Global stock markets dive as fears of Ukraine conflict rattle investors | Stock markets
Global stock markets have fallen sharply as fears of military conflict in Ukraine spooked investors, wiping £53bn off the value of the UK’s blue-chip share index.
European markets tumbled by 3.8% to their lowest levels since October, their biggest one-day fall in more than 18 months, after Nato said it was reinforcing its eastern borders with land, sea and air forces as a Russian invasion of Ukraine appeared increasingly likely.
Volatility soared, as investors also feared the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, would raise interest rates several times this year, starting in March, after US inflation hit a 40-year high of 7% in December.
In the City of London, the FTSE 100 index fell 2.6% to a one-month low, its biggest fall in two…
