US markets staged a strong rebound on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging 631 points, or 1.38%, to close at 46,208.47 after President Donald Trump signalled a possible de-escalation in tensions with Iran.
The rally gathered pace after Trump said the two sides had held “productive” talks and that planned strikes on Iranian power and energy infrastructure were being put on hold, easing investor concerns over a prolonged conflict.
The S&P 500 rose 1.15% to end at 6,581.00, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.38% to settle at 21,946.76. Markets reversed early losses as optimism grew that diplomatic engagement could prevent further escalation.
At session highs, the major indices were up more than 2%, with the Dow jumping over 1,100 points intraday.
Oil prices also retreated sharply, reflecting reduced geopolitical risk. U.S. crude (WTI) futures fell over 10% to settle at $88.13 per barrel, while Brent crude dropped nearly 11% to close at $99.94.
Trump later added that both countries were looking to “make a deal” and could hold further talks soon, boosting hopes that tensions in West Asia may ease.