2026 Market Shock: US Attack on Venezuela 2026 Market Impact and SpaceX IPO

The year 2026 has barely begun, but the global geopolitical landscape just shifted under our feet. On the first Monday of the year, investors are grappling with a dual reality: a military strike in South America and the potential for a $1.5 trillion public debut. As the US military overthrows the Maduro regime, your portfolio's defense and tech exposure could be the deciding factor for this year's gains.

US Attack on Venezuela 2026 Market Impact: Defense Stocks Surge

Following the capture of Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, global markets reacted with immediate volatility. While the S&P 500 managed a slight gain of 0.19% on Friday's anticipation, Monday's Asian session saw defense-heavy indices like the Nikkei 225 and Kospi jump over 3%.

However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio seemed to backtrack on Sunday regarding Trump's claim that the US will "run" Venezuela. This administrative friction leaves a question mark over PDVSA, the state-owned oil giant that still holds the majority of production reserves.

SpaceX IPO: A $1.5 Trillion Opportunity Amid Chip Wars

While missiles fly, the business of space and chips remains ruthless. Elon Musk confirmed that reports of SpaceX going public this year are accurate. With a projected valuation of $1.5 trillion, it's poised to be the largest IPO in history, dwarfing Saudi Aramco's record.

Simultaneously, the US-China chip war has entered a new phase. Trump recently ordered HieFo, a Chinese-controlled firm, to divest its US chip assets. This move highlights the administration's aggressive stance on tech sovereignty as we head into the December nonfarm payrolls report this Friday.