The markets' rise on April 8 was driven by trader algorithms, but live investors remain risk-averse, believes Westpac's Martin Wetton

'That Grande TACO': how analysts assessed Trump's sudden truce with Iran

European stocks amid news of a <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/ssa-i-iran-soglasilis-na-dvuhnedel-noe-peremirie-cena-nefti-wti-ruhnula-na-16">two-week ceasefire</a> in the Middle East began trading on April 8 with significant growth, close to the maximum since 2022, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/european-stocks-set-for-biggest-rise-since-2022-on-iran-us-deal">writes</a>. Gas prices in Europe also <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/european-gas-futures-tumble-on-us-iran-ceasefire-agreement">fell by</a> 20% at the moment, reaching the lowest level since the beginning of the war.

European stocks jumped nearly 4% on news of a truce with Iran

Alphabet Inc.

Amazon.com, Inc.

Apple Inc.

Microsoft Corporation

US President Donald Trump <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/ssa-i-iran-soglasilis-na-dvuhnedel-noe-peremirie-cena-nefti-wti-ruhnula-na-16">agreed to delay</a> strikes on Iran for two weeks on the condition that the Strait of Hormuz be opened, causing prices to fall. Anthropic announced a partnership with major IT companies to defend against AI cyberattacks and unveiled a model that identifies thousands of vulnerabilities. These and other topics - in our review of key events by the morning of April 8.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

SK hynix Inc.

Stocks in Asia had to suspend trading due to a sharp rise in stocks

Gold and bitcoin surge to three-week highs after U.S. truce with Iran

The Strait of Hormuz will be open for this time, Tehran confirmed

The US and Iran have agreed to a two-week truce. WTI crude oil price collapsed by 16%

Major U.S. equity market indexes trimmed most or even all of the day's losses by the close of trading on Tuesday, April 7. Half an hour before the end of the session and more than four hours before the deadline the U.S. president announced to Iran, Pakistan, which is mediating the talks, <a href="https://x.com/CMShehbaz/status/2041596151108137363?s=20">asked</a> Donald Trump <a href="https://x.com/CMShehbaz/status/2041596151108137363?s=20">for</a> a two-week delay. At the same time, it urged the Iranian leadership to open the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks "as a goodwill gesture" and for both sides to honor the truce during those two weeks.White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said Trump was "briefed on the proposal and a response will follow," The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-2026-trump-deadline-latest-news/card/pakistan-calls-for-two-week-deadline-extension-and-cease-fire-UsAn34TVch47OgoDYatB">reported</a>. The U.S. and Iran are in the midst of "intense negotiations," the U.S. leader <a href="https://x.com/JacquiHeinrich/status/2041605565789454658">told</a> Fox News by phone, promising to comment on Pakistan's request later.

Trump asked to delay ultimatum to Iran: S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq recouped losses

In an extremely pessimistic scenario, analysts expect an "indiscriminate sell-off"

JPMorgan named possible "post-Trump deadline" scenarios. What stocks does he advise?

US President Donald Trump, ahead of the deadline for the ultimatum he issued to Iran to strike a peace deal with Washington and open the Strait of Hormuz, threatened Tehran with "the death of an entire civilization" if the Iranian authorities do not make concessions. "I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump">wrote</a> on the social network ThuthSocial exactly 12 hours before the end of the deadline he had laid out.

Trump threatened Iran with "the death of civilization" 12 hours before the deadline on Iran

The U.S. president threatened that Iran could be "destroyed" if it does not agree to Washington's proposed truce terms on April 7

Oil nears four-year peaks before Trump's Iran deadline expires

Major U.S. stock indexes, despite volatility during the day amid U.S. and Iranian statements, managed to stay in the green zone, continuing the growth that began last week. The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ended up posting their longest series of gains since January, according to Dow Jones Market Data <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-500-and-nasdaq-set-for-mixed-start-as-iran-war-stretches-into-sixth-week?mod=home_lead">cited</a> by MarketWatch.

"Light at the end of the tunnel": S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq posted their longest streak of gains since January

XWELL, Inc.

Investment group American Ventures, linked to the children of U.S. President Trump, has <a href="https://www.xwell.com/static-files/0b6259f4-58aa-46bc-927c-37d35dae1efd">acquired</a>&nbsp;shares of small-cap spa operator XWell. By the World Cup of&nbsp;soccer  in June, the company plans to roll out AI-powered infectious disease screening at U.S. airports, the FT <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d075f22c-1794-42e3-83d6-020ff2b4ef4f">reports</a>.