Launch of the Russian invasion on Ukraine has been condemned by the international community and severe sanctions were promised by the West. A strong negative reaction on the stock markets can be spotted. US and European futures plunged on the news. However, the plunge in US and European futures is nowhere near as big as a sell-off on the Russian stock exchange. An increasing fear of severe sanctions has sent the Russian RTS index (RUS50) into freefall. RUS50 dropped over 30% already today and has been halted recently due to volatility. Calls are made to completely cut Russian financial institutions off the SWIFT system, what would be a massive hit to Russia.
Russian RTS (RUS50) plunges over 30% today and trades below 2020 pandemic lows, following the launch of Russian invasion on Ukraine. The index is trading almost 50% week-to-date lower! Source: xStation5
