New York, March 1, 2026, 15:28 EST — The market’s final bell has rung.
RTX shares are likely to draw renewed attention Monday, after U.S. forces launched Tomahawk cruise missiles—built by its Raytheon division—during strikes on Iran, according to U.S. Central Command. Pentagon budget documents put next year’s planned Tomahawk purchases at 57 units, while a fresh deal between Raytheon and the Pentagon sets a target for annual output at 1,000 missiles.
Headlines are hitting as investors prepare for what could be a choppy Monday, with crude oil and risk assets poised to drive early moves. “The strike raises geopolitical risk premia as markets head into Monday’s open,” said Christopher Wong, strategist at OCBC in Singapore. Nick Ferres, chief investment officer over at Vantage Point Asset Management, offered a blunt take: “Energy is still inexpensive.” Reuters
RTX (RTX.N) wrapped up Friday’s session with a 2.52% gain, closing at $202.62, then slipped 0.23% to $202.15 in after-hours moves that followed the 4 p.m. bell. Shares landed just shy of their 52-week peak at $206.73.
Late this week brought a commercial boost for the company. On Friday, Delta Air Lines announced plans to add 34 more Airbus A321neo jets to its fleet—deliveries set to begin in 2029—and confirmed the planes will run on RTX’s Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) engines.
Defense stocks mostly pushed higher heading into the weekend. Lockheed Martin tacked on 2.56% Friday, with Northrop Grumman climbing 1.90%. Boeing, however, edged lower, MarketWatch data showed.
RTX straddles the aerospace cycle, with Raytheon’s missile and air defense business on one end, and Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace supplying jet engines and aircraft systems on the other. It’s often seen as a war risk gauge by traders, yet the stock still moves alongside airlines and delivery timetables.
But it can just as easily swing in the opposite direction. A quick de-escalation could fizzle out any “defense bid” before it even gets going, and broader risk-off sentiment has the potential to pull the entire sector down. Over on the commercial side, Airbus slashed its output target back in February and warned it could take contractual action against Pratt & Whitney, citing ongoing engine delivery delays. Reuters
Investors now turn to see where oil prices and major stock indexes land, and if weekend headlines around Iran manage to move U.S. defense stocks once cash markets kick off. Eyes on RTX—its first hurdle comes at the open in New York: can it stick close to those recent highs?
The next event on the calendar is the U.S. regular session, which kicks off Monday, March 2.
