RIA News quoted Ukraine’s Atomic Energy Minister as saying that a production unit at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest of its kind in Europe, was hit in an attack by troops Russians.
S&P 500 futures lost 1.6% and Nasdaq futures lost 1.8%. Overnight, Wall Bourse ended lower as investors remained on guard against the Ukrainian crisis, while rising commodity prices also weighed on market sentiment.
MSCI’s broadest index of stocks in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, fell 0.8% and traded near its lowest level for the day. Markets across Asia were in a sea of red, with Japan down 2.3%, South Korea down 1.4% and commodity-rich Australia down 1.2%. Oil prices jumped on Friday after remaining flat the day before, with the market also focusing on whether OPEC+ producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, would increase production from January.
The euro continued to lose ground and is about to have its worst week against the dollar in nine months. It fell 0.44% to $1.1022.