The Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee (CFTC) is reportedly investigating suspicious oil futures trades positioned minutes earlier than President Donald Trump’s Fact Social posts about Iran de-escalation talks.
The probe follows weeks of strain from Democratic lawmakers who flagged uncommon exercise in crude oil markets tied to the president’s bulletins.
Lots of of Tens of millions Wager Earlier than Trump’s Posts
On March 23, merchants positioned roughly $500 to $580 million in Brent and WTI crude oil futures contracts between 6:49 and 6:50 a.m. ET.
That was roughly quarter-hour earlier than Trump posted on Fact Social about productive talks with Iran to de-escalate tensions.
Oil costs dropped sharply afterward, rewarding those that had wager on a decline.
“Is this the best timed trade of 2026?,” analysts on the Kobessi Letter posed on the time.
An identical sample reportedly emerged on April 7, when roughly $950 million in bets on falling oil costs appeared hours earlier than Trump introduced a two-week ceasefire with Iran. Oil costs fell about 15% following that put up.
Lawmakers Push for Solutions
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sheldon Whitehouse despatched a proper letter to CFTC Chairman Michael Selig on April 9. They described a “recurring concern” about doable misuse of fabric nonpublic authorities info beneath the Commodity Change Act.
Rep. Ritchie Torres individually demanded that each the Securities and Change Fee (SEC) and the CFTC overview the buying and selling exercise round each bulletins.
The White Home has denied any involvement. Spokesman Kush Desai known as implications of administration insider buying and selling “baseless and irresponsible.”
„The White Home doesn’t tolerate any ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL illegally profiteering off of insider data, and any implication that officers are engaged in such exercise with out proof is baseless and irresponsible reporting.“https://t.co/pvYf6CPYdD
So, who might or not it’s? https://t.co/gOTSCUTiLQ
— OldFatherTime (@nosy_vet) March 24, 2026
The CFTC has surveillance instruments for futures markets and the authority to subpoena buying and selling information. Nonetheless, enforcement investigations of this kind sometimes take weeks or months to supply public findings.
No fees or recognized merchants have surfaced but.
Oil markets stay risky amid shifting indicators on the US-Iran battle. Any new bulletins from the White Home might set off additional scrutiny of pre-announcement buying and selling patterns.
