Nikkei surges past 69,000 on US‑Iran peace deal

Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average jumped more than 5% on June 15, breaking the 69,000‑point barrier as investors reacted positively to a newly announced United States‑Iran peace agreement that aims to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The rally was led by broad buying across major sectors, with Toyota up 5.4%, Honda and Nissan gaining around 4‑6%, and semiconductor firms such as Advantest, Kioxia and Fujikura rising between 8% and 11%. SoftBank, a major AI investor, surged 12.5%, while MUFG and Sony also recorded gains. The market boost was reinforced by a roughly 5% fall in U.S. crude oil futures, which slipped to the low‑$80 per barrel range following the deal. Analysts noted that while the settlement lifts sentiment, details remain unclear and future market direction depends on the agreement’s implementation.