Oil Falls Below $80 as Markets Rally on Preliminary US-Iran Deal

Energy prices dropped sharply and equity futures climbed after Pakistan announced a preliminary US-Iran agreement to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude fell more than 4 percent to trade near $83 a barrel in early Asian hours, while US crude futures slipped below $80 for the first time since March. The moves reflected investor bets that a sustained reduction in supply risk would ease inflation pressures ahead of central-bank meetings.

The announcement came Sunday night from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who stated that both sides had agreed to an immediate and permanent end to military operations, including in Lebanon. President Trump posted on social media that the deal was complete and that the strait would open without tolls once the formal signing occurs Friday in Switzerland. Iranian officials described a 60-day period of further talks covering nuclear issues and sanctions relief. Trump later clarified that actual reopening would follow the Friday ceremony.

Market reaction spread across time zones. Japan’s Nikkei rose 5 to 5.5 percent and South Korea’s Kospi gained as much as 5.7 percent. In Europe the CAC 40 and DAX each advanced about 1.5 to 1.8 percent while the FTSE 100 rose roughly 0.5 to 0.8 percent. US equity futures pointed higher, with Nasdaq contracts up about 2 percent. Shares of airlines and cruise lines also moved up as fuel costs declined.

Several operational and diplomatic questions remain unresolved. The precise timing of mine clearance, rules for safe passage, and oversight mechanisms have not been specified. Shipping data showing continued low tanker traffic through the strait could not be independently verified across multiple outlets. Claims that the US military had secretly facilitated additional oil movements in recent weeks appeared in only one dispatch and were not corroborated elsewhere. Analysts noted that restarting shut-in production and restoring normal tanker routing would take time even after formal reopening.

The episode leaves markets pricing in lower near-term energy costs while awaiting concrete evidence that the framework will survive the 60-day negotiating window and produce lasting changes in supply flows.