Zelenskyy says 'Russia is counting on a prolonged war'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed on Monday that Russia was "counting on a prolonged war". His comments came as Moscow launched its biggest drone attack against Ukraine, according to officials, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the 3-year-old conflict.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
NATO, European Defense ETFs: 2025 Market Leaders
In a year marked by escalating geopolitical tensions and shifting global alliances, the Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF (NATO) has surged 35% while U.S. stocks, as measured by the S&P 500, have gained roughly 2%. The fund's performance comes amid renewed hostilities in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and fresh uncertainty about the future of NATO itself following President Donald Trump's sharp criticisms of the alliance. These dynamics have triggered a wave of increased defense spending across Europe, fueling investor demand for companies tied to military production, surveillance systems and advanced weaponry. The most recent catalyst: a memorandum from Russia laying out aggressive conditions for ending the war, further rattling markets and boosting defense-focused equities. The Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF is designed to give investors targeted exposure to defense and aerospace companies headquartered in countries that are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). To achieve its objective, the fund tracks the Themes NATO Defense Index, which includes firms involved in weapons manufacturing, military communications, cybersecurity, aerospace systems and battlefield logistics across both the U.S. and Europe. Since NATO tracks a market cap-weighted index, the top holdings include major U.S. names like GE Aerospace (GE) and Boeing (BA), alongside European giants like Airbus AE. The ETF's strategy reflects a transatlantic alignment, making it unique compared to more U.S.-centric or Europe-only defense ETFs. With rising defense budgets, particularly among Germany, Poland and the Nordic countries, the fund has benefited from strong investor interest and real-world increases in defense contracts. But will global and European defense ETFs keep climbing? Beyond NATO, other ETFs focused on European defense stocks have also attracted attention in 2025. The iShares European Defense ETF (EUAD) provides exposure to pure-play European defense firms and excludes U.S. companies. It targets manufacturers and suppliers within the EU and U.K. that derive significant revenue from defense activities. EUAD offers a tighter regional focus than NATO, making it more sensitive to European policy changes and spending trends. EUAD leads all ETFs in this group, as it's up nearly 70% year to date. The SPDR European Shield ETF (SHLD) blends defense and homeland security exposure, including worldwide companies that work in border protection, drone surveillance and cyber-defense. Its portfolio tilts slightly more toward tech-enabled security and infrastructure resilience, making it a broader play on European and global national security than strictly military hardware. SHLD also has an impressive year-to-date gain of nearly 55%. As the Russia-Ukraine war drags on and tensions rise with Russia's latest hardline peace proposal, defense stocks may continue to benefit from political pressure and policy changes. NATO, EUAD and SHLD all stand to gain if European nations follow through on their pledges to increase military readiness and spending—regardless of the tone coming out of Washington. While a potential diplomatic breakthrough could cool some of the momentum, the long-term trend of rising defense investment in Europe appears firmly in place. For investors looking to tap into this macro shift, the NATO and its peers offer a focused way to participate in the evolving security landscape. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing in ETFs involves risks, and investors should carefully consider their investment objectives and risk tolerance before making any investment decisions. At the time of publication, Kent Thune did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned | © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Elon Musk Calls Tax Bill 'Disgusting Abomination'
"Balance of Power: Late Edition" focuses on the intersection of politics and global business. On today's show, Marc Short, former Chief of Staff for Vice President Mike Pence, weighs in on Elon Musk calling President Trump's Tax Bill a 'disgusting abomination." Senator Tina Smith (D) Minnesota discusses her opposition to the Tax Bill stating costs will go up for most Americans if the legislation is passed. Retired General Wesley Clark, Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, discusses NATO pushing the European Union to boost air defenses and how quickly this could happen. (Source: Bloomberg)
Gizmodo
2 hours ago
- Gizmodo
Cillian Murphy's Role in the '28 Years Later' Trilogy Is Coming Later Than We Hoped
Director and writer Danny Boyle teased the Oscar winner will appear to set up a third movie, if the first two do well. Cillian Murphy is set to make his eventual return to the world of 28 Days Later within the upcoming trilogy that 28 Years Later will kick off this summer, but there are a few catches. Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) revealed vague details about the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer actor's involvement to IGN. The upcoming trilogy expands on the world Boyle and Alex Garland (Civil War) started with 28 Days Later and its star Cillian Murphy, with a new set of interconnected stories. However, Murphy will not appear in the first film as it introduces a new central character: Spike, a 12-year-old boy portrayed by Alfie Williams whose family (led by Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson) finds itself in the thick of the post-apocalyptic zombie outbreak. 'Although each story completes itself, there's a handover section to the next film as well. So it's very ambitious. We haven't got the money for the third one yet. It will depend how the first one does, I guess,' Boyle shared and explained that Murphy's return is contingent on how the first two movies do. 'But hopefully if we do ok, they'll give us the go-ahead for the money and for the third one. Everybody's standing by for that, really. Including Cillian,' the director confirmed regarding Murphy's participation. Currently it's planned that he will make an appearance at the end of the Nia DaCosta (Candyman)-directed follow-up 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which picks up on the immediate continuation of events from Boyle's upcoming reboot sequel and is slated to open in theaters next January. 'He is in the second one,' Boyle revealed, 'I shouldn't give away too much. I'll get killed.' But we can guess that his appearance will only tease the potential of the third film, which Sony has yet to confirm. Boyle continued, 'You know that thing about sequels, you want to push it on and take huge risks.' 'I have to say fair play to [studio Sony Pictures]. They did allow us to take great liberties with [28 Years Later]. They could have said, 'Oh no, it needs to be more sequel-y. You need to rely on some of the ideas that are in the original. And what do you mean Cillian's not going to appear in the first one? I thought you said Cillian was going to be in it.' We said, 'Yeah, Cillian is going to be in it, but not quite the first one.' So fair play to them. They've put up with a lot.' 28 Years Later opens June 20.
