Oil Nears $80 as Airlines Crash on Iran Fallout
The U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran that began February 28 are now reshaping financial markets in ways that go well beyond the initial geopolitical shock. As Operation Epic Fury enters its third day, the market impact has crystallized into a clear pattern: energy stocks are surging to 52-week highs, airline stocks are cratering on massive volume, and the bond market is defying the traditional safe-haven playbook. With Brent crude approaching $80 per barrel — up from around $72 before the strikes — and Dow futures dropping over 500 points, the financial fallout is creating distinct winners and losers across sectors. What started as a geopolitical event has become a sector rotation story, with billions of dollars flowing from travel and consumer discretionary names into energy, defense, and oilfield services. For investors, the question is no longer whether these strikes will move markets — it's which sectors offer opportunity and which face lasting damage.