Perfect timing! A bizarre surge in the crude oil market prompts regulators to act, with the CFTC investigating trades related to Trump

According to people familiar with the matter,the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is conducting an investigation into the crude oil futures market,focusing on the period just before the Trump administration adjusted policies related to the Iran war—a series of trades suspected to be precisely timed.

The CFTC is primarily scrutinizing unusual trading volume ahead of major policy announcements,and has asked exchanges to submit relevant trading data, including Tag 50 identification information for trading entities. The probe was triggered by market concerns that material non-public information about a shift in Trump’s stance on Iran may have been misused. Two Democratic senators have also expressed concern and urged regulators to conduct a thorough investigation.