Podcast Summary: How to Trade Stocks Amid the Iran War
CNBC Halftime Report | Host: Scott Wapner
Date: March 24, 2026
Overview
This episode of CNBC’s Halftime Report centers on how investors should navigate stock markets in the wake of escalating conflict in Iran, volatility in oil prices, and shifting dynamics across major equities and credit markets. Scott Wapner and a panel of seasoned investment professionals—including Joe Terranova, Carrie Firest, Shannon Sokotia, and Brian Belsky—debate market reactions, sector opportunities, macro risks, and portfolio strategies for both the immediate turbulence and longer-term horizon. The episode also features sharp insights into the state of private credit, software, discretionary retail, and notable tactical moves in portfolios.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Market Volatility and the "Trump Put"
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Backdrop: The S&P is attempting to recover after a period of volatility triggered by geopolitical tension and oil prices surging past $100 a barrel.
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Technical Breakdown: Markets are unsettled, with the S&P below its 200-day average for the fourth consecutive session (Jonathan Krinsky, BTIG).
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The "Trump Put": Speculation around President Trump’s (re-)intervention in markets—the so-called “Trump put”—plays a psychological role in investor sentiment.
- Quote:
“The trend that matters more than anything else is when the stock market gets unsettled enough for the person who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, there's going to be a reaction. The so called Trump Put which people have talked about endlessly.” — Scott Wapner [04:01]
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Panel Views:
- Joe Terranova: Finds no clear near-term trend in the major indexes; advocates for a long-term approach given the breakdowns, and cautions against reading too much into short-term headline-driven bounces.
- Brian Belsky: Warns not to overbuild long-term strategies around presidential market reactions, but sees these as part of a “buy the dip” mentality. He highlights the benefits of remaining invested:
“If you're missing the 10 best days in the market, you're going to lose out longer term.” — Brian Belsky [04:54]
2. Earnings, Oil, and Macroeconomic Risks
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Long-Term Optimism: As long as earnings expectations remain strong—double-digit growth is cited—panelists urge investors to stay constructive on stocks, barring a prolonged oil spike or drawn-out Mideast war.
- Quote:
“Until earnings expectations deteriorate in a meaningful way... why should your opinion longer term of this stock market change in any way as long as earnings are intact?” — Scott Wapner [06:09]
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Immediate Market Reaction:
- Carrie Firest: Notes the market’s swift reaction to (unconfirmed) peace talks—indicating pent-up buying demand and the importance of a war resolution for risk assets, especially as oil's influence looms large. [06:42–07:34]
- Shannon Sokotia: Points out ongoing sector rotation—recently “oversold” areas, such as big cap tech, saw meaningful upticks; sees broadening market participation as a key difference from earlier, tech-led rebounds. [08:52]
3. Barclays’ S&P 500 Upgrade: Fundamentals Over Multiples
4. Private Credit Market Stress
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Industry Headlines: Panel flags substantial redemptions and withdrawal limitations at major private credit firms like Ares, Blackstone, and Apollo. Retail investors’ pursuit of liquidity from illiquid assets could drive further stress, but not likely system-wide contagion.
- Jamie Dimon: “When redemptions can't be met... that can create ripple effects and spasms in the market.” [16:46]
- Carrie Firest: Reflects on crowded trades and prudent profit-taking—“With hindsight, it would probably have been a good idea to sell or trim those positions several months ago...” [17:26]
- Shannon Sokotia: Asserts that redemption “gates” are built into fund structures and doesn’t see a systemic risk, though further stress is possible. [19:02]
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Link to Software: Joe connects private credit performance to software sector health, positing that private credit will likely bottom once software stocks stabilize. [21:20]
5. Big Tech, Software, and AI
- Software’s Drag:
- Oracle & Microsoft: Oracle’s strong earnings weren’t enough to drive momentum, with the broader software space still under pressure.
- Microsoft: Not delivering on AI monetization hype; faces negative headlines despite a massive installed base.
- Quote:
“Microsoft needs to show that they can move nimbly... they are not able to take advantage of [their enterprise base] right now with their product.” — Shannon Sokotia [24:49]
- Amazon, Apple Recover: Both have rebounded, perhaps benefitting from shifting AI narratives and more attractive valuations, especially after earlier underperformance.
6. Sector & Stock-Specific Moves
Discretionary Retail
- Target (TGT): Brian Belsky adds to Target, calling it a “contrarian play” with new leadership and a late but strengthening online strategy. Off-price retailers like TJX and Ross remain solid but expensive. [25:58–26:31]
Industrials
- Flowserve (FLS): Carrie Firest buys more after a pullback, highlighting its role in energy extraction and industrial infrastructure. [30:40]
Growth and Value
- Netflix (NFLX): Brian Belsky takes an opportunistic value position amid sector volatility, betting on a recovery post failed Warner Bros. Discovery bid. [31:16].
- Citizens Financial: Belsky touts this as a solid mid-cap in consumer discretionary, strong despite overall sector weakness. [32:18]
Beverages & Materials
- Monster Beverage: Joe Terranova likes the margin resilience in major beverage names amid recent pullbacks. [32:40]
- Ecolab: Recent buy due to its exposure to data center cooling—seen as a secular growth area. [33:12]
- Wabtec: BofA highlights consistently strong performance; rising fuel prices could increase demand for rail transit. [33:41]
Biotech, Healthcare, & Industrials
- Gilead: Strategic M&A points to diversification away from antivirals into oncology and autoimmune, contributing to a positive view on biotechs overall. [43:45]
- Thermo Fisher: Undergoing portfolio expansion with Clario Holdings acquisition; seen as undervalued after a pullback. [44:47]
- FedEx: Competitive moves in same-day delivery, with panel preferring FedEx’s current valuation over UPS. [45:15]
7. Financials: Banks and Insurance
- Sector Troubles: Financials are 2026’s worst-performing sector, dragged down by both private credit and traditional banking woes.
- Brian Belsky: Sells US Bancorp, preferring either the very large or very small banks; mid-tier banks struggle with scale. [37:15]
- Joe Terranova: Favors exchanges (CME, IBKR, CBOE) and market makers (Virtu Financial), citing opportunities amid volatility. [38:20]
- Shannon Sokotia: Sees tactical buying potential in both regionals and big banks, especially as regulatory/capital requirements may ease and rates are expected to fall. [39:29]
- Carrie Firest: Thinks the recent AI-driven hit to names like Amex and Schwab was overblown; those stocks now bouncing. [39:59]
Notable Quotes & Moments
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On Market Intervention:
“The so called Trump Put which people have talked about endlessly. Okay, maybe that's the trend that investors need to focus on more than anything else.”
— Scott Wapner [04:01]
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On Staying Invested:
“If you're missing the 10 best days in the market, you're going to lose out longer term.”
— Brian Belsky [04:54]
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On Private Credit Liquidity Risk:
“When redemptions can't be met, there is the potential effect of more and more people wanting liquidity from illiquid assets. And that can create ripple effects and spasms in the market.”
— Jamie Dimon [16:46]
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On Near-Term Market Tactics:
“I'm telling people on a daily basis, stay invested for the long term. This is not an inflection point.”
— Joe Terranova [11:50]
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On Broadening Market Participation (vs. Just Big Tech):
“These bounces are going to be broader in our view. And that lends itself to going back to your positioning in late January, early February and looking at it and saying where have things perhaps gotten more attractive and buying into that broadening trend...”
— Shannon Sokotia [09:58]
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On Microsoft’s AI Hurdles:
“Microsoft needs to show that they can move nimbly here and they have an installed base that is beyond parallel...they are not able to take advantage of [their product] right now.”
— Shannon Sokotia [24:49]
Key Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment / Discussion |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 00:59 | Market overview, recent volatility, oil prices, the “Trump Put” |
| 04:54 | Buy-the-dip mentality, pitfalls of timing the market, importance of long-term |
| 06:42 | Market’s rapid reaction to war news, focusing on oversold sectors |
| 08:16 | Barclays raises S&P target; Panel discusses earnings power vs. multiples |
| 11:50 | Tactical vs. strategic moves — focus on gold (GLD) and Apple (AAPL) |
| 15:30 | Private credit market stress, redemptions, risk of ripple effects |
| 21:20 | Private credit tied to software sector performance |
| 24:49 | Microsoft’s AI leadership called into question, market perception |
| 25:58 | Target (TGT) as contrarian buy, discretionary retail stocks analysis |
| 30:40 | Flowserve (FLS); buying on pullback, sector rationale |
| 31:16 | Netflix (NFLX) added to value portfolios, tactical opportunity |
| 32:40 | Monster Beverage, Ecolab, Wabtec — sector rotation, valuations |
| 37:15 | Belsky sells US Bancorp, bank sector outlook |
| 39:29 | Opportunities in financials: regionals, exchanges, and insurance |
| 43:45 | Biotech moves: Gilead’s acquisition, bullishness on sector |
| 44:47 | Thermo Fisher, FedEx, industrials reviewed |
| 46:20 | Final trades: Costco, Discretionary, Nextera Energy, Valero |
Memorable Moments
- Truth Social post shakes sentiment: Immediate market moves following presidential social media activity highlight how headline risk is as potent as ever. [06:42]
- Lively, candid debate: Frequent back-and-forth (“You think you do?” “Let’s discuss with yourself and get back.”) adds personality to the tactical analysis. [44:19]
- Strong sector rotation: The transition from tech’s dominance to a broader market rally is made clear, with panelists sharing concrete tactical and strategic shifts.
- Real-time trade disclosures: The panel openly discuss recent trades, rationale, successes, and missed opportunities, giving direct insights into professional investment decision-making.
Conclusion & Takeaways
- Long-Term Focus: Despite heightened geopolitical risk and lack of clear technical trend, the panel resoundingly advocates for a long-term, earnings-driven approach.
- Tactical Flexibility Matters: Selective tactical trades in gold, mega caps, and battered cyclical stocks are appropriate for generating alpha during heightened uncertainty.
- Credit Risks Non-Systemic (So Far): While private credit and software stress are concerning, systemic contagion is not expected. Investors should watch for further pain but look for signs of stabilization.
- Sector Rotation in Play: Stay nimble—discretionary, industrials, and materials are seeing fresh flows as tech leadership broadens out.
- Macro “Wild Cards”: Key variables to monitor: oil prices, earnings revisions, war resolution/timeline, and central bank policy responses.
Final Trades Recap:
- Brian Belsky: Costco (COST) — “Should be part of any large cap core growth portfolio.” [46:20]
- Shannon Sokotia: Discretionary sector — Cites continued strength in higher income household spending.
- Carrie Firest: Nextera Energy (NEE) — Data center growth, sustainable energy appeal returning.
- Joe Terranova: Valero (VLO) — Energy sector, attention to refined products’ price action.
For those who missed the episode:
This Halftime Report offers a timely, deeply practical look at managing risk and opportunity in today’s war-and-oil-shocked markets—grounded in fundamentals, but savvy to how politics and psychology keep moving the tape.