Investors spend far too much time worrying about geopolitical events and far too little time focusing on long-term portfolio construction, according to Devina Mehra, who says more than a century of market history shows that wars rarely leave a lasting impact on stock markets.
Speaking at the ET Alpha Wealth Summit, Mehra said her analysis of over 125 years of market data covering major geopolitical events—from the two World Wars and the Gulf Wars to the September 11 attacks and military conflicts in Libya and Afghanistan—revealed a remarkably consistent pattern.
"The conclusion is very clear: do not react too much to geopolitics because it all evens out," she said.
According to Mehra, markets have historically moved past geopolitical shocks within months unless the country involved in the conflict is directly affected and defeated. She recalled making a similar argument when tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated in early 2022.
