LOC00:47
21:47 GMT
NEW YORK, Feb 24 (KUNA) -- The Russian blitz on Ukraine on Thursday pushed down the US stocks, the exchange rates and digital currencies right across the board.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), futures fell sharply by 2.10 percent to 32,387 points while S and P futures plunged by 1.81 percent to 1,146 points.
Similarly, futures on Nasdaq 100 Technology Sector Index nosedived by 309 points, or 2.34 percent, to 13,198 points.
The large-scale campaign launched by the Russian army on military infrastructure across Ukraine last night, prompted the United States, the European Union members as well as the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan to impose severe economic and financial sanctions on Russia.
The crisis took its toll on the global stock markets as well as the digital currencies, scaring off the potential investors.
The bleak outlook dominated the world's major 150 cryptocurrencies with only one currency closing in green.
The European and Asian stock markets have also seen across-the-board declines.
On the other hand, the energy market, the gold prices and US dollar exchange rate went up remarkably.
The world's benchmark Brent crude rose to USD 100 per barrel, for the first time since 2014, while US crude topped USD 97.33 pb.
The US exchange rate jumped by more than 0.5 percent against a basket of currencies, registering a record high in nearly 18 months. (end)
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