Stock markets in Europe and Asia were modestly lower on Wednesday as increased tensions between the United States and North Korea sent investors looking for havens.

President Trump threatened to unleash “fire and fury” on North Korea if it took action against the United States and its citizens. The chilling language came less than two weeks after North Korea successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile: Experts said the device appeared capable of reaching the West Coast of the United States.

Stocks were down nearly 1 percent in early trading in France and Germany on Wednesday, and the FTSE 100 index declined 0.7 percent in London. That came as stocks fell a little more than 1 percent in Japan and South Korea and as futures suggested that markets could open lower in the United States.

Investors appeared to be seeking the relative safety of bonds, and the price of gold rose as it which tends to do during global tensions.