Inside the $63bn Deal Reshaping AI Finance
Published on 29 October 2026
Read article
Listen to article
6:36Hey! We are Nemo.
Nemo, short for Never Miss Out, is a mobile investment platform that delivers curated, data-driven investment ideas to your fingertips. It offers commission-free trading across stocks, ETFs, crypto, and CFDs, along with AI-powered tools, real-time market alerts, and themed stock collections called Nemes.
Download the App
Scan the QR code to download the Nemo app and start investing on Nemo today
It’s a rather grim but undeniable truth of the financial world, isn’t it? While diplomats wring their hands and news anchors adopt their most solemn tones over international incidents, a certain type of investor is looking at their portfolio with a cold, calculating eye. The recent American airstrikes on Iranian facilities are a perfect case in point. To me, it’s less about the global chessboard and more about the predictable, almost Pavlovian, reaction of the markets. When tensions flare in the Middle East, two sectors almost always feel the warmth: defence and energy.
Let’s be brutally honest. For defence contractors, geopolitical instability is simply good for business. It’s like being the only person selling umbrellas in Manchester. When the clouds gather, demand is a given. Companies that build the sophisticated hardware of modern conflict, from bunker-buster bombs to the stealth aircraft that deliver them, suddenly find themselves in the spotlight.
Firms like Lockheed Martin or Raytheon aren’t selling fizzy drinks, they are selling deterrence, and when deterrence fails, they sell the alternative. Their business model is built on long term government contracts and a technological barrier to entry so high it’s practically in orbit. You can’t just decide to build a fifth generation fighter jet in your garage. This creates a small, exclusive club of companies that may see a surge in interest, and potentially orders, when global anxieties rise. It’s a cynical reality, but one an investor ignores at their peril.
Then we have the energy markets, which react to Middle Eastern trouble with the sensitivity of a car alarm in a thunderstorm. Roughly a third of the world’s oil comes from the region, so even the whisper of a supply disruption is enough to send traders into a frenzy and prices climbing. It doesn’t matter if a single barrel has been lost, the mere risk is enough to add a premium.
This is where North American energy giants, operating far from the fracas, could stand to benefit. Companies like Exxon Mobil or ConocoPhillips are suddenly able to sell their product at higher prices, driven by events thousands of miles away. It’s a classic case of profiting from someone else’s bad news. While the rest of us are grumbling at the petrol station, their profit margins may be quietly expanding. This dynamic is a foundational part of the global energy puzzle.
Now, how does one approach this as an investor? This isn’t about long term, buy and hold retirement planning. This is what the professionals call event driven investing. It’s a tactical move, a response to a specific set of circumstances rather than a belief in a company’s decade long growth story. It’s about identifying the companies that are positioned to react to a particular piece of news. You can see a clear example of this in a basket like the Aftermath of Airstrikes: Defense & Energy Fortification, which groups these very players together.
The idea is to gain exposure to the theme without having to pick individual winners from a pack. It’s a focused approach, but one that requires a clear understanding of what you’re getting into. This is not a strategy for the faint of heart or for those who check their portfolios once a year.
Before you rush off, remember that what the market gives, the market can take away. Geopolitics is notoriously fickle. Tensions that seem insurmountable one week can be smoothed over by a surprise diplomatic handshake the next. If that happens, the risk premium on oil could evaporate overnight, and the urgency for new defence spending might fade. These stocks could experience significant volatility. Investing based on these events is like betting on the weather, you might be right today, but the forecast can change in an instant. There are no guarantees here, only calculated risks and potential opportunities.
View the full Basket:Aftermath of Airstrikes: Defense & Energy Fortification
View the full Basket:Aftermath of Airstrikes: Defense & Energy Fortification
This article is marketing material and should not be construed as investment advice. No information set out in this article be considered, as advice, recommendation, offer, or a solicitation, to buy or sell any financial product, nor is it financial, investment, or trading advice. Any references to specific financial product or investment strategy are for illustrative / educational purposes only and subject to change without notice. It is the investor’s responsibility to evaluate any prospective investment, assess their own financial situation, and seek independent professional advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please refer to our Risk Disclosure.
Published on 29 October 2026
Read article
Published on 28 October 2026
Read article
Published on 27 October 2026
Read article
Published on 26 October 2026
Read article
Published on 24 October 2026
Read article