Here are the most important news, trends and analysis that investors need to start their trading day:
1. Stock futures drop after new sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine
A trader works at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, the United States, Feb. 25, 2022.
Wang Ying | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images
U.S. stock futures dropped Monday, but traded off earlier lows on the last day of February, after the Biden administration announced additional sanctions against Russia’s central bank over Moscow’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. On Saturday, the U.S., European allies and Canada agreed to cut off key Russian banks from the interbank SWIFT messaging system. Wall Street mounted a strong rally Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average having its best day since November 2020. In a week of wild swings in the market, the Dow closed down slightly as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq finished higher.
2. U.S. targets Russia’s central bank and Russia’s banks
Russia’s central bank in Moscow.
Gavriil Grigorov | TASS | Getty Images
Monday’s new actions by the White House effectively prohibit Americans from doing any business with the Russian central bank as well as freezes assets within the United States. The weekend’s coordinated move to block Russian banks from SWIFT, which stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, means they won’t be able to communicate securely with banks beyond its borders.
3. Oil prices rise on concerns about energy supplies
Oil pumping jacks, also known as “nodding donkeys”in a Rosneft Oil Co. oilfield near Sokolovka village, in the Udmurt Republic, Russia, on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Oil prices rose Monday, but traded of earlier higher, after the SWIFT banking prohibition prompted fears that energy supplies could be indirectly affected. West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. benchmark, rose more than 3% to roughly $95 per barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, more than 2% to around $100 per barrel. British energy giant BP announced Sunday it’s offloading its 19.75% stake in Rosneft, a Russian-controlled oil company. Russia is a key oil and natural gas supplier, especially to Europe.
4. Russia’s ruble tanks and stock market there ordered closed
A woman walks past a board showing currency exchange rates of the US dollar and the euro against Russian ruble in Moscow on February 22, 2022.
Dimitar Dilkoff | AFP | Getty Images
Facing mounting international sanctions, Russia’s currency, the ruble, crashed 30% on Monday. The Russian central bank raised its key interest rate to 20% from 9.5% on Monday in an emergency move at aimed at stemming the slide in the ruble. The Russian central bank and finance ministry jointly ordered Russian exporting companies to sell 80% of their foreign currency revenues. The Russian stock market was ordered closed Monday. Russian stocks ETF tanked 23% in the premarket.
5. Ukraine and Russia begin talks as fighting rages on
Ukrainian soldiers…
Read More: 5 things to know before the stock market opens Monday, February 28