SRMED
Englishعربي
Englishعربي
Global markets moved higher on hopes that the U.S. and Iran may extend their ceasefire and eventually reach a broader peace deal, while investors also continued to digest strong corporate earnings and a fresh wave of attention on the scale of the conflict’s economic fallout. According to Bloomberg Daybreak Asia, Asian stocks rose after Wall Street set new records, as traders bet that de-escalation in the Middle East could help ease oil prices and support growth.
The rally followed a strong session in the U.S., where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both closed at record highs, helped by better-than-expected results from major banks including Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. In Asia, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index opened higher as investors responded to the prospect that a temporary truce between Washington and Tehran could be prolonged, reducing the risk of renewed fighting and further disruption to energy flows.
A key focus remains the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes. Bloomberg reports that European and Gulf officials believe a full U.S.-Iran peace agreement could take months, and that the current ceasefire should be extended to allow more time for negotiations. The initial truce is set to expire next week, creating a deadline that has added urgency to diplomacy and market reactions alike.
President Donald Trump struck an upbeat tone on Thursday, telling reporters at the White House that it was “looking very good” that the U.S. and Iran could make a deal. He said talks could resume over the weekend. At the same time, Bloomberg reported that both sides have recently rejected elements of each other’s proposals, showing that major gaps remain despite the improved mood in markets.
The stakes are high well beyond trading desks. A prolonged confrontation in the Gulf could keep oil prices elevated, threaten shipping through a critical chokepoint and ripple through global inflation, transport costs and corporate profits. That is why investors, governments and energy markets are watching the ceasefire talks so closely, even as the situation remains fluid and no final agreement has been reached.
Bloomberg’s coverage also suggests that officials see this as a process likely to unfold in stages rather than through a quick breakthrough. For now, the immediate question is whether the ceasefire can be extended and whether the two sides will return to face-to-face negotiations in the coming days. Until then, markets are likely to remain highly sensitive to every signal from Washington, Tehran and the wider region.