Five sectors shine amid global crisis, fueling profit-seeking amid recession fears:IMF cuts 2026 growth forecast to 3.1%, fears it could fall to 2.5% if crisis escalates

News Topical, Digital Desk : Amid tensions in West Asia that have been raging for over a month and a half, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed concern about the global economy.

The IMF has cut its global growth forecast for 2026 to 3.1 percent from 3.3 percent and warned that if the crisis prolongs, the rate could fall to 2.5 percent.

According to Al Jazeera, even during this period of global instability, some industries have taken advantage of the situation to reap significant profits. These include Wall Street investment banks, speculative markets, aerospace and defense, artificial intelligence (AI), and renewable energy.

Wall Street investment banks

US President Donald Trump's rhetoric during the war with Iran led to widespread volatility in stock markets around the world, including the US. These frequently changing stances led to rapid buying and selling among investors, boosting investment bank earnings.

According to Sean Dunlop, director of Morningstar Research Services, market volatility increased trading volumes, which directly benefited banks. Morgan Stanley's profit in the first quarter of 2026 was $5.57 billion (a 29% increase), Goldman Sachs' $5.63 billion (a 19% increase), and JPMorgan Chase's $16.49 billion (a 13% increase). Banks attributed their gains to higher trading activity and stronger customer engagement during the war.

'Polymarket' made huge profits during the Iran conflict

The crypto-based betting platform "Polymarket" made huge profits during the Iran conflict. In a single day, the company earned up to $1 million.

Betting on potential war-related developments increased, leading to a sharp increase in the platform's revenue. According to Defil Lama, the company earned $6.23 million in fees in February and $11.6 million in March.

After raising fees in April, it generated $21 million in revenue in just 15 days. It estimates that if current trends continue, the company could generate $342 million in fees alone by 2026.