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Traders bet $500 million on oil price just before Trump's post on delay to Iran attack
About $580 million in Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude futures were traded minutes before Trump announced a delay in strikes on Iranian energy, sparking market volatility.
- On Monday, March 24, 2026, unknown accounts sold 6,200 Brent and WTI oil futures contracts worth $580 million just 15 minutes before President Donald Trump announced "productive conversations" with Iran.
- President Trump had spent the weekend threatening to "obliterate" Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz remained closed, creating market sensitivity before his sudden Monday policy reversal.
- Financial Times analysis using Bloomberg data confirmed the $580 million trade surge at 6:49 a.m., while S&P 500 futures simultaneously recorded sharp volume spikes before Trump's Truth Social post.
- Senator Chris Murphy accused the administration of "mind blowing corruption" over the trades, while White House spokesperson Kush Desai called allegations "baseless and irresponsible."
- Lawmakers including Murphy are pushing legislation to ban prediction markets on government actions, while the CFTC increases market manipulation scrutiny amid national mourning of former FBI Director Robert Mueller.
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Traders bet hundreds of millions of dollars on oil contracts just minutes before US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the US would delay attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure. Market data reviewed by the BBC shows that trading volume increased about fifteen minutes before a social media post by the president announcing the move. The price of oil fell sharply after the announcement, falling by 14% within minutes. Traders who bet …
Just minutes before the stock market swung, large amounts of oil were traded. The deals have raised questions about insider trading. – The timing itself is remarkable, say
·Stockholm, Sweden
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources82
Leaning Left20Leaning Right14Center14Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Left
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Left
42% Left
L 42%
C 29%
R 29%
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