An adviser to the CFTC chairman intervened to take over the examination of these trades, including bets linked to a policy reversal regarding an Iranian power plant attack. A direct report to Commissioner Selig, a Trump appointee, also ordered analysts to withdraw their referral to the agency's enforcement division. The move has prompted outside allegations of possible front running and market manipulation by officials within the administration.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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CFTC Blocks Insider Trading Referrals for $950 Million Oil Bets
Commodities8 days ago
Staff at the agency regulating futures markets were told to pull back an investigation into well-timed trades made around the Trump administration's Iran policy. Investigators at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) had flagged suspicious oil futures bets placed shortly before official government announcements, including positions totaling approximately $950 million taken just hours before a ceasefire was declared on April 7. Other contracts worth billions of dollars were also placed in the minutes before a separate announcement in March.
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