Military Conflicts May Rattle Markets, But Not for Long

Staying invested despite geopolitical events can pay off in the long run.

Geopolitical uncertainty can cause short-term market volatility, but the stock market has been resilient. In fact, stocks generated positive performance one year after an act of aggression for 73% of the armed conflicts since World War II. The longer the investment time frame, the more likely a positive return.

Geopolitical Conflicts Have Had Minimal Impact on Long-Term Equity Performance

Growth of $10,000 in the S&P 500 Price Index (1940–2025)

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Past performance does not guarantee future results. Indices are unmanaged and not available for direct investment. Data shown is for the S&P 500 Price Index, a market capitalization-weighted price index composed of 500 widely held common stocks, and does not include the reinvestment of dividend payments. Data Sources: Morningstar, Ned Davis Research, and Hartford Funds, 3/26.