Stocks drift amid Russia-Ukraine hopes, oil prices rise
By STAN CHOE
AP Busines Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are drifting between gains and losses on Wall Street Friday, as uncertainty about the war in Ukraine and persistently high inflation continue to knock markets around. The S&P 500 was 0.1% higher in morning trading. It opened with a healthier gain following comments from Russian President Vladimir Putin seen as surprisingly optimistic. But it faded after a report on U.S. consumer sentiment was weaker than expected. They’re just the latest swings for Wall Street, which has been rocked by much bigger hour-to-hour reversals in prior weeks. Investors are struggling to handicap wha Russia’s war in Ukraine will do to inflation and the economy.
