With tensions running high in Eastern Europe, we’ve had many questions come in asking what could happen to stocks if Russia indeed did attack or invade Ukraine.
“As devastating as a major conflict could be between Russia and Ukraine, the truth is stocks likely will be able to withstand the geopolitical struggle,” explained LPL Financial Chief Market Strategist Ryan Detrick. “In fact, looking back at other major geopolitical events throughout history reveals stocks usually take them as a nonevent.”
As we share in the LPL Chart of the Day, the great majority of geopolitical events going back to World War II didn’t put much of a dent in stocks, with any losses made up quite quickly. JFK’s assassination is one of the best examples of this, as the next six months were one of the strongest and least volatile periods in stock market history, something no one could have ever expected that fateful day. We’d like to thank Sam Stovall of CFRA for sharing some of the data below.
Our thoughts go out to anyone potentially impacted by this event and we will continue to monitor the situation carefully, as near-term volatility on a major event like this could always be possible. But at this time, with the U.S. economy strong, earnings healthy and corporate America in great shape, the stock market should be able to withstand this potential event.
Ryan Detrick is chief market strategist for LPL Financial.