- US equities slumped on Wednesday after US President Biden announced further sanctions against Russia, including increased penalties for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and its executives.
- Technology companies dropped down amid escalating tensions and a cyberattack on multiple Ukrainian government and bank websites, sending the S&P 500 into correction territory. Treasury bonds continued to lose ground, while the dollar remained unchanged.
- Following Biden's announcement on Tuesday that Russia has begun to invade Ukraine, investors have been weighing the likely impact of an initial batch of Western sanctions. The restrictions, like those imposed by other US partners, did not go as far as sweeping penalties, though officials warned that they may be increased.
- Fears that the Ukraine crisis may disrupt commodity supplies, placing more pressure on inflation, have pushed up prices for everything from gasoline to wheat and nickel. The price of gold increased. Following prior rises, the price of oil varied. The CBOE volatility index climbed to its highest level since late January before retreating.
- A key question is whether the rise in raw material costs will prompt the Federal Reserve to adopt a more aggressive monetary policy. Bets on how many rate hikes the Federal Reserve would make in 2022 have settled at roughly six 25-basis-point hikes, down from seven on February 11. Wednesday, Fed's Daly reiterated her belief that, "without any significant negative surprises," March is the appropriate time to begin adjusting monetary policy.
-Despite Russia's President Putin's denials that Russia aims to invade Ukraine, parliament has given him permission to deploy soldiers to separatist-held regions.