Ukraine Crisis Hits Global Stock Markets

Stock prices plummeted worldwide on Tuesday after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to enter two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, increasing the likelihood of a long-anticipated invasion. The "Nikkei 225" index in Tokyo fell by 2.2%, while the "Hang Seng" index in Hong Kong dropped by 3.2% in early trading, according to the Associated Press. Oil prices surged, with U.S. crude rising by 2.8%. Futures for the "S&P 500" index decreased by 1.7%, while the "Dow Jones" industrial index futures fell by 1.5%. In Europe, stocks declined on Monday as investors awaited developments in the Ukraine crisis. The German "DAX" index lost 2.1%. In Paris, the "CAC 40" index fell by 2%, and the British "FTSE 100" index dropped by 0.3%. The Russian "MOEX" index fell by about 11%. The ruble declined by 3.2% against the dollar. Western powers fear that Russia could use the skirmishes in eastern Ukraine as a pretext for an invasion of the country, which has resisted Moscow’s attempts to draw it back into its sphere of influence.