US stock market falls ahead of Crimea vote

The US stock market has ended lower as investors brace for a critical vote this weekend over the future of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.

The region is holding a vote on Sunday, which is widely expected to back splitting off from Ukraine.

The US and Europe have warned Russia of consequences if it moves to seize the region. The US and Russia found “no common vision” over the crises after hours of talks.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell five points, or 0.3%, to close at 1,841. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 43 points, or 0.3%, to 16,065. The Nasdaq slipped 15 points, or 0.4%, to 4,245.