Arms madness on the stock exchanges. More companies are preparing IPOs

Several European arms companies, including the British metallurgical group Doncasters, the French-German tank manufacturer KNDS and the Czech arms company Czechoslovak Group (CSG), are preparing to go public, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

The British daily noted that in 2025 there was a sharp increase in shares in the arms sector.

“The Stoxx Europe aerospace and defense index has more than tripled since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, with more than half of that increase coming in 2025. The index has outperformed the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite year-to-date,” the newspaper reported.

As examples, “FT” cited an increase in share prices just after the stock exchange debut of the French company producing night vision goggles Exosens, the German manufacturer of tank gears Renk Group AG and the Polish Arlen Textile Group, which produces protective clothing and equipment for uniformed services.

The editorial team associates the rapid increase in share prices with the commitment of European NATO members to increase defense spending to 5%. GDP.

From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)

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