Wall Street Declines Amid Russia-Ukraine Tensions

Wall Street's main indexes experienced declines as escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine heightened investor concerns, particularly following Ukraine's missile strikes into Russian territory and Russia's raised nuclear threat. The CBOE Volatility Index spiked to its highest level since the November 5 US presidential election, reflecting increased market anxiety. Nvidia, a key player in the tech sector, saw its shares drop ahead of its quarterly earnings report, pulling down the Information Technology sector and the Nasdaq. Retailer Target's shares plummeted 20.7% after disappointing sales forecasts, negatively impacting other retail stocks. Amid the turmoil, investors shifted towards safe-haven assets like government bonds and gold, while some companies like Walmart thrived due to optimistic sales forecasts. This volatile environment indicates a challenging landscape for investors, influenced by geopolitical tensions and uncertain economic conditions.