Wall Street hits five-day win streak as Fed signals extended pause through Q2

Equity bulls find footing as Powell's patient hold stance reduces macro headwinds across global markets.

Goldman Sachs raised its year-end S&P 500 target citing improving earnings breadth. Tech and industrials led gains while bond yields retreated from cycle highs. European and Asian markets followed US lead into positive territory.

Global defense budgets surge to post-Cold War record as NATO nations front-load spending

European defense commitments now exceed $400bn annually with no ceiling in sight.

US allies accelerating procurement of missile defense, naval assets, and autonomous systems across five continents. Defense contractors report multi-year backlogs unprecedented since the Cold War era.