Australian dollar rose against most major rivals as investors very closely follow the Ukrainian war developments.

Media outlets indicated that peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine failed to achieve any real progress so far, threatening a prolonged crisis.

The Russian army asked the Ukrainian army and militias in the coastal Mariupol city to surrender amid a long siege.

Otherwise, Reuters reported that the EU is considering joining the US in embargoing Russian oil imports as a heavier step in sanctioning Russia for its Ukrainian invasion.

AUD/USD rose 0.1% to 0.7419 as of 16:13 GMT, with a session-high at 0.7426, and a low at 0.7373.

US stock indices declined today as investors very closely follow the Ukrainian war developments.

Media outlets indicated that peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine failed to achieve any real progress so far, threatening a prolonged crisis.

The Russian army asked the Ukrainian army and militias in the coastal Mariupol city to surrender amid a long siege.

Otherwise, Reuters reported that the EU is considering joining the US in embargoing Russian oil imports as a heavier step in sanctioning Russia for its Ukrainian invasion.

Dow Jones fell 0.5% to 34,582, while NASDAQ declined 0.8% to 13,782, as S&P 500 fell 0.2% to 4,454.

Bitcoin declined on Monday for yet another session away from two-week highs as investor demand declines amid risk aversion.

Bitcoin is about to fall below $40,000 yet again as investors await developments on the Ukrainian crisis as peace talks falter.

Ukraine warned this weekend that if peace talks fell apart with Russia, it might lead to World War 3.

So far the negotiations failed to reach any true settlement or common ground on a ceasefire agreement.

At Bitstamp, bitcoin fell $776.33, or 1.9% to $40,516, with an intraday high at $41,505.

Bitcoin lost 2.5% on Sunday on active profit-taking away from two-week highs at $42,405.

Crypto market value fell $30 billion today to a total of $1.83 trillion as most major cryptocurrencies decline.

Goldman Sachs, the major investment bank, continued to expand its expertise with crypto trading, implementing a new kind of trade called the OTC.

It's a Bitcoin option that's non-deliverable, and it's the first such kind of trading done by a major bank in the US.

European stocks rose on Monday for the fourth straight session, marking four-week highs amid strong gains for the mining sector, but the market remains on edge due to the Ukrainian crisis.

Dow Jones Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.2% as of 10:10 GMT, hitting February 23 highs, after closing up 0.9% on Friday.

Dow Jones rose 5.5% last week, the second weekly profit in a row, and the largest since November 2020.

The gains came back then due to big gains by the banking sector, and hopes for peace in Ukraine.

The Stoxx Europe index rose for the fourth straight session, marking four-week highs, with most sectors gaining, led by the mining sector, which rose 3%.

Ukraine warned this weekend that if peace talks fell apart with Russia, it might lead to World War 3.

So far the negotiations failed to reach any true settlement or common ground on a ceasefire agreement.

In Europe, the Euro Stoxx 50 rose 0.1%, while France's CAC 40 rose 0.2%, as Germany's DAX rose 0.1%, while London's Financial Times 100 rose 0.6%.

S&P 500 futures fell 0.3% after closing up 1.2% yesterday, marking one-month highs.