According to The Harris Poll, the US military again leads the list of institutions in which most Americans express “great confidence.” Small business, at 45 percent, is hard on the heels of the military, at 47 percent. And, if you combine the “great confidence” and “some confidence” percentages, small business moves ahead. Harris notes, too, that this is the “fourth year in a row that the [overall] Index has fallen.” The 2006 poll showed the overall confidence index at 52, while in 2002 it was 65 and has dropped each year since. Harris called the spike in 2002, the “rallying round the flag” index.
Iran War Boosts Defense Stocks, at Least for Now
March 2, 2026
Defense specialists’ stock prices jumped March 2, the first day of trading since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, led by the makers of munitions, high-tech defense specialists, and major prime contractors.