US close: Stocks weaker as sanctions on Russia begin
Wall Street stocks closed in negative territory on Wednesday, as investors reacted to Washington’s imposing of the first round of sanctions on Moscow, after Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered troops into rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine.
At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.38% at 33,131,76, as the S&P 500 lost 1.84% to 4,225.50, and the Nasdaq Composite was 2.57% weaker at 13,037.49.
The Dow closed 464.85 points lower on Wednesday, adding to losses recorded in the previous session amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
In response to Russia's move to recognise breakaway regions in Ukraine, US president Joe Biden announced a first wave of sanctions against Moscow late on Tuesday, taking aim at Russian banks, the country's sovereign debt and three particular individuals.
In addition, the US was also coordinating with Germany to ensure that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany would not become operational.
“As well as coping with the actual conflict itself, should it come, investors have to worry about headline risk in the form of retaliatory sanctions from the Russian side and further sanctions on Moscow by the West,” said IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp.
“For a market that was already worrying about how interest rate rises and higher inflation would hit growth, the prospect of more sanctions and a fresh hit to economic growth mean that equity valuations are still being called into question.”
On the macro front, mortgage applications in the US sank 13.1% in the week ended 18 February to the lowest level since December 2019, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
The fall was also the biggest since April 2020 and comes amid rising interest rates, low inventory and high purchasing prices.
Applications to refinance a mortgage declined 15.6%, while ones to purchase a home dropped 10.1% as fixed 30-year mortgage rates increased one basis point to 4.06%.
In the corporate space, alcoholic drinks manufacturer Molson Coors was up 4.57% after it served up double-digit top and bottom-line growth and raised its quarterly dividend by 12%, while home retail giant Lowe's Companies eked out gains of 0.23% after it beat earnings forecasts as quarterly sales rose 5%.
Reopening plays featured on the downside, with American Airlines reversing earlier gains to fall 4.53% and Norwegian Cruise Line was 5.26% weaker.
Netflix slid 2.63% and Facebook owner Meta Platforms was off 1.8% - both having also opened in the green earlier.
Dow Jones - Risers
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $135.55 2.38%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $161.22 0.05%
Dowdupont Inc. (DWDP) $30.52 0.00%
Honeywell International Inc. (HON) $230.94 0.00%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $44.65 -0.09%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $75.83 -0.14%
Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $221.00 -0.19%
Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $59.97 -0.55%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $170.14 -0.55%
Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $459.62 -0.62%
Dow Jones - Fallers
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $54.44 -3.30%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $280.27 -2.59%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $160.07 -2.59%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $308.45 -2.44%
Visa Inc. (V) $215.95 -2.43%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $186.67 -2.37%
Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $190.54 -2.35%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $148.69 -2.09%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $247.79 -1.94%
American Express Co. (AXP) $188.95 -1.81%
S&P 500 - Risers
Fluor Corp. (FLR) $21.08 5.66%
Molson Coors Beverage Co. Class B (TAP) $50.81 4.57%
Cadence Design Systems Inc. (CDNS) $140.88 4.19%
Public Storage (PSA) $353.45 3.23%
Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) $23.21 2.88%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $135.55 2.38%
Mosaic Company (MOS) $45.20 2.29%
Arconic Inc. (ARNC) $32.10 2.20%
Williams Companies Inc. (WMB) $30.12 2.07%
Becton, Dickinson & Company (BDX) $268.87 1.70%
S&P 500 - Fallers
HollyFrontier Corp (HFC) $30.49 -11.47%
Carnival Corp. (CCL) $20.21 -6.04%
State Street Corp. (STT) $87.23 -5.63%
LKQ Corporation (LKQ) $45.49 -5.43%
United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) $43.85 -5.33%
Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) $9.78 -5.32%
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH) $19.29 -5.26%
Macy's Inc. (M) $23.14 -5.24%
Albemarle Corp. (ALB) $181.74 -5.13%
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) $109.76 -5.09%
Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Cadence Design Systems Inc. (CDNS) $140.88 4.19%
Mercadolibre Inc. (MELI) $920.57 3.68%
Cerner Corp. (CERN) $93.13 1.42%
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $608.98 1.01%
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $61.35 0.61%
Hologic Inc. (HOLX) $70.87 0.48%
Henry Schein Inc. (HSIC) $83.79 0.46%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) $230.69 0.21%
NetEase Inc. Ads (NTES) $91.56 0.21%
DENTSPLY Sirona Inc. (XRAY) $55.42 0.05%
Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Tesla Inc (TSLA) $764.04 -7.00%
Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK) $177.62 -4.73%
Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) $88.02 -4.58%
American Airlines Group (AAL) $16.64 -4.53%
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) $223.87 -4.29%
Qurate Retail Inc. (QRTEA) $5.86 -4.25%
Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $570.60 -4.18%
Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) $45.13 -3.86%
Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) $89.65 -3.72%
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $87.31 -3.60%