Stocks slide, oil jumps as Russia orders troops to Ukraine regions

Stocks slide, oil jumps as Russia orders troops to Ukraine regions

Oil jumped to a seven-year high, safe-havens rallied and U.S. stock futures dived on Tuesday as Europe's ..







Reuters









February 22, 2022 / 07:33 AM IST





Oil jumped to a seven-year high, safe-havens rallied and U.S. stock futures dived on Tuesday as Europe’s eastern flank stood on the brink of war after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine.

Brent crude futures rose 1.6% to $96.94, just off their overnight seven year high. S&P 500 futures fell 1.5% and Nasdaq futures fell 2.2%. Asian stocks were also down over half a percent, while Japan’s Nikkei skidded sharply.

The Russian rouble briefly touched an 18-month low in early Asia trade on Tuesday, after Russia’s MOEX equity index had fallen 10.5% the day before.

Spot gold, in contrast, hit a new six-month top of $1,911.56. [GOL/]

Putin on Monday recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent and ordered the Russian army to launch what Moscow called a peacekeeping operation into the area, upping the ante in a crisis that could unleash a major war.

A Reuters witness saw columns of military vehicles including tanks early Tuesday on the outskirts of