Defense Stock Rally Extends as Geopolitics Stays Tense

US defense stocks are off to a strong start in 2026, extending last year’s stellar performance as geopolitical tensions ratchet higher and military spending plans rise to match them. Contractors L3Harris Technologies Inc. and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. have advanced 11% across the first five trading days of 2026, buoyed in part by a rally following the US military operation that removed Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro from power. Major peers such as Northrop Grumman Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. have ...