What Happened?

A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after the broader market tumbled in morning trading as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East sent crude oil prices soaring above $100 a barrel. 

The unease among investors stemmed from the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, which intensified concerns over severe supply chain disruptions. With oil prices breaching the key psychological barrier of $100, major indices like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all opened significantly lower. The uncertainty weighed on the economic outlook, with Goldman Sachs cutting its growth forecast and citing a 25% chance of a recession in the next year. This risk-off sentiment reflected fears that sustained high energy prices could fuel inflation and dampen economic activity, prompting investors to pull back from equities.

The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks.

Among others, the following stocks were impacted:

• Marine Transportation company Genco (NYSE: GNK) fell 5.2%. Is now the time to buy Genco? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Construction and Maintenance Services company Primoris (NYSE: PRIM) fell 4.6%. Is now the time to buy Primoris? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Aerospace company Woodward (NASDAQ: WWD) fell 5.2%. Is now the time to buy Woodward? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Engineered Components and Systems company Regal Rexnord (NYSE: RRX) fell 5.1%. Is now the time to buy Regal Rexnord? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
• Maintenance and Repair Distributors company VSE Corporation (NASDAQ: VSEC) fell 6.8%. Is now the time to buy VSE Corporation? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.

Zooming In On VSE Corporation (VSEC)

VSE Corporation’s shares are quite volatile and have had 17 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was 9 days ago when the stock dropped 2.7% on the news that geopolitical tensions in the Middle East sent crude oil prices soaring, stoking fears of resurgent inflation. 

The price for Brent crude, the international benchmark, leaped over 6% to $82.57 a barrel amid an escalating war with Iran, which has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz. This critical waterway handles about 20% of global oil flow. A sustained increase in energy prices could translate to higher inflation, potentially impacting consumer spending and corporate earnings. This scenario also complicates the Federal Reserve's path forward, as persistent inflation could delay anticipated interest rate cuts that investors have been counting on to support the economy.

VSE Corporation is up 11.7% since the beginning of the year, but at $202.54 per share, it is still trading 11.1% below its 52-week high of $227.78 from February 2026. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of VSE Corporation’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $4,622.

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