Asia-Pacific stocks slide amid continued investor caution over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Japan -1.71%. Japan January leading indicator index 103.7 vs 104.8 prior; revised to 104.7.

Japan bans oil refining equipment exports to Russia.

Japan data - largest current account deficit since January of 2014.

Japan real wages +0.4% y/y in January.

China -1.32%

Hong Kong -0.48%.

Australia -0.83%. Australian weekly consumer confidence rises to 101.1 from 99.2 the previous week.

Australia business confidence in February 13 (prior 3) and business conditions 9 (prior also 3).

India -0.42%.

Overnight on Wall Street, Dow Jones shed 797.42 points to 32,817.38, S&P 500 dropped 2.95% to 4,201.09, while Nasdaq lagged, falling 3.62% to 12,830.96.

Oil prices see-sawed near 14-year highs on Tuesday as the United States considered acting alone to ban Russian oil imports rather than teaming up with allies in Europe, easing concerns of a wider disruption to crude supplies.

Brent crude futures were up $1.06, or 0.9%, at $124.27 a barrel at 0223 GMT.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (NYSE:WTI) crude futures were up 36 cents, or 0.3%, at $119.72 a barrel.

Gold slid from the key $2,000-mark on Tuesday as investors paused to reassess the Russia-Ukraine conflict after talks hardly advanced, with a strong U.S. dollar weighing further on the safe-haven metal.

Spot gold was down 0.5% at $1,988.78 per ounce by 0447 GMT, U.S. gold futures were down 0.2% to $1,992.40.

Palladium was up 0.7% to $3,019.22 per ounce.

The auto-catalyst metal prices have rocketed 80% this year to all-time highs as financial sanctions on Russia could disrupt shipments and worsen a supply shortage.

Among other metals, spot silver fell 0.7% to $25.47 per ounce, while platinum rose 0.7% to $1,130.78.

U.S. futures lower. Dow Jones -0.96%; S&P 500 -1.04%; Nasdaq -1.19%.