Financial Implications of Israel-Hamas War on Wall Street and Bay Area Businesses

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, Wall Street analysts are openly discussing the potential financial benefits of the war. During earnings calls, analysts from Morgan Stanley and TD Bank asked about the upside for aerospace and weapons companies like General Dynamics and Raytheon. The death toll and evidence of war crimes were not top of mind for these analysts, raising questions about whether these major institutional shareholders are abiding by their own human rights policies. The comments highlight the callousness of discussing the financial gains from armed conflict and the potential contradiction with their statements on human rights. The UN's inability to act as a legal arbiter on human rights violations by US companies creates a loophole for institutional investors and the weapons industry.