Iran stock market to reopen today after 80-day closure amid US-Israel-Iran war

Synopsis

Iran's stock market reopens May 19 after an 80-day closure due to US-Israel conflict. While not a primary economic driver, its resumption offers insights into economic health and investor sentiment. Trading resumes with extended hours for major firms, aiming for transparency after market volatility and a significant internet shutdown.

Iran’s stock market is set to reopen on May 19 after remaining closed for 80 days during the conflict involving the United States and Israel. Although the exchange is not the main source of economic financing in sanctions-hit Iran, the reopening is expected to provide a clearer picture of the country’s economic conditions and help authorities assess investor confidence and market liquidity.

Trading in shares, equity funds, and equity-linked derivatives will restart on Tuesday and Wednesday, ahead of the Iranian weekend. Market hours will also be extended by one hour to give major companies additional time to disclose key information, particularly firms that suffered damage during the war or held shareholder meetings while trading was suspended.

The market, largely cut off from global indexes due to Western sanctions, has been shut since February 28, when the US and Israel carried out missile strikes on Tehran and other parts of the country.

Al Jazeera reported that Securities and Exchange Organization deputy Hamid Yari told state media earlier this week that the decision was intended to “protect investors’ assets, prevent emotional behaviour, and create conditions for trading in the market with more accurate and transparent information”.

TEDPIX, the benchmark index of the Tehran Stock Exchange, had climbed to a record high of nearly 4.5 million points at the beginning of 2026. However, it later tumbled after thousands were killed during nationwide protests that intensified on January 8 and 9, followed by a 20-day government-imposed internet shutdown.

Global oil prices have spiked since the start of the war, with consumers feeling the pinch of fuel costs that are more than 50% higher than when the war began.

The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively shut, with only a few tankers getting the nod to pass through. It is the world’s most vital energy chokepoint, as roughly 20% of global petroleum consumption and a fifth of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports transit this narrow passage daily. Any threat or disruption in these waters can send energy prices and global shipping costs surging.

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