Stocks are continuing a three-day skid on Wall Street after Western powers fear Russia might use skirmishes in Ukraine’s eastern regions as a pretext for an attack on the democracy. Oil prices rose as much as 5% and stock prices dropped after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of rebel-held regions of Ukraine, raising fears that a full-scale invasion was near. The S&P 500 is down 0.7% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq are also falling. Home Depot shares slumped to a nearly 5-month low after it reported disappointing fourth-quarter results.
