FT: Traders place $580 million in oil bets 15 minutes before Trump’s post

On March 23, between 6:49 and 6:50 a.m. New York time—about 15 minutes before U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social about his decision to delay strikes on Iranian energy facilities—roughly 6,200 trades were executed in Brent and WTI crude oil futures, according to the Financial Times.

Trump’s post triggered a sharp drop in oil prices and a rise in U.S. and European stock futures. The report notes it is unclear whether the trades were made by a single entity or multiple parties. While the volume was higher than normal for that time of day, it was not a record.

Experts point out that large trades preceding official U.S. government announcements are not unprecedented. One trader remarked: “Someone just made a lot of money.”

Earlier reports indicated that President Trump had ordered U.S. forces to suspend strikes on Iranian energy facilities for five days.