White House sparks battle royale over defense stocks

Group 1: Market Reactions and Stock Performance - Defense contractors, particularly RTX Corp., experienced a decline in stock prices due to an executive order banning excessive CEO compensation, large dividends, and stock buybacks [3][4]. - RTX shares fell 2.5% on January 7, with the iShares U.S. Aerospace and Defense ETF also declining by 1.5% on the same day [5]. - Both RTX and the ETF have since recovered their losses, with RTX up 4.5% from its January 7 close, reaching a 52-week high of $197.55 on January 13 [6]. Group 2: Broader Market Trends - The S&P 500 Index experienced a significant drop of 10.5% following the announcement of tariffs in April 2025 but later recovered, ending 2025 with a 17.3% gain and showing a 1.73% increase in early 2026 [7][8]. - The resilience of stocks suggests that investors should remain patient and avoid hasty decisions during market fluctuations [9]. Group 3: Regulatory and Political Developments - Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is under criminal investigation, which has implications for financial institutions as it relates to interest rate policies [10]. - President Trump's proposal to lower credit card interest rates to 10% for a year has negatively impacted credit card companies, with Synchrony seeing a decline of 10.2% since January 9 [10].