U.S. stocks climbed to record highs on Wednesday against a backdrop of war, an oil supply shock and economic forecasts warning of stunted growth amid a protracted conflict. Many investors may be thinking: Why? Largely, it's because the stock market is a barometer of what investors think will happen in the future, rather than an assessment of the present day, according to economists and market analysts. Investors are essentially shrugging off the Middle East conflict as a blip that will be