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Global Markets Just Had Their Best Day of the Year on the Iran Ceasefire

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Nate Gregory
Published Apr 8, 2026
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A large electronic board displays global stock market indices in green at an airport terminal, with travelers walking in the background.
Summary:
  • South Korea's Kospi surged 6.9%, Japan's Nikkei jumped 5.4%, and Germany's DAX rose 4.7%.
  • European airlines climbed over 10% as cheaper oil eased their biggest cost pressure.
  • The U.S. dollar index fell 1.2%, wiping out its entire 2026 gain in a single session.

The Iran ceasefire moved U.S. markets. It also lit up stock trades around the world.

South Korea led with a 6.9% jump in its Kospi. Japan's Nikkei surged 5.4%. Germany's DAX rose 4.7%. France's CAC 40 gained nearly 4%. Even the UK's FTSE 100 - usually the quiet one - climbed 2.3%.

The Dollar Took the Biggest Hit

The U.S. dollar index fell 1.2% on Wednesday. It dropped below 100 and wiped out its whole gain for the year.

When the dollar falls, foreign markets tend to rise. That's what happened. The iShares Emerging Markets ETF was on track for its best day since April 2025. South Korea's ETF alone jumped over 10%.

Chile, Taiwan, Turkey, the UAE, Mexico, Japan, and India all gained more than 5%.

Airlines and Commodities Led Europe

EU airlines posted some of the day's biggest gains. Fuel is their second-biggest cost after wages. A 17% oil crash is like a sudden pay raise.

Copper futures gained 3%. Silver and platinum surged 7%. Even gold climbed 3%, which is unusual in a risk-on rally.

What to Watch

The rally was global, fast, and broad. But the ceasefire is only two weeks long. Missiles kept flying in the Gulf after the deal was announced. If the truce breaks, gains could reverse fast.

For now, investors everywhere are betting the worst of the Iran crisis is over.

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