Shipping equities across maritime improved on Friday amid US, UK and European Union sanctions imposed against Russia for its heavy-handed invasion of Ukraine. Tanker stocks continued to advance from notable gains seen on Thursday in the hours after Russian forces stormed into Europe’s largest country. Bulker stocks also moved forward, building on Thursday’s late day rebound that offset sharp declines earlier in the day.

Shares of New York-listed bulker owner Diana Shipping saw the biggest leap, jumping 15.6% to close at $4.75 after posting a fourth-quarter net profit of $41.1m on Friday morning. Equities held by Teekay Tankers came in a distant second, still bounding 8.7% to end trading at $13.73. Stock for bulker owner Navios Maritime Partners gained 8.4% to close at $33.67, while Star Bulk Carriers’ shares moved up 8.3% to finish the day at $31.76. Eagle Bulk Shipping’s shares improved 7% to $56.50, and those for Genco Shipping & Trading gained 5.9% to $19.90. Bulker owner Golden Ocean Group’s stock leapt 5.7% to $12.80. Shares of tanker owner Tsakos Energy Navigation edged up 3.4% to $7.81.

The White House on Friday said the US would impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Reuters reported. Earlier on Friday, EU states and Britain agreed to freeze Putin and Lavrov’s assets. The sanctions targeting Putin are the latest punitive action from western powers over Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The US on Thursday imposed sanctions on Russia’s two biggest banks, among others, and members of the elite, according to Reuters.