Stocks Down As Tensions Continue Between Russia And Ukraine

Plus 5 New Strong Buys for Today Stocks Down As Tensions Continue Between Russia And Ukraine [Kevin Matras - EVP - Photo] Profit from the Pros By Kevin Matras Executive Vice President Stocks Down As Tensions Continue Between Russia And Ukraine [Stocks Down As Tensions Continue Between Russia And Ukraine]Image: Bigstock Stocks closed lower yesterday as fears over a Russian invasion of Ukraine weighed on the markets. No more than a few days ago on Tuesday, stocks jumped on reports that Russia had pulled some troops back from the Ukrainian border. Since then, other reports have insisted that Russia has actually sent more troops to the border, and could invade at any time. Diplomatic efforts continue. But tensions only seem to be escalating. In other news, Weekly Jobless Claims came in higher than expected with an increase of 23,000 new claims at 248K vs. the consensus for a decrease of -1,000 to 224K. The Housing Starts and Permits report showed starts slip to 1.638 million units (annualized) vs. last month's 1.708M and views for the same. Permits, however, came in higher than expected at 1.899M vs. last month's 1.885M and views for 1.760M. And the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index came in at 16.0 vs. last month's 23.2 and the consensus for 19.7. Today we'll get Existing Home Sales, E-Commerce Retail Sales, and the Leading Indicators report. Earning season continues on with another 124 companies reporting today. And another 1,261 on deck for next week. Interestingly, with Omicron cases dropping sharply and Covid restrictions being lifted, not only in the U.S., but around the world, that would ordinarily be cheered by the markets. But Russia/Ukraine tensions have grabbed all of the attention. Inflation concerns have also gripped the market. But there's nothing to do about that other than wait to see what the Fed does on March 16th when their 2-day FOMC Meeting concludes and they make their announcement on rates, their QE unwind, and balance sheet runoff. In the meantime, be sure to use these pullbacks wisely. Because the aforementioned concerns notwithstanding, the U.S. economy is strong, and with the outlook for another year of robust growth ahead, it looks like there's a lot more upside to go. So make sure you're taking full advantage of it. Best, [Kevin Matras - Signature] Kevin Matras Executive Vice President, Zacks Investment Research [Time's almost up! Get your FREE copy of Finding #1 Stocks - A $49.95 Value]( The Executive Vice President of Zacks Investment Research, Kevin Matras, is very optimistic about our country’s financial future. As the economy continues to grow stronger, he expects stocks to soar far higher right through the market blips and dips. But what’s the key to being successful? 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