Market Summary: Relief Rally in Stock Markets as Trump Signals Final Stages of U.S.-Iran Peace Deal
By Kelvin Wong | 21 May 2026
Key Takeaways
- Global markets experienced a significant relief rally following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that a U.S.-Iran peace deal is nearing completion, leading to a 5% drop in oil prices.
- NVIDIA reported impressive Q1 earnings with an 85% year-over-year revenue increase to $81.6 billion, yet its share price fell by 1.3% in after-hours trading.
- The Federal Reserve's minutes indicated a willingness to consider future rate hikes due to ongoing inflation concerns, despite a temporary easing in bond yields.
- The Australian Dollar (AUD) showed a bearish reaction after retesting the 20-day moving average, with 0.7180 identified as a key resistance level.
Top Macro Headlines
U.S.-Iran Peace Deal: President Trump announced that negotiations for a peace deal with Iran are in the "final stages," which significantly improved global risk sentiment and reduced geopolitical risk premiums.
NVIDIA Earnings: NVIDIA's earnings surpassed expectations, with a revenue of $81.6 billion and net income tripling to $58.3 billion, solidifying its status as the world's most valuable publicly traded company.
Federal Reserve Minutes: The minutes from the Fed's April meeting revealed that policymakers are open to rate hikes if inflation remains persistent, signaling a shift away from discussions of rate cuts.
SpaceX IPO Filing: SpaceX has filed for an IPO, aiming to raise tens of billions of dollars, potentially setting a record for the largest IPO in history.
Japan's Nuclear Resurgence: Japan's reactor manufacturers are forecasting a revival in nuclear power, coinciding with the government's plans to issue green bonds focused on clean technology.
Global Market Impact
Equities
U.S. stock indices rallied over 1%, breaking a three-day losing streak, with technology and consumer discretionary sectors leading the gains.
Fixed Income
Sovereign bond yields saw a significant decline, with the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield dropping by 10 basis points.
Foreign Exchange
The US Dollar Index weakened by 0.2%, while the Australian Dollar and other currencies gained on renewed risk appetite.
Commodities
Crude oil prices fell by 5% as geopolitical tensions eased, while gold prices increased slightly amid moderated interest rate concerns.
Asia Pacific Impact
Asian stock markets opened positively, buoyed by NVIDIA's earnings report and the suspension of a strike by Samsung's union. Major indices such as the Nikkei 225 and KOSPI saw significant gains.
The Australian Dollar faced downward pressure due to weak labor data, while the Japanese yen stabilized as intervention threats loomed.
Events to Watch
- Eurozone S&P Global Manufacturing & Services PMI Prelim (May)
- UK S&P Global Manufacturing & Services PMI Prelim (May)
- US Weekly Initial Jobless Claims
- US S&P Global Manufacturing & Services PMI Prelim (May)