The beneficiaries of war

According to Dawn, the ongoing US‑Iran conflict is turning into a windfall for several commercial sectors even as both governments bear heavy costs. Defense giants such as Lockheed Martin posted earnings of one point eight billion dollars in the second quarter of twenty twenty‑six, with sales climbing eleven percent to twenty point one billion dollars, while RTX reported net income of two point one three nine billion dollars, up from one point six five seven billion dollars a year earlier. Major oil firms, including ExxonMobil and Shell, also saw profits more than double as supply disruptions lifted energy prices. Technology firms tied to the military, from Palantir to Microsoft, reported sharp revenue jumps and secured multi‑billion‑dollar Pentagon contracts. The piece ends by asking whether the prospect of such exponential profits might make some industries favour a prolonged conflict.

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