One of the Stock Market’s Last Havens Is Now at Risk

The WSJ piece warns that value stocks — historically a refuge during market turbulence — may no longer provide shelter as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East push oil higher and rattle markets. Russell 1000 Value has outperformed so far this year (up 2.4% YTD) versus Growth (down 9.1%), but the value index has slipped 4.3% since late February after strikes on Iran. The broader S&P 500 is down about 3.8% and posted its worst quarter in nearly four years. While a few value names have posted large gains (e.g., Sandisk, Moderna), many economically sensitive value stocks — including Nike, Lennar and Southwest — have fallen sharply, leaving investors with fewer safe havens amid AI-driven and geopolitical risks.