Stock markets around the world fell yesterday, pressured by ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, which pushed investors to take profits with major indexes near record levels.
The US dollar fell 0.45 per cent to a six-and-a-half-month low against a basket of currencies, while US bond yields struggled to pull out of recent troughs and the yen and euro both gained.
US stocks dropped, pressured by financial shares following disappointing results from American International Group. However, the Dow and S&P 500 remained within striking distance of record levels.
Investors continued to watch the ongoing unrest in Ukraine, where more than 30 pro-Russian separatists were killed in fighting near the east Ukraine rebel stronghold of Slaviansk, according to the Interior Minister. Russia announced plans to beef up its Black Sea warship fleet.
“Valuations are close to the ceiling and some people may be uncomfortable because of that, especially given growing nervousness over the geopolitical tensions,” said Bernard Baumohl, managing director and chief global economist at the Economic Outlook Group in Princeton, New Jersey.
“However, we still have room to grow before alarm bells start going off.”
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 82.62 points, or 0.50 per cent, at 16,447.93. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down 7.85 points, or 0.42 per cent, at 1,876.81. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 21.55 points, or 0.52 per cent, at 4,116.51.
The benchmark 10-year US Treasury note was up 3/32, the yield at 2.6005 per cent.
The euro rose 0.3 per cent to $1.3921 against the dollar while the yen rose 0.6 per cent to 101.55. European shares fell 0.3 per cent, while the MSCI International ACWI Price Index slipped 0.04 per cent.
Gold dipped 0.2 per cent, though prices were supported by the Ukraine tension. Wheat prices – which have been tied to the situation between Russia and Ukraine, both of which are big grain producers – rose 1.3 per cent for a third straight gain.
In Europe, the European Central Bank is expected to repeat its concern about the strong euro’s impact on already-low inflation when it meets tomorrow. But economists doubt the ECB will cut its record-low interest rates again.
Yields on peripheral countries’ lower-rated bonds also remained at multi-year, and in some cases, all-time, lows. Investors welcomed Portugal’s plan to exit its bailout and continued to bet on some future easing of ECB monetary policy.