{
    "title": "US-Iran ceasefire: Markets surge as oil and gas prices fall",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-08 08:19:08",
    "published_at": "2026-04-08 08:19:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/us-iran-ceasefire-markets-surge-as-oil-and-gas-prices-fall",
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    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>The Brussels stock exchange surged 3 per cent higher at the opening of trading on Wednesday morning, following the announcement of a ceasefire between the US and Iran.</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: left\">Markets across Asia also rose in response to the two-week ceasefire in the Middle East. Oil and gas prices, by contrast, fell sharply. The agreement is expected to lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">The Nikkei in Tokyo climbed by over 5 per cent and the Kospi in Seoul rose by more than 7 per cent. Japan and South Korea are heavily reliant on oil and gas imports from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong rose by nearly 3 per cent and the Shanghai stock market gained almost 2 per cent.</p><div id=\"bookmark-53de3e48-c3dd-43f8-a1c1-20743ca785a6\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"http://prez.ly/C3Bd\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2Fd4509d65-a5e3-4e8e-a7cd-ebb3a65791aa%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=c1f5b0856e6708c86b1429cdec5c536b)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"http://prez.ly/C3Bd\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"53de3e48-c3dd-43f8-a1c1-20743ca785a6\"\n           >\n                Iran: UN welcomes ceasefire and calls on all parties to comply            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Following the announcement of a ceasefire between the US and Iran, the United Nations is calling on all parties to adhere to the agreement. This...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Firan-un-welcomes-ceasefire-and-calls-on-all-parties-to-comply&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">European gas prices fell by around 20 per cent at the open on Wednesday. Shortly after trading began, the Dutch TTF futures contract, considered the European benchmark, plunged by 19.24 per cent to 43 euros, having briefly fallen by more than 20 per cent to 42.50.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">US president Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he had agreed to &ldquo;suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks&rdquo;. He had previously issued an ultimatum to Tehran regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, threatening large-scale attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: left\"><sup>Currency dealers monitor exchange rates at the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, 8 April 2026 &copy; PHOTO JUNG YEON-JE / AFP</sup></p><hr /><p><strong>Related news</strong></p><div id=\"bookmark-744c8fa4-25b4-40f9-809b-59220ebec13b\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"http://prez.ly/B3Bd\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2Fc2d1f463-0e40-451e-b3e0-a1370ee79f9c%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=203fa391b78315749967ff231e64f47c)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"http://prez.ly/B3Bd\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"744c8fa4-25b4-40f9-809b-59220ebec13b\"\n           >\n                Ceasefire between Iran and US takes effect &#039;immediately&#039;, Pakistan says            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                The temporary ceasefire between Iran, the United States and &quot;their allies&quot; takes effect immediately, Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Fceasefire-between-iran-and-us-takes-effect-immediately-says-pakistan&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n<div id=\"bookmark-959725cb-01b2-4a02-b2ab-9a381c3d4b1c\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"http://prez.ly/uvAd\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2F151e0f93-ffe3-490d-9592-36a361ffc0ef%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=a568234c16cd129bedbbf2e155017714)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"http://prez.ly/uvAd\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"959725cb-01b2-4a02-b2ab-9a381c3d4b1c\"\n           >\n                Iran reports attacks on gas infrastructure            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Iran has reported a new attack on its gas infrastructure in the Persian Gulf on Monday. The Fars news agency reported multiple explosions near the...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Firan-reports-attacks-on-gas-infrastructure&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n",
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        {
            "description": "Iran: UN welcomes ceasefire and calls on all parties to comply",
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        {
            "description": "Ceasefire between Iran and US takes effect 'immediately', Pakistan says",
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        {
            "description": "Iran reports attacks on gas infrastructure",
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