ASIA:
Asian stock markets plunged and oil prices surged Thursday after President Vladimir Putin announced Russian military action in Ukraine. The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.9%, and the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo sank 2.2%. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong tumbled 3.1%. Oil prices jumped nearly $3 per barrel on unease about possible disruption of Russian supplies.
The major Asian stock markets had a negative day today:
- NIKKEI 225 decreased 478.79 points or -1.81% to 25,970.82
- Shanghai decreased 59.19 points or -1.70% to 3,429.96
- Hang Seng decreased 758.72 points or -3.21% to 22.901.56
- ASX 200 decreased 215.10 points or -2.99% to 6,990.60
- Kospi decreased 70.73 points or -2.60% to 2,648.80
- SENSEX decreased 2,702.15 points or -4.72% to 54,529.91
- Nifty50 decreased 815.30 points or -4.78% to 16,247.95
The major Asian currency markets had a mixed day today:
- AUDUSD decreased 0.00980 or -1.36% to 0.71325
- NZDUSD decreased 0.01220 or -1.80% to 0.66526
- USDJPY increased 0.495 or 0.43% to 115.418
- USDCNY increased 0.01640 or 0.26% to 6.32857
Precious Metals:
- Gold increased 16.72 USD/t oz. or 0.88% to 1,924.27
- Silver increased 0.161 USD/t. oz or 0.66% to 24.681
Some economic news from last night:
South Korea:
PPI (YoY) (Jan) decreased from 9.0% to 8.7%
Interest Rate Decision (Feb) remain the same at 1.25%
Australia:
Building Capital Expenditure (MoM) (Q4) increased from -0.2% to 2.2%
Plant/Machinery Capital Expenditure (QoQ) (Q4) increased from -4.1% to -0.1%
Private New Capital Expenditure (QoQ) (Q4) increased from -2.2% to 1.1%
Some economic news from today
Hong Kong:
Exports (MoM) (Jan) decreased from 24.8% to 18.4%
Imports (MoM) (Jan) decreased from 19.3% to 9.6%
Trade Balance decreased from -32.8B to -36.6B
EUROPE/EMEA:
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked one of the biggest security crises in Europe since World War II by invading Ukraine, with barrages of missiles and artillery accompanying troops as they entered the country from multiple directions. Ukraine’s government called Russia’s actions a “full-scale invasion” and imposed martial law across the country. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry urged citizens to go to shelters, saying the capital, Kyiv, was being targeted. The US, Europe, and UK are readying further sanctions on Moscow, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said it would move more military assets into eastern Europe.
The major Europe stock markets had a negative day:
- CAC 40 decreased 259.62 points or -3.83% to 6,521.05
- FTSE 100 decreased 291.17 points or -3.88% to 7,207.01
- DAX 30 decreased 579.26 points or -3.96% to 14,052.10
The major Europe currency markets had a mixed day today:
- EURUSD decreased 0.01570 or -1.39% to 1.11516
- GBPUSD decreased 0.01950 or -1.44% to 1.33531
- USDCHF increased 0.00900 or 0.99% to 0.92653
Some economic news from Europe today:
Norway:
Unemployment Rate (Dec) decreased from 3.5% to 3.3%
Swiss:
Employment Level (Q4) increased from 5.213M to 5.239M
France:
French Consumer Confidence (Feb) decreased from 99 to 98
Italy:
Italian Industrial Sales (MoM) (Dec) decreased from 2.40% to -2.10%
Italian Industrial Sales (YoY) (Dec) decreased from 22.20% to 14.30%
UK:
CBI Distributive Trades Survey (Feb) decreased from 28 to 14
US/AMERICAS:
Thursday was a volatile day on Wall Street as the morning began with news of Russian forces invading Ukraine. Most indexes remained in the red until a late-hour trading correction. President Biden announced that the US will “impose severe cost on the Russian economy, both immediately and over time.” Kremlin members and their families have been sanctioned, along with export blocks on technology. The US will not place troops in Ukraine due to its NATO status, but will “defend our NATO allies and reassure those allies in the east.” Biden acknowledged that he did not expect sanctions from preventing the war, but that Putin “knows what is coming.”
Jobless claims in the US declined to 232,000 for the week of February 19, while continuing claims dropped to the lowest level in 52 years. Weekly jobless claims declined by 17,000 from the previous week, according to the Labor Department. Continuing claims (data collected from the week prior) totaled 1.48 million, marking a 112,000 from the week prior and the lowest calculation since March 14, 1970.
US Market Closings:
- Dow advanced 92.07 points or 0.28% to 33,223.83
- S&P 500 advanced 63.2 points or 1.5% to 4,288.7
- Nasdaq advanced 436.1 points or 3.34% to 13,473.59
- Russell 2000 advanced 51.26 points or 2.64% to 1,995.36
Canada Market Closings:
- TSX Composite advanced 17.76 points or 0.09% to 20,761.93
- TSX 60 advanced 0.38 of a point or 0.03% to 1,257.17
Brazil Market Closing:
- Bovespa declined 415.74 points or -0.37% to 111,591.87
ENERGY:
The oil markets had a green day today:
- Crude Oil increased 3.87 USD/BBL or 4.20% to 95.9700
- Brent increased 6.00 USD/BBL or 6.20% to 102.8400
- Natural gas increased 0.073 USD/MMBtu or 1.58% to 4.6960
- Gasoline increased 0.1213 USD/GAL or 4.45% to 2.8466
- Heating oil increased 0.1504 USD/GAL or 5.32% to 2.9796
The above data was collected around 12:45 EST on Thursday
- Top commodity gainers: Brent (6.20%) and Heating Oil (5.32%), Wheat (5.57%), Palm Oil (5.18%)
- Top commodity losers: Steel (-3.27%), Platinum (-2.65%), Coffee(-3.06%) and Feeder Cattle(-2.60%)
The above data was collected around 12:59 EST on Thursday.
