Russian actions vs. Ukraine have European investors on alert

Geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine is making institutional investors in Europe nervous, with some pension funds reducing their Russian holdings, and others watching closely.

Read also Investors, governments act on Russia’s escalation in Ukraine

The political situation that has been brewing since late 2021 escalated dramatically Feb. 24, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. That prompted other countries, including the U.S. and the U.K. to impose increasingly strict sanctions against Russia, and the prospect of more from Canada, Japan and Australia.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised swift approval of “massive and targeted sanctions” against Russia to weaken its economy, freeze Russian assets in the European Union and block Russian banks from European financial markets.

Read also Danish pension scheme halts Russian investments

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 slid on Thursday, with the Nasdaq down 3.2% and approaching a bear market. The Stoxx 600 Europe index was down 3.8% and Asian equities fell to the lowest since 2020. Russian shares slumped the most on record after a trading suspension ended, according to Bloomberg.

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