Markets

Weaker-than-expected US employment data reduced fears of further rate hikes, sending stocks higher, pushing the dollar and Treasury yields lower and lifting gold, even as a global semiconductor selloff weighed on technology shares.

South Korea's Kospi swung violently at the start of July, plunging nearly 8% on an AI-driven chip selloff before rebounding almost 6%, while June inflation accelerated to 3.2%, the highest since late 2023.

Germany's DAX climbed to a record as European markets rallied on softer US jobs data, with Bayer surging almost 9% after steps to reduce its Roundup litigation risk and investors rotating into healthcare, financials and defence.

South Korea's Kospi index surged about 5% to a record high on Friday, recovering from a sharp chip-led selloff earlier in the week, as softer US jobs data eased fears of higher interest rates.

European shares climbed to a record close, with Germany's DAX up more than 2%, as softer US jobs data eased rate worries and investors rotated into healthcare, financials and defence stocks.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed about 1.4% as a global relief rally, sparked by softer US jobs data and easing rate-hike fears, lifted shares across the Asia-Pacific region.

US equities began the second half of 2026 close to record highs after a strong quarter, with gains broadening beyond big technology names as resilient earnings and consumer spending support the market.

South Korea's exports surged 70.9% in June to a record $102.25 billion, surpassing $100 billion for the first time, driven by an artificial intelligence investment boom that nearly tripled semiconductor shipments.

Volkswagen is heading into a high-stakes supervisory board meeting on July 9 amid reports it is weighing closing four German factories and cutting as many as 100,000 jobs, a plan fiercely opposed by unions and the government.

The global insurance sector recorded $29.6 billion in announced deal value across 191 disclosed transactions in the six months to May 31, 2026, according to PwC, with megadeals driving the bulk of the value. Landmark transactions including the $22 billion Corebridge-Equitable merger and DB Insurance's $1.65 billion Fortegra acquisition are reshaping the competitive landscape, even as uncertainty over AI's impact on brokerage models tempers valuations.

Global oil prices rose at the end of June 2026 after renewed military strikes between the US and Iran over the weekend cast doubt on the fragile ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of the world's oil. Brent crude climbed to around $72.55 a barrel, having earlier unwound most of its war premium after a June 17 memorandum of understanding. The volatility has direct implications for inflation, central bank policy, and marine and energy insurers.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, joined the Dow Jones Industrial Average in late June 2026, with shares jumping 4% on the news, while SpaceX became one of the fastest-ever additions to the Nasdaq-100 index less than a month after its blockbuster public debut. The index changes carry significant implications for the trillions of dollars in passive investment funds that track these benchmarks, affecting retirement accounts and institutional portfolios worldwide.

US stocks ended the week of June 26 mixed as a technology sell-off dragged the Nasdaq Composite to its fifth consecutive losing session, falling 4.6% on the week. The S&P 500 closed at 7,354.02 and slid nearly 2% for the week, while the Dow outperformed with a 0.6% weekly gain. A reported delay to OpenAI's IPO and questions over AI infrastructure spending fueled investor rotation out of technology and into defensive sectors.

Global insurers' managed assets expanded 25% to $4.5 trillion in 2024, with private placements now accounting for 21.1% of total insurance assets under management, according to Deloitte's 2026 global insurance outlook. The shift toward private credit and alternative assets — driven by the search for yield — is reshaping the industry even as regulators warn about liquidity and oversight gaps in the rapidly growing sector.

Global oil prices fell sharply and equity markets rallied after the United States and Iran signed a framework agreement to end their war, with Iran agreeing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the US lifting its naval blockade. Brent crude has dropped roughly 20% from its 2026 peak — when prices briefly topped $120 — as investors grow optimistic about a lasting ceasefire, though analysts caution that security concerns and infrastructure damage will keep prices elevated near $90-100 in the near term.

Global financial markets rallied in mid-June as news of a US-Iran peace deal eased oil prices and calmed the inflation fears that had dominated 2026. The de-escalation lowered Treasury yields and mortgage rates and prompted analysts to scale back expectations of further central bank rate hikes, though caution remains as the durability of the agreement is tested.

Stock markets surged worldwide and oil prices fell sharply after the United States and Iran reached a tentative deal to extend their ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The S&P 500 rose 1.7%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed to a record, and Brent crude fell back toward $83 per barrel — well below the $100-plus seen during the conflict — raising hopes of relief from war-driven inflation pressures.

Global oil prices have tumbled roughly 20% from their 2026 highs as markets grow more optimistic about a durable US-Iran ceasefire that would unlock shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The de-escalation has eased the energy-driven inflation pressures that pushed central banks worldwide toward a more hawkish stance, though analysts caution that security concerns and crude loadings inside the Gulf remain fragile.

President Trump announced on June 14, 2026 that the US and Iran reached a framework agreement to end the more than 100-day war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with a formal signing set for June 19. Markets rallied sharply on the news: US crude futures settled almost 5% lower, the S&P 500 rose 1.65%, the Nasdaq jumped 3.07%, and the Dow closed at a record high, while Japan's Nikkei surged 5.5% and South Korea's Kospi rose as much as 5.7%. Oil nonetheless remains roughly 40% above where it began the year.

Following the US-Iran framework agreement, oil-storage facilities throughout the Gulf remain well-stocked and ready to offer immediate relief to markets, while thousands of engineers and technicians are already working to restore production and export infrastructure to pre-war levels, according to the Atlantic Council. However, energy analysts caution that a geopolitical risk premium will persist given deep mistrust among the parties and the significant drawdown of commercial and strategic inventories used to offset wartime supply losses.

Travel and leisure stocks were among the biggest winners in the market rally that followed the US-Iran peace framework, with Delta Air Lines, American Express, and Royal Caribbean Cruises leading gains on June 15. The surge reflects investor expectations that an end to the conflict, falling oil and jet fuel prices, and easing geopolitical uncertainty will revive global travel demand and reduce airline operating costs. The rally has direct implications for the travel insurance market, which had seen surging adoption during the conflict.

A worldwide risk-on rally swept markets on Monday after the United States and Iran confirmed an agreement on Sunday, June 14, to end nearly four months of war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude tumbled toward a three-month low below $84 a barrel, while Japan's Nikkei 225 surged 5.5%, South Korea's Kospi jumped as much as 5.7%, and European equities pushed to record highs led by banks and travel stocks. Bonds rallied, the dollar slipped to a two-week low, and gold and Bitcoin posted strong gains as investors unwound the geopolitical risk premium that had dominated trading since February.

President Trump said a deal to end the US-Iran war would be signed Sunday, June 14, sending global markets into a relief rally and pushing oil sharply lower. Brent crude fell about 3.3% to roughly $87 a barrel and US WTI dropped to about $85, with prices down nearly 9% over the month, though still well above the roughly $70 level seen before the war began in late February. Iran's foreign ministry cautioned the agreement still required government approval, leaving markets optimistic but watchful.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index surged to an all-time high in mid-June 2026, rising more than 3% in morning trading after closing at a record peak, as hopes for an end to the US-Iran war and a falling oil price boosted sentiment across Asian markets. The rally comes just days before the Bank of Japan is widely expected to raise interest rates to 1% on June 16 — a combination of improving geopolitical sentiment and confidence in Japan's monetary normalisation that has powered Japanese equities to historic levels.

US stocks traded mixed and oil prices fell on June 12, 2026 as Wall Street reacted to growing optimism over a tentative US-Iran peace deal that could lift oil sanctions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump said he canceled planned strikes overnight, citing a 'very strong memorandum of understanding,' with a possible signing in Switzerland as soon as Sunday. Crude fell about 2% to near $85 per barrel, while SpaceX completed the largest IPO on record, raising $75 billion and closing up more than 19% on its debut.

The global catastrophe bond (cat bond) and insurance-linked securities (ILS) market is on track for its second-largest first-half issuance on record in 2026, driven by sustained demand for property catastrophe capacity, growing investor appetite for insurance risk, and favourable conditions at the June 1 mid-year reinsurance renewals. Over $3.2 billion in Florida-focused cat bonds alone were issued for 12 sponsors in the first five months of 2026, including three first-time cat bond issuers.