{"id":63518,"date":"2026-06-21T21:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T01:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-markets-surge-as-us-iran-peace-progress-eases-energy-fears-china-holds-rates\/63518\/"},"modified":"2026-06-21T21:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T01:08:15","slug":"asia-markets-surge-as-us-iran-peace-progress-eases-energy-fears-china-holds-rates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/asia-markets-surge-as-us-iran-peace-progress-eases-energy-fears-china-holds-rates\/63518\/","title":{"rendered":"Asia Markets Surge as US-Iran Peace Progress Eases Energy Fears; China Holds Rates"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Japanese equities hit historic milestones<\/strong> as the <strong>Nikkei 225<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/NI225\">^NI225<\/a>) rallied <strong>1.42%<\/strong> to <strong>72,265.13<\/strong> and the <strong>TOPIX<\/strong> reached a new record peak, fueled by easing Middle East tensions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China\u2019s People\u2019s Bank of China (PBOC)<\/strong> maintained its benchmark lending rates, leaving the <strong>1-year Loan Prime Rate (LPR) at 3.00%<\/strong> and the <strong>5-year LPR at 3.50%<\/strong>, matching consensus expectations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Precious metals surged<\/strong> despite a stronger dollar, with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/silver\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"silver price today\">Silver<\/a><\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/XAG\">XAG<\/a>) jumping over <strong>3%<\/strong> to <strong>$67.12\/oz<\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold<\/a><\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/XAU\">XAU<\/a>) climbing nearly <strong>1%<\/strong> to <strong>$4,200.08\/oz<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland<\/strong> showed &quot;positive progress&quot; as mediators from <strong>Qatar<\/strong> and <strong>Pakistan<\/strong> worked toward a final text to formalize understandings reached during 18 hours of talks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>BOJ Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino<\/strong> signaled a hawkish tilt, warning that delaying monetary adjustments could lead to a <strong>price overshoot<\/strong>, even as he noted easy conditions would remain for now.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Japanese Markets Reach Record Heights<\/h2>\n<p>Japanese stocks extended their blistering rally on Monday, with the <strong>Nikkei 225<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/NI225\">^NI225<\/a>) climbing to <strong>72,265.13<\/strong> and the <strong>TOPIX<\/strong> hitting an all-time high. Investor sentiment was bolstered by the de-escalation of conflict in the Middle East, which analysts believe will lower energy-driven inflationary pressures. The <strong>Dollar-Yen<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/USDJPY\">USDJPY<\/a>) pair strengthened <strong>0.15%<\/strong> to <strong>161.54<\/strong>, reflecting a broader trend of dollar resilience against the yen.<\/p>\n<p>In the bond market, <strong>Japan\u2019s 5-year benchmark yield<\/strong> advanced <strong>2.0 basis points<\/strong> to <strong>1.910%<\/strong>, while the <strong>2-year yield<\/strong> edged up to <strong>1.405%<\/strong>. These moves follow comments from <strong>BOJ Deputy Governor Himino<\/strong>, who emphasized that the bank is closely monitoring the impact of interest rate hikes on businesses and consumers. <strong>Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi<\/strong> reiterated expectations for the <strong>Bank of Japan<\/strong> to coordinate with the government to sustainably achieve the <strong>2% inflation target<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>China Stands Pat on Lending Rates<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>People\u2019s Bank of China<\/strong> opted for stability on Monday, keeping its benchmark lending rates unchanged for another month. The <strong>1-year LPR<\/strong> remains at <strong>3.00%<\/strong>, while the <strong>5-year LPR<\/strong>, which serves as the reference for mortgages, was held at <strong>3.50%<\/strong>. The decision reflects Beijing&#39;s cautious approach to stimulus as it balances an uneven domestic recovery against a stabilizing global backdrop.<\/p>\n<p><em>Market participants had widely anticipated the hold<\/em>, as the central bank continues to manage liquidity through alternative tools. While industrial output has shown signs of slowing, the PBOC appears focused on maintaining a &quot;moderately loose&quot; monetary policy to support long-term growth without fueling excessive debt.<\/p>\n<h2>Diplomatic Breakthroughs and Commodity Rallies<\/h2>\n<p>Negotiations in <strong>Switzerland<\/strong> between the <strong>United States<\/strong> and <strong>Iran<\/strong> have reportedly reached a critical juncture. The <strong>Iranian Foreign Ministry<\/strong> announced that a formal document of understandings is being prepared by mediators from <strong>Qatar<\/strong> and <strong>Pakistan<\/strong>. While technical teams remain engaged, the main negotiating delegations have concluded their primary work, signaling a potential end to the recent maritime and energy disruptions in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In commodities, <strong>Silver<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/XAG\">XAG<\/a>) led the charge with a <strong>3% gain<\/strong>, trading at <strong>$67.12<\/strong> per ounce. <strong>Gold<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/XAU\">XAU<\/a>) followed suit, reclaiming the <strong>$4,200<\/strong> level. Elsewhere in Asia, <strong>Taiwan shares<\/strong> climbed over <strong>2%<\/strong> during the session, driven by optimism in the semiconductor sector and the broader easing of geopolitical risks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Japanese equities hit historic milestones as the Nikkei 225 (^NI225) rallied 1.42% to 72,265.13 and the TOPIX reached 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