The JPY & USD are the strongest and the EUR is the weakest as NA trader enter for the day

As North American traders enter for the day, the flow of funds are showing the JPY and the USD are the strongest of the majors, while the EUR is the weakest.

Vladimir Putin authorized a full invasion of Ukraine, which put all the markets into overdrive in their respective flow of funds directions.

• Stocks fell sharply. The NASDAQ was down near 20% from its all-time high at the close yesterday while the S&P was down around 12%.
• Gold surged and traders highest level since August/September 2020,
• Oil surged above $100 for the first time since the end of July 2014. Russia is the world’s second-largest oil producer and the largest supplier of natural gas to Europe
• Yields in the US and Europe moved lower
• Other  commodities 
  Commodities
  
  Commodities are assets that are either naturally grown or occurring in the environment. Most commonly this includes precious metals such as gold, silver, and palladium.Beyond metals, commodities can also focus on agricultural or industrial goods that are central to manufacturing or other sectors. This includes crude oil, copper, wheat, and others.Relative to other assets, commodities are an extremely complex form of investment, with many similarities and differences to existing products.Commodities can be traded on exchanges where investors work as a team to purchase or trade products in an attempt to generate profit from the fluctuation of market prices or because they need that particular product.Additionally, commodities are often traded through the use of exchange-traded-funds (ETFs) to give exposure to investors.How to Trade CommoditiesCommodities trading is not reserved only for institutional traders but also ordinary retail ones as wellNearly all retail brokers carry some offering of commodities, giving investors access to these assets.Investors, just like companies or other investment institutions, are able to make a profit from daily changes in commodity prices. There are several methods that investors can use to trade commodities. Commodities can be traded in futures – these are contracts that direct the purchase or trade of a commodity at a certain price. Futures trading can be particularly risky and is usually reserved for more advanced traders given the complexity of these trades.In addition, commodities can also be traded with options – this means the commodity is purchased or traded at a particular date and price.Commodities are also commonly traded with leverage, not unlike other assets, which can result in large profits or losses due to volatility in markets.
  
  Commodities are assets that are either naturally grown or occurring in the environment. Most commonly this includes precious metals such as gold, silver, and palladium.Beyond metals, commodities can also focus on agricultural or industrial goods that are central to manufacturing or other sectors. This includes crude oil, copper, wheat, and others.Relative to other assets, commodities are an extremely complex form of investment, with many similarities and differences to existing products.Commodities can be traded on exchanges where investors work as a team to purchase or trade products in an attempt to generate profit from the fluctuation of market prices or because they need that particular product.Additionally, commodities are often traded through the use of exchange-traded-funds (ETFs) to give exposure to investors.How to Trade CommoditiesCommodities trading is not reserved only for institutional traders but also ordinary retail ones as wellNearly all retail brokers carry some offering of commodities, giving investors access to these assets.Investors, just like companies or other investment institutions, are able to make a profit from daily changes in commodity prices. There are several methods that investors can use to trade commodities. Commodities can be traded in futures – these are contracts that direct the purchase or trade of a commodity at a certain price. Futures trading can be particularly risky and is usually reserved for more advanced traders given the complexity of these trades.In addition, commodities can also be traded with options – this means the commodity is purchased or traded at a particular date and price.Commodities are also commonly traded with leverage, not unlike other assets, which can result in large profits or losses due to volatility in markets.
  Read this Term including wheat and corn rose. Both Russia and Ukraine supply large chunks of the exported wheat and corn to the global markets

In the forex, the USDRUB spiked higher reaching near 89.00, but has since come off and trades near 83.699 in volatile trading. That is still above the close from yesterday at 80.88. The Russian central bank is trying to stabilize the its currency. The Russian stock market had it’s worst day on record.

The JPY and USD have been supported, while the EUR is being sold.

In response, the NATO leaders will meet this morning along with the G7 leaders. Pres. Biden is scheduled to speak this afternoon. Expect the EU to block Russian businesses access to key technologies and markets. Expect freezing of Russian assets and Russian banks access to European financial markets. It is unclear if that means denial of service from the SWIFT payment system..

A snapshot of the markets shows:

• Spot gold is trading up $54 or 2.85% at $1962
• Spot silver is trading up $0.76 or 3.04% $25.28
• WTI crude oil is trading up $6.85 at $98.93
• Bitcoin is trading down to $35,209. That is down near $2000 from the close yesterday

In the premarket for US stocks, the major indices are down sharply. The Dow and NASDAQ is working on its sixth day down in a row while the S&P is now working on its fifth consecutive down day

• Dow is down -763 points points after yesterday’s -464.85 point decline
• S&P is down -95 points after yesterday’s -79.28 point decline
•  NASDAQ 
  NASDAQ
  
  The Nasdaq Stock Market or NASDAQ is an American stock exchange. It trails only the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in market capitalization and is part of a network of stock markets and options exchanges.Launched back in 1971, NASDAQ is the acronym for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. Since then it is known simply as NASDAQ and has become one of the most influential exchanges worldwide.The NASDAQ was the world’s first electronic stock market, and has since assumed the majority of major trades that had been executed by the over-the-counter (OTC) system of trading.What Makes Up the NASDAQ?In particular, the exchange also features the NASDAQ Composite, which includes almost all stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock market. Along with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIJA) and S&P 500 Index, this is one of the three most-followed stock market indices in the United States.Overall, the NASDAQ stock market has three different market tiers. This includes the Capital Market, or an equity market for companies that have relatively small levels of market capitalization. The listing requirements for small cap companies are less stringent than for other Nasdaq markets that list larger companies with significantly higher market capitalization.Additionally, the Global Market is made up of stocks that represent the Nasdaq Global Market. The Global Market consists of 1,450 stocks that meet the exchange’s financial and liquidity requirements, and corporate governance standards.Finally, the Global Select Market is a market capitalization-weighted index made up of 1,200 US-based and international stocks that represent the Global Select Market Composite.
  
  The Nasdaq Stock Market or NASDAQ is an American stock exchange. It trails only the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in market capitalization and is part of a network of stock markets and options exchanges.Launched back in 1971, NASDAQ is the acronym for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. Since then it is known simply as NASDAQ and has become one of the most influential exchanges worldwide.The NASDAQ was the world’s first electronic stock market, and has since assumed the majority of major trades that had been executed by the over-the-counter (OTC) system of trading.What Makes Up the NASDAQ?In particular, the exchange also features the NASDAQ Composite, which includes almost all stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock market. Along with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIJA) and S&P 500 Index, this is one of the three most-followed stock market indices in the United States.Overall, the NASDAQ stock market has three different market tiers. This includes the Capital Market, or an equity market for companies that have relatively small levels of market capitalization. The listing requirements for small cap companies are less stringent than for other Nasdaq markets that list larger companies with significantly higher market capitalization.Additionally, the Global Market is made up of stocks that represent the Nasdaq Global Market. The Global Market consists of 1,450 stocks that meet the exchange’s financial and liquidity requirements, and corporate governance standards.Finally, the Global Select Market is a market capitalization-weighted index made up of 1,200 US-based and international stocks that represent the Global Select Market Composite.
  Read this Term index is down -378 points after yesterday’s -344.03 point decline

In the European stock market, the major indices are also down sharply with declines of 3% to 5%

• German Dax, -4.9%
• France’s CAC, – 4.9%
• UKs FTSE 100, – 3%
• Spain’s Ibex, -4.1%
• Italy’s FTSE MIB, -4.8%

In the US debt market, yields have moved sharply lower on flight to safety flows:

The European debt market, the benchmark 10 year yields are also lower with the largest moves lower in the UK and German yields as investors fought to the relative safety of those two countries.