NEW YORK (dpa-AFX) – The US stock exchanges fell sharply later on Friday in trading. Investors fled risky stocks to havens that were perceived as safe, such as government bonds or currencies such as the yen and the US dollar, primarily because of the escalating conflict in Ukraine.
The strong upward trend in prices in the USA is also causing additional nervousness. Since the highest inflation rate in over 40 years was published on Thursday, market participants have been speculating all the more feverishly about forthcoming interest rate hikes, as these could possibly come faster and more extensively than previously expected.
The Dow Jones Industrial lost 1.43 percent to 34,738.06 points. While it had looked like the Wall Street index would be up for the week given the initially friendly start to trading, it ultimately posted a minus of one percent.
The S&P 500 index, which covers the broader market, ended the day 1.90 percent lower at 4418.64 points. The Nasdaq 100 technology index fell 3.07 percent to 14,253.84 points, down three percent for the week.
A certain calming of the situation in Ukraine was actually expected, “but that no longer seems to be the case,” commented market analyst Edward Moya from broker Oanda. Stock traders quickly hit the sell button after reports that the United States was anticipating a continued invasion of Ukraine.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said shortly afterwards that “we are in a window where an invasion could begin at any time should (Russian President) Vladimir Putin decide to order it.” Since the US government considers an invasion possible before the end of the Winter Olympics on Sunday next week, around 3,000 more US forces are now being sent to eastern Europe
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