Asian shares under pressure as Ukraine crisis tensions mount

• Ukraine crisis is roiling markets are the start of the week.
• Nikkei share average (NI225) was down 0.31%. The Hang Seng is down 1.31%. 

US futures and Asian share prices are in a sea of red as the Ukraine tensions mount following the news that  Russian President Vladimir Putin has given the nuclear readiness order. He said “top officials in NATO’s leading countries have been making aggressive statements against our country,” according to a report from Russian state news operator TASS.

harsh sanctions imposed by Western nations on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine are being weighed by markets, with the safe-havens, such as gold, up and risker bets such as stocks, down. By 0320 GMT, the Nikkei share average (NI225) was down 0.31% after falling as much as 0.8% earlier in the day. The Hang Seng is down 1.31%. The Shanghai Composite is not trading.

NATO on Saturday moved to block certain Russian banks' access to the SWIFT international payment system in further punishment of Moscow as it continues its military assault against Ukraine.  Meanwhile, there is a glimmer of hope in the news that the Ukrainian president's office said negotiations with Moscow without preconditions would be held on Monday morning.