LONDON—Stocks fell, while safe havens such as government bonds and the dollar rose, as anxious investors fled risk assets after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered a mobilization over Ukraine and accused the West of “nuclear blackmail.”
European currencies came under fire, with the euro dropping 0.4 percent to $0.9932 and sterling last down 0.3 percent at $1.1346, after having touched a new 37-year low at $1.1304.
After an initial lurch lower following Putin’s comments, European equity markets pared losses, leaving the STOXX index with a gain of 0.4 percent on the day, propped up by a rally in oil and gas stocks, which responded to a jump in energy prices….