The United States and Iran have agreed on the text of a peace deal to end hostilities, with Washington aiming to sign a preliminary agreement in the coming days. However, Iran stated it will not sign on June 14 as previously suggested and urged caution on the signing schedule. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bagheri said, "The exact signing date still needs observation, but it will not be tomorrow" [1, 2, 3]. Meanwhile, former US President Trump repeatedly threatened a tough stance against Iran, warning of heavy attacks and prompting Iran to block the Hormuz Strait and threaten ships passing through. Trump said, "I like inflation; if Iran does not reach a peace deal, the US will strike very hard" [4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3].
Tensions escalated earlier on June 10 when US forces launched airstrikes against multiple military targets in Iran, marking a response to Iran downing a US Apache helicopter [4, 5]. The diplomatic efforts signaled a shift toward de-escalation despite the volatile background.
On June 12, SpaceX went public on the NASDAQ, rallying over 19% on its first day of trading and pushing the company’s valuation past $2 trillion. Elon Musk became the first individual with a net worth exceeding $1 trillion. SpaceX raised $75 billion in its initial public offering [8, 9, 10, 11, 1, 3]. This IPO boosted US stock markets, with major indexes closing higher. The Dow Jones gained more than 350 points, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 1.52%. Technology stocks showed mixed results [8, 9, 10, 11, 1, 3]. Asian markets also reacted positively. Taiwan’s stock futures surged overnight, led by a TSMC futures jump of about 15 Taiwanese dollars, reflecting a quick rebound in investor risk appetite [8, 9, 10, 11, 1].
Taiwan experienced heavy rains due to the Meiyu front from June 10 to 12, raising southern reservoir levels significantly. Water storage in Zengwen and Wushantou reservoirs reached roughly 17 to 18 percent [12, 4, 5]. Meanwhile, on June 12 evening, a major fire broke out at an abandoned waste factory in Kaohsiung’s Gangshan district, resulting in loud explosions. The Environmental Protection Bureau fined the operator 5 million Taiwanese dollars and ordered a shutdown [9, 10].
On June 11 late night, a police chase in Taoyuan ended in a crash that severely injured two pedestrians; the suspect was hospitalized in a coma [6, 7]. In politics, the Taipei mayoral race intensified, with hot contests between Kuomintang and Democratic Progressive Party candidates. Elections in New Taipei and Taitung also showed clearer trends [6, 7, 2, 3].
Negotiations continue between the US and Iran to finalize the peace deal agreement, with no set signing date yet. The stock markets will monitor geopolitical and corporate news closely in the coming days.
