BUZZ-US defense stocks rise as Russia-Ukraine talks in focus

Shares of U.S. defense companies rise broadly in early trading, tracking European peers, as investors eye talks between United States and Russia on possible Ukraine peace deal

Lockheed Martin LMT.N climbs 0.9%, RTX Corporation RTX.N rises 1.7%, Howmet Aerospace HWM.N gains 0.9%

Northrop Grumman gains 1.3%, L3Harris Technologies LHX.N rises 0.8%, Axon Enterprise AXON.O up 3.5%

S&P 500 Aerospace and Defense sector index .SPLRCAERO up 1.2%

European arms manufacturers have rallied for two days as talks began, pushing STOXX 600 .STOXX to fresh record highs .EU

Investors eyeing prospects for higher European defence spending as the region's governments face pressure from United States to increase military spending

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the country and United States agreed to start process to settle Ukraine conflict

Aerospace and Defense index up 6.9% this year, after rising 12.4% in 2024