Overview
- European defense shares led gains, with BAE Systems up about 5%–6% and Hensoldt above 5%, while Thales, Renk and Leonardo advanced as the Stoxx 600 fell roughly 1.3%–1.4%.
- U.S. contractors rallied as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman climbed 3%–6% and several primes hit 52‑week highs, even as S&P 500 futures slipped early and major indexes finished mixed.
- Indian defense names outperformed a falling market as Ideaforge spiked 15.1% intraday to close up 7.66% and Paras Defence rose 13.14% intraday to finish up 5.95%, while Sensex and Nifty closed down about 1.3% and 1.2%.
- The rally followed a coordinated U.S.–Israeli strike that Iranian state media said killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Iran firing missiles and drones across the region and reported hits on a Saudi Aramco refinery and tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.
- CENTCOM said three U.S. F‑15E jets were mistakenly downed by Kuwaiti air defenses with pilots recovered, as analysts flagged likely demand for interceptors and munitions but cautioned that sustainability hinges on the conflict’s duration.