Were Oil Traders Tipped Off Before Trump Delayed Iran Strikes? US Probes $800 Million Oil Bets

Key points

• Were Oil Traders Tipped Off Before Trump Delayed Iran Strikes?
• US Probes $800 Million Oil Bets Published By, Last Updated: May 20, 2026, 10:27 IST A spasm of trades hit the market during off-hours and over $800 million worth of US and international crude futures changed hands within minutes on March 23. The well-timed bets have confounded a market in which the price of oil has become a strategic pressure point for both the US and Iran.
• The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is probing a surge in oil futures trading that took place minutes before US President Donald Trump announced to postpone planned strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure in March, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
• As per the report, a spasm of trades hit the market during off-hours and over $800 million worth of US and international crude futures changed hands within minutes on March...