Stocks were down slightly after the opening bell Monday, as investors continued to assess the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as the pace of Federal Reserve rate hikes in the face of persistently high inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 134 points, or 0.4%, to 34,603, while the S&P 500 was down 0.1% at 4,413. The Nasdaq Composite was off less than 0.1% at 13,787. Ahead of the open, stock-index futures erased losses after Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to agree with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s suggestion that Moscow continue talks with the U.S. and its allies over Ukraine. Stocks plunged Friday after the U.S. warned that a Russian invasion of its neighbor could happen “any day now.” Also Monday, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard reiterated that he would like to see the Fed front-load rate hikes in response to inflation.
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