US opens lower, Dow falls over 1%
Major stock indexes in the United States started lower on Friday amid worrying developments in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. NATO condemned an attack on Europe's largest nuclear power plant and warned that "the days to come are likely to be worse." The United Nations announced it will set up a commission to investigate human rights violations by Russia in Ukraine. Back in the US, nonfarm payrolls increased by 678,000 in February, beating expectations, as the unemployment rate fell to 3.8%.
The Dow Jones dropped 1.07% or 361 points at 9:30 am ET, with Boeing Co. down 1.14%. The Nasdaq 100 lost 0.50%, with ASML Holding NV plunging 5.26%. The S&P 500 was down by 0.77%, led by PVH Corp., which fell by 3.35%.
The euro traded 1.35% against the dollar at 9:31 am ET, selling for 1.09136.