation of current hostilities in Ukraine. The onset of the covid-19 pandemic crash saw lockdowns around the developed world. By mid-April, Brent Crude fell below $20 a barrel, while WTI Crude Futures fell below $0 as a price war erupted between Saudi Arabia and Russia. The interconnected, globalised economy suffered its first universal shock. But by January 2021, Brent Crude had recovered to its pre-pandemic price point of around $60. And as the world’s economies reopened, the demand for all forms of energy surged, leaving suppliers struggling to increase output. US Energy Information Administration data shows ‘commercial inventories in the OECD ended the month at 2.68 billion barrels, which is the lowest level since mid-2014.' Brent Crude is now hovering just under $100. Before recent geopolitical developments in Ukraine, the Bank of America Corp was predicting $120 by the end of June. But now, it could rise far higher. Oil stocks and the Ukraine crisis A brief precis: Russian President Vladimir Putin has given a speech declaring the Minsk peace agreement void and has questioned the right of Ukraine to exist as a sovereign state. He has authorisation from the Russian Parliament to deploy armed forces abroad and amassed at least 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders. Russia says these troops will be ‘peacekeepers,’ claims denounced as ‘nonsense’ by the US. A full-scale invasion of Ukraine could be imminent. Of course, de-escalation is still possible. But without knowing Putin’s motives, it’s impossible to know how far the situation will deteriorate. Ukraine is in a state of emergency, is conscripting reservists, and is already under cyber-attack. Russian banks, MPs, oligarchs, and sovereign debt have all been targeted by Western sanctions. Most significantly, Germany has halted the approval of Nord Stream 2. US President Jo Biden has warned Russia will ‘pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression.’ Two years ago, former President Trump previously placed sanctions on US oil giant Rosneft. And the UK’s Boris Johnson has said ‘there is more to come.’ In response, Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has warned of a ‘painful’ response to US sanctions, warning it would target ‘sensitive’ US assets. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has already threatened a ‘brave new world’ which would see already sky-high gas prices double across Europe. Source: Bloomberg Where next for FTSE 100 oil stocks? Both BP and Shell recorded bumper profits in 2021; BP made $12.8 billion, while Shell generated $19.3 billion. BP CEO Bernard Looney has called the company a ‘cash machine,’ and there could be more cash to be made. The companies are predicted to make a combined $55 billion profit in 2022 leading to widespread calls for windfall taxes. But now Nord Stream 2 is staying closed, perhaps permanently. While only 3% of the UK’s gas needs are met by Russia, the increased demand for alternative sources like Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) will send the gas price sky-high. This will have a knock-on effect on oil, as countries turn to relatively cheaper alternatives. However, a bigger impact on oil stocks could come on 2 March. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners (OPEC+) is convening their monthly meeting to decide April’s strategy. The current strategy is to add 400,000 barrels of crude oil a day to the markets to maintain high prices while steadily raising supply. But Clearview Energy Partners believes Putin could retaliate by cutting oil production under the guise of plausible deniability. This could include cutting oil exports but blaming it on cyberattacks or conflict damage. However, Reuters has reported a Senior US State Department official stressing that ‘sanctions…are not targeting and will not target oil and gas flows.’ BP has the most to lose if Russia cuts production. It owns nearly 20% of Rosneft, and Looney sits on the Russian company’s board. It contributed $2.4 billion in profits to BP in 2021, and about a third of BP’s oil production came from Russia last year. Shell is less invested; while maintaining a stake, it was forced to cede control of its LNG project on Russia’s Sakhalin Island to state-owned Gazprom in 2006. The FTSE 100 oil stocks could soar as oil prices rise. But as the conflict deepens, nobody could be the winner. Go short and long with spread bets, CFDs and share dealing on 16,000+ shares with the UK’s No.1 platform.* Learn more about trading shares with us, or open an account to get started today. * Best trading platform as awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2021 Charles Archer | Financial Writer, London 24 February 2022

Hi @skylarkprojects, Thank you for your post. Alternatively you can reach out to webapisupport@ig.com, this email address is specific to API support and might have more knowledge to assist. All the best - Arvin

Hi @MITH, The best thing to do would be to contact the IG helpdesk with a proof of payment for the funds to be credited as soon as possible. You can reach out via the live chat or helpdesk@ig.com.sg. All the best - Arvin

Hi @hollis795, Could you please confirm that you followed these steps? 1. Create Watchlist and edit the name: 2. Right click on market you would like to add and select relevant Watchlist You can alternatively Add the stock from the chart as below: 3. Finally Select Watchlists > Your new Watchlist and it should automatically save all your selected markets: If after all these steps your Watchlists is not saving automatically please reach out to helpdesk.uk@ig.com for further assistance. I hope that it helps ! All the best - Arvin

A calmer atmosphere has seen risk appetite boost the euro and sterling against the dollar, lifting USD/JPY. Forex United States dollar Japanese yen USD/JPY Pound sterling GBP/USD EUR/USD holds at trendline support After falling back last week the price has begun to recover with EUR/USD, finding support at the rising trendline from the lows of late January. The run of lower highs since the beginning of the month means that a rally above $1.135 would mark a change and a potential break to the upside. This would bring the February high at $1.149 into view. A reversal back below $1.13 would see a break of trendline support and revive the bearish view. Source: ProRealTime GBP/USD looks to push higher Tuesday’s bounce with GBP/USD has put the buyers back in charge, although they must now push the price on above $1.363, which has marked the limit of gains since the beginning of the month. If this cannot be broken then further sideways movement may result. A move back below $1.355 would potentially mark the beginning of a deeper turn lower. Source: ProRealTime USD/JPY recovers 50-day MA The bounce yesterday with USD/JPY put the price back above the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) at ¥114.86. A higher low may form, and provide a further bullish impulse that may bring ¥116.00 into view. Today has seen the price open above trendline resistance from the February peak, bolstering a more bullish view. It would require a reversal back below ¥114.50, reversing Tuesday’s gains. Source: ProRealTime Chris Beauchamp | Chief Market Analyst, London 23 February 2022

The FTSE 100’s oil, mining, and bank stocks are reporting bumper profits, as tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border could see a capital flight to safety. Source: Bloomberg Shares FTSE 100 Ukraine Economic sanctions Aluminium Bank The FTSE 100 index has experienced a rollercoaster start to 2022. The index was worth 7,505 points on 4 January, rose to 7,611 on 17 January, and then dropped to 7,297 points on 24 January. It then hit 7,672 points on 10 February, before falling to 7,438 points yesterday morning. But over the past 24 hours, the UK’s premier index has risen to 7,525 points, despite, or perhaps because of, the escalating crisis on the Russia-Ukraine border. FTSE 100: Ukraine and FTSE 100 miners In recent years, the FTSE 100 has been criticised as a ‘dinosaur.’ And since the covid-19 pandemic crash of March 2020, the tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite has outperformed the FTSE 100 by a large margin. But as monetary policy tightens, the investment case was already swinging in favour of the banking, oil, and mining giants of the UK index. And now, the Ukraine crisis could see the FTSE 100 begin to outperform its international competitors. Russian President Putin has said that the Minsk peace deal no longer applies and has even questioned the right of Ukraine to exist as a state. He has recognised ‘the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic,' and is on the verge of a full-scale invasion of the country. Ukraine has declared a state of emergency and is conscripting reservists into the army. As a result, Western countries are now imposing harsh economic sanctions on Russia. The most significant so far is Germany’s decision to halt approval of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. And in the UK, PM Boris Johnson is under intense pressure to increase current sanctions from across the political divide. The effect on FTSE 100 miners could be drastic. Russia produces 6% of the world’s aluminium and 7% of its nickel. When sanctions were applied on Russian aluminium giant Rusal in 2018, the mineral’s price rose 35% in the space of week. And Aluminium is already trading at a multi-year high of $3,325 per ton, up from $1,444 in April 2020. Meanwhile, nickel is at $25,203 a tonne, up from $11,155 in March 2020. According to Jyske Bank , the already sky-high prices are a result of extreme undersupply. The covid-19 stimulus packages which have boosted global construction, as well as the push towards green technology, especially in China have both seen aluminium consumption rise. This has seen aluminium inventories in LME-approved warehouses fall to 835,125 tonnes, down from 2 million last year. Meanwhile Nickel is down to 82,314 tonnes from 260,000 in April. Analysts are sceptical that sanctions will be reimposed on Rusal. CRU’s Eoin Brophy believes ‘lawmakers initially underestimated the impact of the Rusal sanctions… Aluminium inventories are so low today that a replay of that error would be explosive for prices.’ And Macquarie analyst Marcus Garve thinks ‘there will not be disruptions to Russian aluminium supply... the market is extremely tight.’ But US President Biden has said ‘we’ll continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.’ And Rio Tinto has warned that US sanctions could disrupt the global aluminium supply. The FTSE 100 miner’s revenue doubled to £15.6 billion in 2021, as rising prices for iron, aluminium, and copper boosted profits. Source: Bloomberg FTSE 100 banking and oil Then there’s the impact on FTSE 100 oil stocks BP and Shell. With Brent Crude hovering at a multi-year high of around $100, both have announced bumper profits. And there could be more to come. BP CEO Bernard Looney has already called the FTSE 100 company a ‘cash machine.’ And with approval for Nord Stream 2 now indefinitely delayed as Russis warns that gas prices could double, presuure on oil prices towards the $120 territory in the near-term seems likely. The FTSE 100’s bank stocks are also reporting copious profits. Standard Chartered's annual profits have doubled to £2.4 billion. HSBC's profit is up 79% to $21.9 billion. NatWest's profits rose to £4 billion, up from a £481 million loss the year before. And today, Barclays has announced its profits nearly trebled to £8.4 billion in 2021. With Lloyds still to report, FTSE 100 banks are now seriously boosting the index. And with HSBC predicting the Bank of England will raise interest rates to 1.25% by the end of the year, profits could soar even higher. Interest rates are rising. Metals are rising. Oil is rising. As uncertainty rocks the markets, the FTSE 100 is becoming a haven of relative safety. Trade what you want, when you want with the UK’s No.1 trading provider.* We have over 80 top global indices with more trading hours than anyone else. Find out more about indices trading or open an account to trade now. *Based on revenue excluding FX (published financial statements, June 2020). Charles Archer | Financial Writer, London 24 February 2022

Volatility has spiked again as Russia deploys troops into separatist territories in Ukraine. Source: Bloomberg After weeks of speculation, brinkmanship and hot-and-cold rhetoric, Russia has breached Ukrainian borders, in a move described by Russian officials as a “peacekeeping” mission in separatist run territories of the country. For the markets, the concern remains what impact such a conflict will have on fragile energy markets, Europeans economic growth, and the broader financial system if sanctions are slapped on Russia. The situation remains fluid and dynamic; market participants, as a result, are finding it difficult to price-in the risks associated with it. But one major fear now is that troops lined up along the Belarusian border could be deployed to overrun Kiev and overthrow the Ukrainian government. Here are 4 key markets that are experiencing volatility around this event. Oil Source: IG Oil prices have surged this morning, after what was a brief pullback on de-escalating tensions in recent days, to rebound and make a fresh move towards $US100 per barrel. For WTI, price has yet to make a new high. But with the heightened prospect of sanctions Russia and freeze of gas exports to Europe, the knock-on effect to broader energy markets will likely see crude push materially higher for as long as this conflict persists. The first major level of resistance looks to be around $93.25, before the market’s recent high at 95.60 opens up. Key support seems to be around WTI’s 20-day MA. Gold Source: IG The risk of sanctions and flight to alternative stores of value has fuelled gold, which is forming a short-term uptrend now. Sanctions mean the effective locking out of Russia from the global financial system as well as SWIFT – the global payments system – rendering some currency reserves obsolete. Having broken resistance at $US1850 and $US1880, gold is running into resistance at $US1910 now. Should that level break, a run towards $US1960 may open. The aforementioned levels of previous resistance will likely become technical support for the commodity. EURUSD Source: IG Despite the prospect of war in Europe, which would have a major impact on Eurozone growth, the EURUSD has held up reasonably well, only dipping marginally following the news of Russia’s push into Ukraine. The trend, and risk broadly, appears skewed to the downside right now for the EURUSD. However, as traders re-evaluate the prospect of rate hikes across the globe, the pair continues to oscillate around the 20 and 50 daily MAs. Major support can be found around 1.1260 for the pair now, while on the upside, resistance can be found at roughly 1.1380 and the 100-day MA. DAX Source: IG European stocks kicked-off the week with steep losses, and are likely to open lower again this evening (based on early indications), with the German DAX tumbling more than 2%. A war in Ukraine would be disastrous for the German economy, with the likely drop in growth, but elevated inflationary pressures from a probably energy shock, hitting company profits, and limiting the ECB’s ability to provide monetary stimulus. The DAX plunged through key support at 15,000 and 14,800 overnight, with the next key level to watch support at 14,000. Previous support levels will be watched as the major levels of resistance. Kyle Rodda | Market Analyst, Australia 22 February 2022

Hi @Jpn, I apologies for the confusion, as mentioned above, to eliminate any partial fill you can chose the execute & eliminate, but it is possible that your order is not completely filled ( but your order will be then closed). Otherwise you will need to buy the stock at current price if the quantity is available to avoid partial fills. Alternatively you can change the order type to Market Order: A market order is an instruction from a trader to their broker to execute a trade immediately at the best available price. Market orders are usually implemented very quickly, provided there is enough liquidity in the market. When a market order has been executed, it is referred to as a ‘filled order’. If you have further questions, please to reach out to helpdesk.uk@ig.com or use the live chat feature on our website. Our Helpdesk team will be able to assist you further and guide you through the dealing ticket. I hope that it helps. Thank you - Arvin

The Reckitt Benckiser share price has risen 10% since Thursday. Optimistic full-year results have vindicated CEO Laxman Narasimhan's repositioning strategy, as revenue is expected to increase a further 1-4% in 2022. Source: Bloomberg Indices Shares Commodities Reckitt Price Brand The Reckitt Benckiser (LON: RKT) share price has risen 10% from 5,802p to 6,369p after reporting strong 2021 full-year revenue. And as the company repositions its brand portfolio, it predicts further revenue growth of 1%-4% in 2022. Reckitt Benckiser shares have already recovered from their 5,448p low of October 2021. They were worth as much as 7,754p in July 2020 and could be returning to this price point soon. Reckitt Benckiser share price: full-year earnings Thursday’s results were positive for the hygiene and consumer healthcare stock. Full-year net revenue rose 3.5% to £13.3 billion, and 17.4% on a two-year stacked basis, led by ‘by a strong performance in Hygiene and a recovery in Health as we exited the year.’ In Q4, revenue grew 3.3% year-over-year, beating the 1.9% growth expected by analysts in a company-supplied poll. However, the 17.5% growth of its healthcare business masked hygiene’s 6.1% fall. Fortunately for the FTSE 100 stock, it maintained ‘strong momentum’ as ‘brands less sensitive to COVID dynamics, representing c.70% of the portfolio grew, on average, by mid-single-digits in each quarter of 2021.’ CEO Laxman Narasimhan said ‘Over the last two years, we’ve significantly strengthened our business. Our innovation pipeline is 50% larger, our brands are stronger and more relevant, and our ability to serve our customers and consumers is greatly improved. We’ve taken Reckitt’s strong performance-driven culture, with its unique sense of ownership, and are evolving it for the better.’ And JP Morgan analyst Celine Pannuti agrees with his positive outlook, saying ‘Reckitt delivered a solid full-year result, and a reassuring 2022 outlook should not only be supportive today but also puts the turnaround story on fast track.' Source: Bloomberg Inflation and transformation But Reckitt has spent last year fighting cost inflation, which rose 11% in 2021. And in last week’s earnings call, CFO Jeff Carr told investors that this would be ‘higher than that in 2022…across the board’ and that ‘anything related to crude oil’ was facing increasing inflationary pressure. He specifically highlighted ‘an over 20% increase in logistical costs, ocean freight being one of the key drivers.’ Brent Crude is now hovering at around $100 a barrel. And RBC Capital Markets analyst Michael Tran believes ‘there is meaningful upside running room before demand destruction potentially takes hold.’ John Driscoll at JTD Energy Services predicts it could rise to $150 a barrel by summer, especially if Russia decides to invade Ukraine. And with 80%-90% of global trade volume moving by sea, the cost of shipping a 40-foot container from Asia to the US rose by 330% to $26,000 in 2021. However, Narasimhan said the company has ways to ‘mitigate and manage pricing…we care about the competitiveness of our brands.’ And Carr concurred, saying ‘we are passing some pricing onto consumers but we minimise that through the programmes we have…to absorb those cost increases.’ With the cost-of-living crisis escalating, price increases could result in revenue falls as consumers would resort to generic products. But Reckitt Benckiser has made ‘strong progress in repositioning our business towards higher growth.’ It’s divested lower margin business IFCN China and Scholl while planning a further disposal of E45 and acquisition of Biofreeze. It repositioned 9% of its brand portfolio in 2021 and grew e-commerce revenue by 17%. Narasimhan believes the company is ‘showing positive momentum with 62% of our core CMUs holding or gaining share.’ And he is targeting ‘an increase in adjusted operating margin in 2022,’ up from the current 22.9%. And despite the current inflationary pressures, he thinks Reckitt Benckiser has ‘a unique portfolio of trusted, market-leading brands in structurally attractive categories with significant headroom for growth.’ Moreover, it appears to be holding on to most of its pandemic sales growth. Lysol sales are up 90% and Dettol sales up 40% compared to 2019. Q4 sales of its intimate brands, including Durex condoms, KY lubricants, and Veet hair removal products, rose by 15%. Its over-the-counter drugs, such as Strepsils and Lemsip, rose 40% in the quarter. And as pandemic restrictions end, the company expects sales of these products to rise even further. With strong brand loyalty and rising revenue, the Reckitt Benckiser share price could rise soon. Go short and long with spread bets, CFDs and share dealing on 16,000+ shares with the UK’s No.1 platform.* Learn more about trading shares with us, or open an account to get started today. * Best trading platform as awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2021 Charles Archer | Financial Writer, London 22 February 2022

EUR/USD advances on waning war jitters while EUR/GBP slips and GBP/USD rises on Boris Johnson's announcement to remove all Covid-19 restrictions. Forex Euro Pound sterling United States dollar EUR/USD GBP/USD EUR/USD rises on hopes of Biden-Putin summit EUR/USD is seen heading back up again after the US President Biden and the Russian President Putin agreed in principle to meet to discuss the Ukrainian crisis. On the back of this news EUR/USD bounced off the 55-day simple moving average (SMA) and one-month support line at $1.133 to $1.1314 and is advancing towards the late November, December and last week’s highs at $1.1382 to $1.1396. This area will need to be exceeded, for the January and current February highs at $1.1482 to $1.1495 to be back in the frame. Only a slide through minor support at today’s $1.1314 low could lead to last week’s low at $1.1281 and the early January low at $1.1272 being revisited. Source: IT-Finance.com The gradual EUR/GBP slide is ongoing EUR/GBP continues to give back most of its early February swift advance in view of recent sterling strength, benefitting from a Covid-19 post-Omicron growth rebound and expectations for further Bank of England (BoE) interest rate hikes. The mid-January trough at £0.8324 is currently being tested, below which beckons major support which remains to be seen between the January and early February lows at £0.8305 to £0.8286. Minor resistance above the one-month resistance line at £0.8369 can be spotted at the £0.8381 November low and also at last week’s £0.8402 high and 55-day SMA at £0.8406. Source: IT-Finance.com GBP/USD trades near four-week highs Last week’s strong GBP/USD bounce off the $1.3513 to $1.349 mid-November high, 6 January and 7 February lows, has taken it to a one-month high close to the current February high at $1.3644. This is on the back of the pound sterling strengthening amid expectations for further BoE interest rate hikes and the removal of all remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England, fully opening up the economy. The 200-day SMA at $1.3687 represents the first technical upside target, followed by the January peak at $1.3749. Only a currently unexpected fall through last week’s $1.3487 low, would put the $1.348 to $1.3431 support zone back into the picture. It is comprised of the early as well as the 25 and 26 January lows and the 55-day SMA. Further down lies the January trough at $1.3359. Source: IT-Finance.com Axel Rudolph | Market Analyst, London 21 February 2022

Shares in Diageo fell last week on Heineken’s worries about cost pressures but offer a safe haven Source: Bloomberg Shares Diageo Hedge Cost Share repurchase Guinness Shares in Diageo dipped last week after fellow drinks giant Heineken warned that inflationary pressures were “off the charts”. Dolf van den Brink, executive chairman and chief executive of the Dutch brewer, told investors at the full-year results that the “speed of recovery” from the Covid-19 pandemic remained “uncertain”. He also said that the company faces “significant inflationary challenges” due to rising manufacturing and shipping costs. With input prices expected to rise by a percentage in the mid-teens, van den Brink told the Financial Times that there was now “increased uncertainty” over Heineken’s midterm profit forecasts. Heineken fears that customers could stop drinking as much beer as it is forced to hike prices. “We will offset these input cost increases through pricing in absolute terms, which may lead to softer beer consumption,” the company told investors. As investors read across to Diageo, the shares fell 1% to 3595p in intraday trading. Numerous other food and drink producers, including Carlsberg, Nestle, Kelloggs and PepsiCo have all recently warned of cost inflation and the need to pass price increases onto consumers. ‘Vice stocks’ like Diageo are a hedge against inflation However, shares in companies producing consumer staples, such as alcohol, are traditionally a good inflationary hedge because customers are likely to continue to buy their pint or tipple despite cost pressures. Diageo owns 200 alcohol brands, which it sells across 180 countries, including Smirnoff, Guinness, Johnny Walker, Bailey’s and Captain Morgan. It is also enjoying buoyant sales, reporting broad-based growth across most of its brand categories at the recent half-year results, particularly in scotch, beer and tequila. The company is experiencing growth in China and Latin America. Despite a tough year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Diageo posted solid half-year results in January, with net sales up 15.8% to £8bn and strong organic growth, despite currency fluctuations. Organic net sales were up 20%, while reported operating profits rose 22.5% to £2.7bn and operating margins increased by 190 basis points thanks to growth in organic operating profit, which rose 24.7%, with growth experienced across all regions. Premium plus brands generated 56% of reported net sales and delivered 74% of organic net sales growth. “We have made a strong start to fiscal 22,” Diageo’s chief executive Ivan Menezes told investors at the half-year results in January. “While we expect near-term volatility to remain, including potential impacts from Covid-19, global supply chain constraints and rising cost inflation, I am confident in our ability to successfully navigate these disruptions through the remainder of the year. “Over the medium-term, from fiscal 23 to fiscal 25, we continue to expect organic net sales to consistently grow within a range of 5% to 7% and organic operating profit to grow sustainably within a range of 6% to 9%." Diageo’s position of strength The company also boasts a strong balance sheet, with a leverage ratio of 2.5% at the lower end of Diageo’s target range. Net cash flow during the period, while down slightly on the previous year (-£0.1bn), remained strong at £1.9bn, while free cash flow was £1.6bn during the half-year, down £0.2bn due to an exceptionally strong working capital benefit in the comparative period. Diageo also completed £0.5bn of share buybacks during the half-year to 31st December 2021 as part of a plan to return up to £4.5bn to shareholders. Today it has announced it is buying back another £1.7bn of shares. The company won’t be immune from inflationary pressures. However, the fact that it has a diverse geographical spread and owns many popular well-known brands should make it less vulnerable than other companies. Diageo shares are up 22% this year to 3658.5p but are down from the high of 4103.5p they reached in January. Analysts at Barclays have set a price target of 4800p. The share price looks likely to continue to climb, given the flight to quality stocks and rising cost inflation. Go short and long with spread bets, CFDs and share dealing on 16,000+ shares with the UK’s No.1 platform.* Learn more about trading shares with us, or open an account to get started today. * Best trading platform as awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2021 IG Analyst | Publication date: Tuesday 22 February 2022 02:17

ASX growth stocks could soon be hot commodities. The Reserve Bank of Australia is fighting lower inflation than its counterparts in the UK, US and EU, and is likely to keep interest rates lower for longer. Source: Bloomberg Shares Commodities Australian Securities Exchange Interest rate Bank Australia The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has been neglected by newer investors in recent years. But the ASX 200, comprised of the 200 largest Australian companies by market cap is now at 1,418 points, surpassing its pre-pandemic value. And in the past year alone, it’s risen by 13%. Inflation and interest rates And critically for the ASX, Australian monetary policy is starting to diverge from the norm in 2022. The country’s Consumer Prices Index inflation rate is at a manageable level of just 3.5%. Other western nations can only look at Australia with envy; in the UK, it’s 5.5%, the Eurozone is at 5.1%, the US at a sky-high 7.5%. The inflation situation has forced the Bank of England to raise the base rate to 0.5%, and HSBC expects it to Open My IG 1.25% by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Bank of America projects the US Federal Reserve Open My IG raise interest rates to as high as 3%. This negative market sentiment has seen growth stocks in fast-moving, debt reliant sectors such as biomedicine and technology see huge capital falls. For example, Meta Platformsand Netflix have both lost nearly 50% of their value in recent months. The relationship between growth stocks and interest rates is simple. Investors expect growth stocks’ share prices and financial performance to accelerate faster than the market average. To achieve this, they are often reliant on cheap borrowing, fueled by low interest rates. As growth stocks are usually in the early stages of development, they come with significantly higher risk, which counterbalances the promises of inflated returns. And as interest rates rise, growth stocks become less attractive as they can borrow less money and face increased payments on debt. This creates a negative feedback loop, which sees capital flight to better established blue-chip value stocks, that offer lower returns in exchange for security. But Australia is a different John Dory. While the Reserve Bank of Australia has stopped buying government bonds, Governor Philip Lowe has recently stressed that ‘ceasing purchases under the bond purchase program does not imply a near-term increase in interest rates,’ and that ‘when the time comes, that will be a shock to people who had only got used to interest rates falling.’ Lowe accepts a rate rise could come in 2022 but has previously forecast 2024 as the most likely time for rates to rise. And as a toxic combination of inflation and interest rate rises hit the more popular equity markets, capital flight from growth stocks to value stocks can make value stocks paradoxically overvalued. This leaves the less popular Australian Securities Exchange as an outlier, with a developed market hosting growth stock opportunities with a unique advantage over their international peers. And many companies have spotted this. 2021 saw 240 Initial Public Offerings on the ASX, raising $13 billion of capital. And according to the ASX, these IPOs are up 17% compared to their launch prices. All numbers below are in Australian dollars unless otherwise specified. Source: Bloomberg Top ASX growth stocks 1) GQG Partners (ASX: GQG), was the ASX’s largest IPO in 2021, raising $1.2 billion on an initial $5.9 billion market cap. The company launched at $2 a share but is now down 24% to $1.52. With US$91.3 billion under management, up from US$85.8 billion in September, the company invests in active equity portfolios. CIO and Chair Rajiv Jain has recently pivoted away from tech stocks, saying ‘technology is no longer the next growth spot; it’s yesterday’s growth spot.’ The company is now concentrating on base metals, utilities, and healthcare. It’s also investing heavily in emerging markets, including China. Morgans analyst Scott Murdoch has the stock as a ‘sector recommendation,’ with an ‘attractive valuation relative to flows momentum, earnings quality and growth potential.’ 2) 29Metals (ASX: 29M) also launched its IPO last year. At $2.61 per share, the $1.25 billion copper miner is down from its $3.15 January record, but still up 28% since it started trading in July. With copper trading at a near historical high, Goldman Sachs analyst Jeremy Currie believes a long-term bull market for commodities is approaching, and that ‘there has rarely been a better time to add commodities to a portfolio, In April last year, the bank even said that ‘copper is the new oil,’ and there is ‘no decarbonisation without copper.’ And as the world pivots towards net-zero, some analysts are speculating that the rising demand for copper could help contribute to a mining super-cycle. 3) NextGen Energy (ASX: NXG) is the new uranium miner on the block. It has an advantage over established rivals Paladin and Energy Resources of Australia, as it is also listed on the TSX and NYSE, which gives it access to North American capital. Recent unrest in the top uranium-producing country in the world, Kazakhstan, has highlighted the fragility of the commodity’ supply. Uranium is critical to nuclear power, which currently accounts for 10% of global energy needs. Moreover, as Brent Crude and LNG become ever more expensive, energy security is likely to move up the political agenda. The uranium spot price is now at US$43, with the Bank of America predicting it will hit US$60 by the end of this quarter. The spot price hit a five-year high of US$46 in November last year, coinciding with NextGen’s $8.60 share price record. And at $6.90 right now, NextGen could represent an excellent growth stock as the demand for nuclear energy grows while depleting oil reserves rise in price. 4) Judo Capital Holdings (ASX: JDO) is Australia’s very own challenger bank. Its November IPO made it the first bank to launch a new listing in the country since Macquarie in 1996. At $1.98 per share, the bank is trading slightly below its IPO price, but this growth stock has many positives. First, when interest rates eventually rise in Australia, its profits will rise with them. Second, institutions own 30% of the bank’s shares, indicating a favourable success profile. It finally became profitable this year and aims to grow earnings by 55% in 2022. Third, it operates in a specialist niche, as ‘Australia’s only challenger bank purpose-built for small and medium businesses.’ With a $2.2 billion market cap, it has significant growth potential. 5) Airtasker (ASX: ART) is the Australian answer to Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr. At $0.70 a share, the jobs marketplace company is trading at a near historical low. But recent Q2 results showed that its gross marketplace volume had risen 39% quarter-over-quarter to $48.6 million, while revenue increased 37.5% quarter-over-quarter to $8.1 million. And full-year guidance for GMV is between $191 and $194 million, an increase of 25% to 27% over FY 2021. The platform is growing rapidly in the UK and US as well as Australia, with significant potential for further upside. 2.2 million freelancers contributed £162 billion to the economy in 2020 in the UK alone. And as remote working becomes entrenched and previous norms break down, these numbers are only likely to increase. Source: Bloomberg 6) Li-S Energy (ASX: LIS) shares are worth $1.07 at present, less than half their record high, but still up on their IPO price of $0.85. The company has raised a cash balance of $52.9 million to ‘to pursue its commercial and research and development activities.’ The company believes that its lithium-sulphur battery technology could replace lithium-ion tech found in laptops, EVS and mobile phones, by integrating patented ‘Boron Nitride Nano-tube Technology to increase energy density and extend battery cycle life.’ And it has an agreement with Boeing subsidiary Insitu Pacific ‘to integrate, test and eventually field Li-S Energy battery into Insitu Pacific’s range of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems.’ If this trial proves successful, the growth stock could explode. Of course, it’s far from the only company investing in battery technology. 7) Clarity Pharmaceuticals (ASX: CU6) was the largest biotech IPO in Australia last year. However, at $0.72 a share, it’s fallen more than 50% since its August IPO. But Chairman Alan Taylor thinks the company will ‘deliver exceptional clinical and corporate results and we are confident that those results will be a significant catalyst in delivering capital growth for our shareholders.’ The company is developing multiple radiopharmaceutical cancer treatments, based on its proprietary SAR technology which enables ‘superior imaging and therapeutic characteristics of radiopharmaceutical products, addressing the current manufacturing and logistical limitations.’ Its lead product, SARTATE, is in clinical trials for neuroblastoma and neuroendocrine tumours. Arguably, its falling share price reflects the uncertainty; but a breakthrough could send it soaring. 😎 Block (ASX: SQ2), formerly Square, is now dual-listed on both the NYSE and the ASX. According to ASX group executive Max Cunninghan, Block CEO Jack Dorsey’s decision ‘could be the most important listing on the ASX since BHP in 1885’, saying ‘they could have found other ways to fund this, so for them to consciously list here is really, really significant.’ With a US$56 billion market cap, it’s one of the largest companies on the ASX, but it’s still in a growth phase. Square processed US$112 billion in payments last year, a fraction of Mastercard and Visa which both transacted over US$800 billion. But its transaction volume is up 40% in the first three quarters of this year compared to last. And it’s following in the footsteps of Meta, Apple, and Alphabet by investing in multiple experimental projects to see what sticks. Block recently acquired buy now pay later firm Afterpay for US$29 billion. Afterpay itself was only listed on the ASX in 2016 with a $165 million market cap. Dorsey’s master plan is to create a tech conglomerate, with the Square payment app, Afterpay, peer-to-peer payment service Cashapp, music streamer Tidal, and crypto developer TBD54566975 working together to generate symbiotic returns. 9) Altium (ASX: ALU) is a software company that provides PC-based electronics design software to engineers who design printed circuit boards (PCBs). At $34 a share and with a $4.5 billion market cap, Altium is has fallen since its $41 record last month. However, its 5-year Return on Capital Employed is an impressive 22.7%. Moreover, it projects FY22 revenue growth of between 16% and 20% to between US$209 million to US$217 million. Management is so confident of its growth prospects that Altium rejected a $38.50 per share buyout bid from Autodesk in June as ‘significantly undervalued.’ At the time, this represented a 41% premium to the stock’s closing price. The company’s Altium 365 platform already has more than 17,000 active users and 7,000 active accounts, and management plans to pursue market dominance in this niche computing area. Long-term, Altium could be to PCBs as Arm is to semiconductors. 10) Nitro Software (ASX: NTO) has fallen to $1.78 a share, less than half its record $3.88 in November. The $400 million company’s Nitro Productivity Suite provides e-signature tools and integrated PDF support to customers. Encouragingly, Goldman Sachs believes Nitro has a Total Addressable Market of US$34 billion and has put a 12-month price target of $2.95 on the stock. In Q4 results, it reported a revenue increase of 26% year-over-year to $72 million and added Deutsche Bank to its client list amongst others. Golman Sachs believes that ‘Nitro operates in large, underpenetrated markets supported by structural growth tailwinds including remote work, enterprise digitisation, and e-signing adoption.’ While the mass uptake of e-signatures may take time, this ASX growth stock has long-term investment potential. Go short and long with spread bets, CFDs and share dealing on 16,000+ shares with the UK’s No.1 platform.* Learn more about trading shares with us, or open an account to get started today. * Best trading platform as awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2021 Charles Archer | Financial Writer, London 21 February 2022

Hi @Wakaba, To follow up on your application, please reach out to sales.en@ig.com with your details. All the best - Arvin

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Hi @sybessonne, It seems that your Demo account is locked (possibly password) once locked it will be suspended. Please reach out to helpdesk.uk@ig.com or use our live chat feature to contact our helpdesk with your account details to unlock your account. All the best - Arvin

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Hi @DrAWesM, You should be able to trade Cryptos during the weekend . We are normally open 24 hours a day, from 5pm Saturday to 7am Saturday (AEST). On Saturday mornings the IG platform performs a backup and maintenance. During this time it might not be available. Alternatively you can call in to reach a dealer on the weekend as IG have staff covering the weekends. If you need further assistance, please reach out to helpdesk.au@ig.com. All the best - Arvin

A stronger British pound due to anticipated further BoE interest rate hikes pushes EUR/GBP lower and GBP/USD higher while EUR/USD remains mixed in low volatility trading. Forex Euro Pound sterling United States dollar EUR/USD GBP/USD EUR/USD side-lined ahead of next week’s Russia-US meeting Volatility has been decreasing in the EUR/USD cross over the past couple of days as traders are getting used to the Russia-Ukraine stalemate. Yesterday EUR/USD bounced off the 55-day simple moving average (SMA) and one-month support line at $1.1338 to $1.1323 and today it is so far trading within a tiny 30 tick range. Minor resistance continues to be seen between late November, December, and this week’s highs at $1.1382 to $1.1396. It will need to be exceeded for the January and current February highs at $1.1482 to $1.1495 to be back in the picture. Only slide-through support at $1.1323 could lead to this week’s low at $1.1281 and the early January low at $1.1272 being retested. Source: IT-Finance.com The gradual EUR/GBP slide continues EUR/GBP continues to give back its early February swift gains on the back of recent sterling strength, benefitting from a Covid-19 post-Omicron growth rebound and expectations for further Bank of England (BoE) interest rate hikes. Were Thursday’s low at £0.8334 to give way, the mid-January trough at £0.8324 would be targeted. Major support remains to be seen between the January and early February lows at £0.8305 to £0.8286. Minor resistance above the £0.8381 November low and this week’s high at £0.8402 can be found along the 55-day SMA at £0.8409. Source: IT-Finance.com GBP/USD trades near four-week highs GBP/USD’s strong bounce off the $1.3513 to $1.349 mid-November high, 6 January and 7 February lows, as the pound sterling strengthened amid expectations for further BoE interest rate hikes, has taken it to a one-month high close to last week’s high at $1.3644. Next up are the 200-day SMA at $1.369 and the January peak at $1.3749. Only a currently unexpected fall through this week’s $1.3487 low, would push the $1.3455 to $1.3431 support zone back to the fore. It is comprised of the early as well as the 25 and 26 January lows and the 55-day SMA. Further down lies the January trough at $1.3359. Source: IT-Finance.com Axel Rudolph | Market Analyst, London 19 February 2022

Hi @Jif, Thank you for you message. Could you please confirm that the Volume issue is happening on a share dealing account only for US stock (which one)? An incident report has been raised on the matter, I will add your feedback to the incident. All the best - Arvin

Hi @AlmostRich, IG offers two types of lots for retail clients for EUR/USD, standard 100 000 and Mini 10 000. All the best - Arvin