Reference News Network, March 17 report: According to the website of "El Mundo" on March 13, the Iranian war has shaken the market and added new uncertainties to the stock market. In this new situation, investors have also seen new opportunities for profit - this conflict has created winners, losers, and significant potential space.
Analysts have clearly pointed out since the outbreak of the war that energy stocks and defense stocks would be among the biggest beneficiaries, although there are some subtle differences among them.
With increased military spending and rising prices of oil and gas resources exacerbating the risk of energy supply shortages, this has strengthened the market's attention on these sectors. In particular, the defense sector has become a focal point in Europe.
Antonio Castelo, an analyst at iBroker brokerage, stated that in the short term, regarding the defense industry, "Europe will continue to increase its budget, and the geopolitical environment is also strengthening this trend." Additionally, the historical performance of this sector supports its future development.
"The European Aerospace and Defense Index rose by about 55% last year, and EU defense spending reached 343 billion euros in 2024 and is estimated to reach 381 billion euros in 2025," said Castelo, who believes this provides a clear basis for investment in defense stocks.
Looking at the energy sector, the attractiveness of energy stocks is evident in the short term. The Middle East war has driven up the prices of oil and gas resources, and speculation about possible supply cuts has continued to benefit this industry.
Castelo believes that in the medium term, the investment strategy in the energy sector is still effective, although some adjustments are needed. He particularly highlights investment opportunities in power infrastructure and grid sectors.
His advice is based not only on the current market environment but also on the overall development trends of the industry. Castelo explained, "Factors such as electrification, energy security, industrial reshoring, and demand for data centers are jointly driving investment demand in power generation, transmission, and grid maintenance."
This analyst also paid attention to "safer" investment opportunities such as large oil companies, and he specifically mentioned Shell, TotalEnergies, and Repsol, saying, "They are not popular stocks, but when geopolitics revalues supply security, these companies are very suitable."
Despite these recommendations, experts still urge investors to remain calm. They advise against letting emotions influence decisions and suggest adjusting investment portfolios according to geopolitical situations.
In addition, they maintain that it is not the time for large-scale selling, but rather to be more cautious in selecting investment targets.
Javier Molina, an analyst at the Cyprus eToro trading platform, said: "From historical experience, market fluctuations often occur at the beginning of geopolitical conflicts, but when the conflict begins to ease, the market usually returns to rationality."
He recommends gold as one of the defensive investment strategies and considers it a "diversification tool."
Castelo also agrees with this view and suggests paying attention to other raw materials, such as strategic metals related to electrification and industrial sovereignty. (Translated by Wang Meng)
Original: toutiao.com/article/7618118528773259826/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.