Related: Russia ETFs Falter Following Putin Election Win
5 Russian ETFs React to explusion
Over the past day, five U.S. listed Russian ETFs are all down as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time according to Yahoo Finance.
- VanEck Vectors Russia ETF (RSX) down .91%.
- iShares MSCI Russia Capped (ERUS) down 1.08%.
- Direxion Daily Russia Bull 3X ETF (RUSL) down 3.02%.
- VanEck Vectors Russia Small-Cap ETF (RSXJ) up 1.09%.
- SPDR S&P Russia ETF (RBL) down 1.42%.
The World Responds
Many European countries made the same move as well including. Germany, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Estonia, Italy, Poland and Lithuania, all announcing that they would be asking Russian diplomats to leave. Canada and Ukraine also said they would be asking Russian diplomats to leave.
“The United States takes this action in conjunction with our NATO allies and partners around the world in response to Russia’s use of a military-grade chemical weapon on the soil of the United Kingdom, the latest in its ongoing pattern of destabilizing activities around the world,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
Britain’s Gratitude
British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson tweeted, “Today’s extraordinary international response by our allies stands in history as the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers ever and will help defend our shared security. Russia cannot break international rules with impunity.”
According to the Washington Post, “the show of solidarity was especially notable because Britain’s plan to leave the European Union has strained relations with many of the country’s neighbors.”
Breaking already weak ties
According to Reuters, “Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the actions a “provocative gesture” and promised to respond.” Moscow has denied being behind the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the southern English city of Salisbury on March 4.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement, “We take these actions to demonstrate our unbreakable solidarity with the United Kingdom, and to impose serious consequences on Russia for its continued violations of international norms.”