Space and Defense Stocks Jump as Trump Pitches $1.5 Trillion Military Budget, Despite Buyback Crackdown
U.S. space and defense stocks jumped in early premarket trade on Thursday after President Donald Trump called for a $1.5 trillion military budget for 2027, with Lockheed Martin up 7.2% and Northrop Grumman up 7.5%. RTX gained 4.9% and Kratos Defense rose 7.1%, even as Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures fell about 0.2%-0.3% heading into Friday’s payrolls report. Jefferies economist Mohit Kumar warned that a shift toward more government intervention could “create uncertainty” and add to some risk premium. Reuters