Defense stocks rally after US military intervention in Venezuela

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

05/01/2026 15:10

** Shares of defense companies surge after U.S. military strikes on Venezuela late last week; U.S. captures President Nicolas Maduro

** U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened another strike against the country along with Colombia and Mexico and has said Cuba's communist government "looks like it's ready to fall"

** Lockheed Martin LMT.N, Northrop Grumman NOC.N and L3Harris LHX.N up about 2% each

** Shares of Aerovironment AVAV.O jump 9%, Kratos Defense KTOS.O up 7.5%

** S&P 500 aerospace & defense sub index .SPLRCAERO hits record high, last up 2%

** NYSE's Arca Defense index .DFII up 3%, hit highest level since early October

** Defense shares have rallied on Europe's STOXX 600 .STOXX and UK's FTSE 100 .FTSE indexes earlier in the day

 (Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru)

 ((johann.mcherian@thomsonreuters.com;))