The Japan Times - Oil plunges, stocks rally as Trump says Iran war over 'very soon'

The Paris and London stock markets gained around two percent, as European gas prices sank 15 percent, helping ease concerns over a renewed surge for global inflation.

Frankfurt jumped 2.6 percent in midday deals.

International oil benchmark, Brent North Sea crude, plunged more than seven percent to around $92 a barrel, a day after nearing $120.

"This downward swing in oil helped US stocks stage an impressive comeback on Monday to trade in positive territory -- a trend which continued in Asia and is now being repeated in Europe," noted AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

Asian stock markets rallied, with Seoul up more than five percent and Tokyo ending with a gain of 2.9 percent.

There were advances in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Mumbai, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta.

"This is still a fluid market, and if the headlines deteriorate, or the war escalates, then we could see prices reverse once again," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB.

As the crisis in the crude-rich Middle East entered its second week, Trump said the campaign was far ahead of his initial timeline of around a month.

"It's going to be ended soon, and if it starts up again they'll be hit even harder," he told a news conference in Florida on Monday.

Iran responded by vowing to block Gulf oil exports and asserting that they, not the US, would "determine the end of the war".

Still, Trump's remarks helped reverse the previous day's spike in oil prices, which had surged since Iranian attacks on shipping closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz in response to the US-Israeli strikes that killed its supreme leader.

The surge also followed strikes on an oil depot in Iran and after attacks on oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

"The market is in highly speculative mode thanks to the absence of any certainty about what the next few days, let alone weeks will look like," said Mould.

"In these circumstances... Trump's comments about the Iran war ending soon have been seized upon," he added.

The US president also said he would temporarily waive some oil-related sanctions, after acknowledging talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Investors' attention focused on the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20 percent of the world's crude oil usually transits from the Gulf to world markets.

About 10 vessels in or near the strait have come under attack since Iran all but blocked the strait in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes, according to shipping experts.

President Emmanuel Macron has said France and its allies are working on a "purely defensive" mission to reopen the strait, aiming to escort ships "after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict".

- Key figures at around 1110 GMT -

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 7.1 percent at $91.83 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 6.4 percent at $88.67 per barrel

London - FTSE 100: UP 1.8 percent at 10,434.48 points

Paris - CAC 40: UP 2.2 percent at 8,087.24

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 2.6 percent at 24,013.50

Seoul - Kospi: UP 5.4 percent at 5,532.59 (close)

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 2.9 percent at 54,248.39 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 2.2 percent at 25,959.90 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 4,123.14 (close)

New York - Dow: UP 0.5 percent at 47,740.80 (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1650 from $1.1614 on Monday

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3459 from $1.3427

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 157.74 yen from 157.85 yen

Euro/pound: UP at 86.55 pence from 86.49 pence

K.Yoshida--JT