World events are moving at lightning speed. The launch of a new global conflict that is pitting Israel and the United States against Iran threatens to roil the stock market and create a lot of instability.
This is already reflected in the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index (VIX), which is calculated by examining the variance of S&P 500 options trading over the next 30 days. The higher the number in the so-called "fear index," the greater the volatility. And as of this writing, the VIX is at its highest point of the year with a reading of 31 -- more than doubling where it was at the start of 2026.
While these may be uncertain times, it pays to look at the longer picture. What will the markets look like six months, a year, or five years out? With that longer point of view, here are two stocks that might end up benefiting from the conflict in the short term, but are also in an ideal position to grow regardless of this war. Consider doubling up on them now to capture this growth.
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Palantir Technologies
While Palantir Technologies (PLTR +1.40%) has been quickly growing its commercial business, the company has its roots in supporting the U.S. military and intelligence agencies. The company first got recognition for supplying the intelligence that led to the capture and death of Osama bin Laden, and its influence on the U.S. military has only grown. The stock price is up significantly in recent trading, along with several other Defense-related stocks.
Palantir's powerful software gathers information from multiple sources, including satellites and data points around the world, to provide the military with battlefield intelligence, surveillance, and real-time data analytics. Project Maven, which is a contract worth more than $1 billion through 2029, provides the military with AI-enabled battlefield awareness, targeting workflows, and logistics.
But this isn't just a military stock. Palantir is also aggressively marketing its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) to commercial clients, showing them how Palantir's insights can help manage inventory, supply chains, and provide market analysis to help them position their companies for growth. Palantir's U.S. commercial revenue grew 109% in 2025 to top $1.46 billion, growing nearly twice as fast as the company's U.S. government revenue.
NASDAQ: PLTR
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ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil (XOM +1.75%) is one of the largest publicly traded oil and gas companies in the world. The multinational energy corporation has upstream production, midstream pipelines, and downstream refining and chemicals, providing investors with an integrated energy model that helps maximize returns.
Even though oil prices have been down in recent months, ExxonMobil continues to be a money-printing machine, generating $28.8 billion in earnings in 2025 and a cash flow of $52 billion for the year. That's impressive considering that the company's overall revenue of $323.9 billion was down from $339.2 billion a year ago.
NYSE: XOM
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But think about what happens now. With the conflict in Iran, oil prices have jumped by about 50% since the conflict began (as of March 9). The price of a barrel of oil is now topping $100 in some markets. The last time that oil topped $100 per barrel, in the second quarter of 2022, Exxon's upstream revenue was $11.3 billion, up from $3.18 billion in Q2 2021. ExxonMobil should be able to use some of these near-term profits to bolster its long-term development efforts and prepare for the eventual drop in oil prices when tensions ease.
The bottom line? When oil prices are down, ExxonMobil delivers solid earnings. And when oil prices go up, the upstream operations are even more profitable. Add in a healthy dividend yield of 2.7%, and Exxon becomes a dependable anchor to a buy-and-hold portfolio.
