Investing.com - U.S. stocks fell on Monday amid fears the crises in Ukraine and Gaza may intensify and drag on global economic recovery.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow 30 fell 0.29%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.23%, while the NASDAQ Composite index fell 0.17%.
The Volatility S&P 500 index, which measures the outlook for market volatility, was up 5.80% at 12.76.
Concerns that tensions in Ukraine could escalate kept investors camped out in safe-haven dollar positions and away from equities, especially amid reports that Ukrainian troops were moving into the rebel-held city of Donetsk only days after pro-Russian separatists allegedly shot down a Malaysian Airlines flight with a missile.
Meanwhile in the Middle East, Israel pressed on with its ground offensive in Gaza in a conflict that has killed over 500 Palestinians and several Israeli soldiers.
Earlier Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama said he was concerned about the violence and called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
President Obama also accused pro-Russian separatists of tampering with evidence pointing to the cause for the Malaysian Airlines crash, adding that the burden lies on Russia to find and disclose that evidence, though the president's decision to forgo mentioning the possibility of fresh sanctions on Russia allowed stocks to come off earlier lows.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), up 1.08%, Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), up 0.69%, and Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), up 0.53%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), down 1.78%, McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD), down 1.42%, and Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE), down 1.19%.
European indices, meanwhile, ended the day lower.
After the close of European trade, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 fell 0.78%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.71%, while Germany's DAX fell 1.11%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 fell 0.31%.
On Tuesday, the U.S. is to release reports on consumer price inflation and existing home sales.