Global stock markets surged on Wednesday across Asia, Europe, and the United States after واشنطن and طهران agreed on a two-week ceasefire, a rapid geopolitical shift that boosted investor appetite for risk assets and eased concerns over potential disruptions to energy supplies عبر مضيق هرمز.
Strong Gains in Gulf Markets
In the Gulf region, markets posted significant gains. Qatar’s main index rose by 3.4%, supported by broad-based advances, particularly in energy stocks. Shares of Industries Qatar climbed 6.2%, while Nakilat surged 8% to lead gainers, and Qatar National Bank rose 3.7%.
In Saudi Arabia, the benchmark index opened 1.4% higher, driven by banking and energy stocks.
Dubai’s main market jumped as much as 8.5% خلال الجلسة—its biggest intraday gain in more than 11 years—before trimming gains to trade up 6.4%. The rally was led by real estate and financial stocks, with Emaar Properties rising 9.8% and Emirates NBD gaining 11.3%.
In Abu Dhabi, the benchmark index surged 4.9% early in التداولات—its largest jump in six years—before easing to a 3.2% gain. Key الأسهم included First Abu Dhabi Bank, up 8.3%, Aldar Properties, up 8.8%, ADNOC Gas, which rose 3.8%, and Abu Dhabi Ports, which gained 9.8%.
Asian Markets Extend Rally
Asian markets also posted strong gains. Japan’s Nikkei index rose 5.4%, while South Korea’s Kospi jumped 6.8%, triggering a brief trading halt. The broader MSCI Asia-Pacific index ex-Japan increased by 1%.
Tokyo stocks closed sharply higher, led by real estate, banking, and textile sectors, with the Nikkei 225 gaining 5.42% to its highest level in a month.
Among top performers were Furukawa Electric, which surged 17.61%, Advantest, up 13.60%, and Renesas Electronics, which rose 12.91%.
In China, the Shanghai Composite index climbed 2.69% during the session before closing 3.1% higher.
European Stocks Head for Best Session of the Year
In Europe, the STOXX Europe 600 rose 3.67% to 612.28 points, on track for its best session of the year if momentum holds.
Major European indices followed suit, with the CAC 40 gaining nearly 4%, the DAX rising 5%, and the FTSE 100 advancing 2.33%.
Travel, industrial, and banking stocks led the rally—typically benefiting from lower energy costs and declining bond yields—while the energy sector fell 4.2% in line with declining Brent crude prices.
US Futures Signal Continued Optimism
Investors are also watching key eurozone economic data, including retail sales and producer prices, to assess the broader impact of recent energy market volatility.
In the United States, stock futures pointed to a strong opening. Futures for the S&P 500 rose 2.5%, Nasdaq Composite futures gained 3.2%, and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures climbed 2.3%, indicating sustained global market optimism following the ceasefire announcement.
