European Stock Markets Hit Record Highs as Defense Stocks Surge

European stock markets climbed to record levels, with defense sector shares among the strongest performers. Shares in Rheinmetall, the German arms and defense manufacturing giant, rose by six percent, reflecting growing investor appetite for defense stocks amid continued elevated security spending across Europe. The gains pushed major European indices to all-time highs, underscoring a broader market rally driven in part by increased defense budgets among NATO member states responding to ongoing geopolitical tensions.