SYDNEY : Asian shares slipped on Monday as warnings Russia could invade Ukraine at any time sent oil prices to seven-year peaks, boosted bonds and belted the euro.
There was even chatter about an emergency inter-meeting hike. That was spurred in part by the timing of a closed Fed Board meeting for Monday, though the event seemed routine. Futures markets since have scaled back the risk of a half-point rise to around 40per cent, when it had been priced as a near certainty at one stage last week.
Attention will now be on an appearance by St. Louis Fed President James Bullard later Monday, given he recently called for 100 basis points of tightening by June.