Share prices soared on Monday in Asia after a deal was announced on ending the Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.Benchmarks in Tokyo and Seoul gained more than 5 per cent early on Monday. Oil prices fell more than $3 a barrel.Futures for the S&P 500 were up 1 per cent and those for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.8 per cent, auguring early gains for Wall Street.US President Donald Trump confirmed the initial agreement and authorised an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.Iran confirmed the agreement but signalled that implementation would not start until a signing that Pakistan said would be held on Friday in Switzerland. Broader negotiations on issues like Iran’s nuclear programme are expected to continue over the next 60 days.In early trading on Monday, the price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, fell $3.45 to $83.88 per barrel. US benchmark crude lost $3.95 to $80.93 per barrel.But it may take months for oil prices to stabilise after the disruptions from the war caused them to surge, pushing up costs of gasoline and many other products. Energy experts said shipping and insurance companies will want to be confident the pact will hold, ensuring that oil and gas supplies will flow freely enough for the world’s needs to be met.“Markets are likely to be cautious in not over-extending optimism as they watch for an actual resumption of traffic across Hormuz,” Mizuho Bank analysts said in a commentary.Still, the news was a huge relief for markets that have been roiled since the conflict began in late February.The deal on ending the war offers relief to the global economy more than three months since fighting began.Stocks rallied in Asia, where Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 5.1 per cent to 69,367.06 as the benchmark logged another record high.Buying was heaviest for technology shares, especially those related to artificial intelligence. The boom in AI has been driving gains in Japan, where the benchmark has gained more than 80 per cent in the last year.“This is great news,” said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at Monex. “Buying by foreign investors is leading the market with expectations of easing tensions around the situation in West Asia. Then the decline in New York crude oil futures is supporting this positive market.” The Kospi in Seoul led regional gains, surging 5.6 per cent to 8,577.62.In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 advanced 1.4 per cent to 8,930.50. Taiwan’s Taiex was up 2.6 per cent.US stocks rose on Friday after oil prices fell, and Elon Musk’s SpaceX soared in its highly anticipated debut on Wall Street.On Friday, the S&P 500 added 0.5 per cent to close out its 10th winning week in the last 11. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 353 points, or 0.7 per cent, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3 per cent.In other dealings early on Monday, the dollar rose to 160.15 Japanese yen from 160.12 yen late on Friday. The euro climbed to $1.1596 from $1.1578.Published on June 15, 2026