Defense stocks are declining due to the government shutdown, but not as much as expected. Analysts say that some defense contractors may face pressure, but day-to-day operations on major weapons platforms will remain unchanged. The main impact is likely to be on the government contracting process, which will come to a halt.
Source: https://www.marketwatch.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp500-nasdaq-lower-us-government-shutdown-dollar-falls-gold-up-adp-data/card/defense-stocks-are-down-with-the-shutdown-but-by-less-than-the-market-nejiB8aCC2KhqPuGJ76X?mod=mw_FV