Global defense stocks soar as U.S. strike on Venezuela heralds new 'hard power' era

Group 1 - European and Asian defense stocks experienced significant gains following the overthrow of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, indicating a potential long-term boost in the rearmament trade [1][2] - Rheinmetall, Germany's largest arms manufacturer, saw an increase of over 7% in early trading, while Hensoldt, a military technology and surveillance specialist, advanced nearly 7% [1] - Italian defense company Leonardo rose by 5.8%, and German counterpart Renk also added 5.8% [1] Group 2 - In Asia, IHI Corp led the gains among defense stocks with an increase of almost 10%, followed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at 9.2% and Kawasaki Heavy Industries at 6.9% [2] - South Korean defense company Hanwa Aerospace rose more than 6%, while Poongsan's shares increased by 2% [2] - Fawaz Chaudhry, chief investment officer at Fulcrum Asset Management, described Maduro's overthrow as a "signaling exercise" that will reshape geopolitics, suggesting a broader impact on the defense industry [2]